Automative Watershed

The Age

Saturday January 19, 2008

Andrew Heasley

REMEMBER James Bond's white Lotus Esprit in The Spy Who Loved Me that shot off the end of a jetty and transformed into a submarine car? That's exactly the kind of vehicle Swiss Rinspeed boss Frank Rinderknecht is working on with his concept car, the Rinspeed sQuba, which is due to be unveiled at the Geneva motor show in March.

At the push of a button, it's able to drive into the water and dive to a depth of 10 metres, he says, "beyond the scope of many human virtues of imagination".

OK, so that bit might have got lost in translation, but you get the gist.

Apparently, the car's body, made of lightweight carbon nanotubes, "encloses" the occupants, who breath air from an on-board system.

It's also reported to be gentle on the environment, with no emissions, boasting electric power to drive the wheels on land, and propellers and "jet drives" when under water.

Just a small tip: unlike the company's artistic rendering here, you may first wish to close the sunroof before heading into the depths.

-- ANDREW HEASLEY

© 2008 The Age

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