Since humans began to travel in vehicles, on numerous occasions alternatives have been developed that allow different environments to be combined without having to change means of transport. In this sense, amphibious cars have been an obsession for some designers and engineers throughout history. But achieving a car that could be driven on the road and also capable of navigating has never been an easy task.
If we look back, we will see that one of those that achieved the greatest success was the Amphicar 770, a stylish convertible proposal that was presented at the New York Auto Show in 1961. Its launch attracted all eyes, as there were many drivers. who imagined themselves enjoying their leisure time with routes that included miles of driving and then descending a ramp and sailing through the water of the nearest lake.
Although the vehicle was more widely accepted in the United States, the truth is that its origin is on our continent. This water car was the product of the German designer Hans Trippel and was manufactured in Germany by the Quandt Group in its facilities located in the cities of Berlin and Lübeck.
Almost 4,000 units of the Amphicar 770 were produced until 1963, when production officially stopped. However, the car actually continued to be produced until 1965 from already assembled bodies and stored parts, and factory units were sold until 1968.
The vehicle’s performance was not spectacular but it was more than sufficient for its purpose. It could reach up to 112 km/h on land and its maximum speed in water was seven knots (about 13 km/h). The steering system for the road was essentially the same as that of a conventional automobile. In the water, the front wheels also acted as steering, a factor that made it less maneuverable than a conventional boat.
Sailing involved subsequent maintenance work that should not be neglected if the owner intended to extend the life of the vehicle. And the Amphicar 770 had thirteen lubrication points that had to be greased after leaving the water, one of which even required removing the rear bench.
The car had a 1.2-liter inline four-cylinder engine located in the rear. This engine was associated with a four-speed manual transmission and was capable of generating 43 HP of power. This horsepower was enough to move the 1,050 kg of this amphibious vehicle by road.
Operation during navigation was based on the rear wheel drive spinning two reversible propellers, located under the rear bumper. With a second gear lever, forward or reverse travel on the water was activated. The Amphicar 770 is not only a thing of the past, but there are still operational units capable of taxiing and sailing, as you can see in the video that accompanies this article.
