Gibbs Quadski Amphibious ATV
With this half-ATV, half–personal watercraft, Gibbs has created a fast first
On-Sale Date: December
Price: $40,000
Competitors: None
Powertrains: 1300-cc BMW inline four; 175 hp. Power split to a limited slip rear differential (land) and a high-performance jet pump with reverse (water).
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy): N/A
What's New: Gibbs has been working on the concept of high-speed amphibious vehicles for 16 years. It produced a brief run of cars (the Aquada) that had to be aborted because of supplier problems. The Quadski is the first commercially available, practical amphibian that does both land and water brilliantly.
Tech Tidbit: When the Gibbs is ready for aquatic duty, two servomotors pull in the wheels. Those motors crank the CNC-milled upper-control arm mounts inboard, and the whole suspension pivots swiftly. Transitioning from land to water takes only 5 seconds.
Driving Character: I went into this test expecting the Gibbs Quadski to be a jack of two trades and master of neither. What I found was much better.
I grew up on ATVs, and so I laid into the Quadski on land. The huge power and limited slip differential work perfectly together, delivering as much performance as you'd expect from a straight axle quad. The machine uses BMW's constant-mesh six-speed transmission and a bespoke auto clutch that downshifts for you. It's convenient when you're in a mix of twists and straights.
The only trouble with the Gibbs on land is getting used to the left-thumb-button-actuated upshifts. It doesn't come naturally, but with practice it should be no problem. The machine is significantly bigger than most quads, though, so it simply will not work on tight backcountry trails. But on two tracks and in wide open spaces it's right at home. It can even manage some pretty good jumps.
In my only previous experience on a Jet Ski, I managed to misread a swell and separate myself from my machine by a 50-yard swim. Thankfully, such was not the case on the 40 F October morning in Michigan when I tested the Gibbs. The Quadski is completely predictable on the water. On land, the power output is electronically limited to about 80 hp for safety, but on water you get the full 175 hp out of the BMW inline four. Getting up on plane from a dead stop is shockingly quick. A 45-mph claimed top speed means it's no slacker on open water, and it handles wakes smoothly. With its wheels pulled up and away from the water line, the Quadski can execute turns and tight maneuvers just like a Jet Ski or Sea-Doo.
Favorite Detail: The most impressive piece of the design has to be the bargeboards (or are those Nerf bars?). They're perfectly designed for tons of leg leverage on land, and I didn't even get the cuffs of my pants wet on the water.
Driver's Grievance: Anyone who rides personal watercraft knows you do not get them into the shallows or you foul the propeller, which causes cavitation, a condition where the flow of water tumbles unpredictably and causes tremendous loss of in-water power.
I did this twice. Within an hour.
I can't really fault the Gibbs engineers outright, because I am not an experienced watercraft pilot. But perhaps a jet-intake guard at low speeds would be advisable, especially considering this vehicle is intended to transition through shallows all the time as it goes from sea to land and back again.
The Bottom Line: At a breathtaking cost of $40,000 for the first 1000 production units, you can believe the first takers won't be average weekend warriors. Yacht-makers are already designing these things into their vessels. But for the committed sportsman, the Quadski does answer a need for freedom to roam. Rather than take loads of time circling a lake, why not just traverse it? Likewise, if a waterway is the fastest route from A to B, now you can take it and pop out on dry land on the other side.
Gibbs is planning three more high-speed amphibians in the future. We hope they can get their prices down to the 15 percent premium over a comparable Jet Ski that founder Alan Gibbs believes he can build them for. Storing one toy in the garage rather two is a pretty alluring prospect. After the test drive I found myself trying to justify spending new-car money on this ultimate go-anywhere machine.
Price: $40,000
Competitors: None
Powertrains: 1300-cc BMW inline four; 175 hp. Power split to a limited slip rear differential (land) and a high-performance jet pump with reverse (water).
EPA Fuel Economy (city/hwy): N/A
What's New: Gibbs has been working on the concept of high-speed amphibious vehicles for 16 years. It produced a brief run of cars (the Aquada) that had to be aborted because of supplier problems. The Quadski is the first commercially available, practical amphibian that does both land and water brilliantly.
Tech Tidbit: When the Gibbs is ready for aquatic duty, two servomotors pull in the wheels. Those motors crank the CNC-milled upper-control arm mounts inboard, and the whole suspension pivots swiftly. Transitioning from land to water takes only 5 seconds.
Driving Character: I went into this test expecting the Gibbs Quadski to be a jack of two trades and master of neither. What I found was much better.
I grew up on ATVs, and so I laid into the Quadski on land. The huge power and limited slip differential work perfectly together, delivering as much performance as you'd expect from a straight axle quad. The machine uses BMW's constant-mesh six-speed transmission and a bespoke auto clutch that downshifts for you. It's convenient when you're in a mix of twists and straights.
The only trouble with the Gibbs on land is getting used to the left-thumb-button-actuated upshifts. It doesn't come naturally, but with practice it should be no problem. The machine is significantly bigger than most quads, though, so it simply will not work on tight backcountry trails. But on two tracks and in wide open spaces it's right at home. It can even manage some pretty good jumps.
In my only previous experience on a Jet Ski, I managed to misread a swell and separate myself from my machine by a 50-yard swim. Thankfully, such was not the case on the 40 F October morning in Michigan when I tested the Gibbs. The Quadski is completely predictable on the water. On land, the power output is electronically limited to about 80 hp for safety, but on water you get the full 175 hp out of the BMW inline four. Getting up on plane from a dead stop is shockingly quick. A 45-mph claimed top speed means it's no slacker on open water, and it handles wakes smoothly. With its wheels pulled up and away from the water line, the Quadski can execute turns and tight maneuvers just like a Jet Ski or Sea-Doo.
Favorite Detail: The most impressive piece of the design has to be the bargeboards (or are those Nerf bars?). They're perfectly designed for tons of leg leverage on land, and I didn't even get the cuffs of my pants wet on the water.
Driver's Grievance: Anyone who rides personal watercraft knows you do not get them into the shallows or you foul the propeller, which causes cavitation, a condition where the flow of water tumbles unpredictably and causes tremendous loss of in-water power.
I did this twice. Within an hour.
I can't really fault the Gibbs engineers outright, because I am not an experienced watercraft pilot. But perhaps a jet-intake guard at low speeds would be advisable, especially considering this vehicle is intended to transition through shallows all the time as it goes from sea to land and back again.
The Bottom Line: At a breathtaking cost of $40,000 for the first 1000 production units, you can believe the first takers won't be average weekend warriors. Yacht-makers are already designing these things into their vessels. But for the committed sportsman, the Quadski does answer a need for freedom to roam. Rather than take loads of time circling a lake, why not just traverse it? Likewise, if a waterway is the fastest route from A to B, now you can take it and pop out on dry land on the other side.
Gibbs is planning three more high-speed amphibians in the future. We hope they can get their prices down to the 15 percent premium over a comparable Jet Ski that founder Alan Gibbs believes he can build them for. Storing one toy in the garage rather two is a pretty alluring prospect. After the test drive I found myself trying to justify spending new-car money on this ultimate go-anywhere machine.
By Bill Schrama from Popular Mechanics Post
Finance this machine at www.boatfinance.com
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