Click it and Unblock the Notifications
First Underwater Car Was Inspired By James Bond
Amphibious cars have been around for many years, even as early as the 1960s. However, these cars could only cruise like a motorboat once on water. The world's first car that could actually dive underwater like a submarine and drive on land came only in 2008 and it was inspired by another legendary underwater car. James Bond's Lotus Esprit from the 1977 movie, The Spy Who Loved Me.
James Bond, played by Roger Moore, was shown diving deep underwater in a special Lotus Esprit sports car provided by the Q Branch. This particular car inspired Swiss company Rinspeed's CEO Frank M. Rinderknecht and the result was the sQuba, world's first car that can dive underwater like its counterpart from the movie.
The original underwater car from the James Bond movie was a 1976 Lotus Esprit. This particular Esprit was also called fondly called 'Wet Nellie'
Being a James Bond car, the Esprit has all the usual armaments, but its unique quality is its ability to drive underwater, where its wheel arches turn into fins and propellers at the rear provide mobility.
A popular scene from the movie is when the car emerges from water onto the beach.
The car is technically a wet submarine, where the cabin is filled with water and the driver has to carry oxygen separately, a feature it shares with the first real world underwater car, the sQuba.
The Rinspeed sQuba concept car was unveiled to the public at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show
Like the Esprit, the sQuba is also based on a Lotus, an Elise.
The sQuba is a wet submarine like its movie counterpart, but there is a difference. The sQuba is a convertible, even when underwater.
Like the name suggests, the car is meant to be used as a scuba diving car. A fancy way to explore coral reefs. The convertible design is actually meant to make it easy for occupants to escape in case of a problem.
But if you decide not to get wet, the car can also be used as a jet propelled boat.
The sQuba is an all electric car, powered by lithium ion batteries. In water, two electric propellers, along with two Seabob water jets get it moving.
Top speed on land is a decent 120 km/h. Speed drastically decreases once in water. On the water surface sQuba can achieve a top speed of 6 km/h or 3.2 kn. Underwater the sQuba can only do 3 km/h or 1.6 kn.
The interior of the car is both water and salt resistant
The prototype cost more than US$1.5 million or about INR 10 crores to build, but a production, considering it goes into production, would cost considerably less.
Continue with Google