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New Gibbs Quadski features 175hp engine, $40K retail price

News release

The world’s first high-speed sports amphibian — the GIBBS Quadski — will go on sale in the United States next month.

The dream of two visionary entrepreneurs, years of development work in the United States, New Zealand and the U.K., and millions of research dollars, the GIBBS high-speed amphibian will be produced at a 54,000-square-foot assembly plant in Auburn Hills, Mich.

An entirely new form of transportation for U.S. consumers, the Quadski is capable of reaching speeds of 45 mph on both land and water and transitions between both in five seconds or less.

Introduced at a Gibbs Sports Amphibian press conference today in Detroit by Alan Gibbs, the company’s founder, and Neil Jenkins, its chairman, the Quadski is equipped with a 175-horsepower BMW Motorrad engine and transmission. With the press of a button, its wheels retract when entering the water and deploy when approaching land.

Jenkins told reporters in Detroit that Quadski will retail for about $40,000 when introduced in November. The company expects to have more than 20 dealership locations in place within the next 12 months, primarily in the Midwest, New York, Texas and the southeastern United States.

Powersports Business associate editor Liz Hochstedler hopped aboard a Quadski on Sunday at a demo event in Michigan, and will provide a report in an upcoming edition of the magazine.

The GIBBS amphibian weighs 1,300 pounds, is equipped with a 15-gallon fuel tank and will be available in five colors — red, yellow, blue, silver and black. Suggested retail pricing and details about GIBBS’ dealer network will be announced prior to public introduction in mid-November.

GIBBS has more than 300 patents and patents pending on its High Speed Amphibian (HSA) technology for consumer, commercial and first-responder use.

“Quadski represents an investment of more than $200-million and two-million man hours of work over a period of 15 years,” said Alan Gibbs. “With the introduction of Quadski next month, our dream of providing high-speed amphibian transportation to consumers will become a reality.

“It’s been a long, uphill battle, but clearly worth the effort. Quadski will pave the way for a host of other HSAs for consumers, sports enthusiasts, law enforcement agencies, first responders and other commercial enterprises.”

Jenkins noted that Gibbs Sports Amphibians expects to add a total of more than 200 jobs at its Auburn Hills facilities on Brown Road and its new assembly plant at 50 Corporate Drive in the next 12 months. At maximum capacity, the plant will be capable of producing 20 units per hour. The company currently has 100 Michigan employees.

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“Although Quadski initially will be available for sale only in the U.S., we expect to find a ready market for it in Europe, Latin America and elsewhere around the world in 2014 and beyond,” Gibbs added.

“We’ve created an entirely new powersports category with our patented HSA technology. Quadski is especially designed for families and individuals who enjoy the outdoors, watersports, off-road travel, hunting and fishing. It offers premium powersports buyers a combination of power, safety, comfort and versatility that has never been available before.”

The new HSA’s BMW four-cylinder, water-cooled engine is considered the lightest power plant in its segment and features electronic fuel injection, a double-overhead camshaft and dry-sump lubrication. GIBBS spent more than 18 months and 75,000 engineering man hours to pair BMW’s Motorrad powertrain to its high-tech amphibian system.

Designed to meet applicable state and federal safety requirements, the Quadski is 10.5 feet in overall length; 5.2 feet in width, and 4.3 feet in height with a wheelbase of 5.8 feet. It initially will be offered for use by one person.

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37 Comments

  1. I find it interesting that you write this article as if this is a “new” thing. Yet, right in the “Other stories that might interest you…” you have stories from 2006 talking about the same vehicle.

    You should check your archives.

    1. Hi Rick,

      I live in Indonesia and very interesting with this Gibbs Quadski.

      Pls inform me the model, stock and price.

      Thanks,
      Toto

  2. At Last!! Alan Gibbs and his team have been battling not only technical issues but the impressive might of our disconnected beaurocracies (i.e.: conflict between road use regulators and maritime regulators – especially in relqtion to the
    humdinga!!) To succeed now is remarkable and to be applauded. I wish them every success and can’t wait until we can get them here in its “native New Zealand”.

    Mike R

  3. Congratulations to Gibbs on their persistence. This looks like it will have significant appeal to government, military, and search/rescue.

    Very few hybrid vehicles do either of their main functions very well, and at $40K, 45 mph, and single operator capacity this will have a limited appeal in the consumer market.

    That said, the markets that it will appeal to are enormous, and I wish Gibbs all the success.

    Kevin J.

  4. you gotta be kidding me these things are as much is a new Audi TT convertible… gotta be insane. and in any of the videos I never seen any extensive ATV driving it was always flat easy terrain sand or dirt. absolutely no small jumps or anything like a quad so you say. in one video I look like one of the wheels with a little cocked the wrong way sort of cheesy like. just how reliable and durable is the suspension and that gearing mechanism that raises and lowers the wheels. this things about the size of a small Volkswagen is it not…. my opinion it’s WAY overpriced just because it does two things sort of. it looks more of a water vehicles than land I would saydriving on land is its second option not first,

  5. I love it ! Think ill use some in the near future ! This will allow me to use my new product in areas not ordinarily accessible. ! Great concept ! My father had the 1st amphicar back in the 70s in my area. Hope both our new products takes off across the country. !
    Love it
    Art Preller
    Port Arthur Limb Lines

  6. Nice idea, but way too expensive. One could buy a top of the line 2 person atv, a two person jet ski, a trailer for each, and still have several thousand dollars left in their pocket! Each of those individual machines would no doubt perform much much better at their intended task than that oversized, overweight hulk! At the price, size, and weight, I just don’t see it being a hot seller….more of a fad.

    1. I agree, one of my customers brought one in and it was huge and the back end resembled that of a Yugo car! and sounds like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car in the water not so bad but on land one of these rolls on top of you something is broken on both you and the machine. I dont think its even 4 wheel drive.. at any rate, i would not buy this for my family. Consumers may buy this if it was $10k but $40k ? I bought a new 2013 Corvette 3LT convertible for $41k

  7. I would love to c more prices and more dealership around my way so I may contact them. I think that what u have is the most awesome boat – 4 wheeler made. When we are hunting & fishing it would be a great thing to have.

    1. Chris,
      In the U.S., I believe the Quadski is only available to register as an ATV or a personal watercraft. It’s only allowed on-road in areas that allow ATV use on-road.

      Thank you,
      Liz Keener
      Managing Editor

  8. I. Am looking at taking them distributions rights ago of your for the Middle Eeat Region
    my direct number is 973 39454675
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  9. I have been responsible for establishing Sabre A Dallas based US Corpiration in 11 countries within the Middle Esat region.
    I shall be grateful if I am given an opportunity to take care of the distribution
    Of your Quadski in the same region Thanking you in anticipation of a positive Response
    NAVEEN BHATTY

  10. I’d be more worried about ripping around on this as a fourwheeler, a rock or log come up and crack the bottom or even make a hole unknowingly. Then of course you ride into a lake and sink your $40,000 machine. It would be interesting to know what the underneath is made of.

  11. So….just wondering, yes or no, is it, or can it be street legal, and how would I go about registering this vehicle with Massachusetts DMV, I would like to be able to “drive” to Martha’s Vinyard on the thing and be able to “drive” around the streets legally, license plate and all, that would be nice, …..very naaaa-ice!!

  12. can’t wait to find out how to become a dealer in central mexico since there is a
    lot of places where it would be of good use!

  13. I hope they can one day make this more affordable for the hard working middle class. I love the idea of only storing one item in the winter and more space in the shed. $40K is an awfull lot of money. See what you can do. Great idea and looks fun.

  14. Way to expensive since you can’t use it on the road and is only a one person toy. Great idea. Make me a two person road usable. Boy is it cute. Would look good at MickeyRats this summer

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