Gibbs Unveils Amphibious UTV Concept + Video

If you’ve ever  longed for a UTV you could ride across a lake, you may be in luck. Gibbs Sports Amphibians Inc., the company that brought us the QuadSki, has released information on its latest creation – the Terraquad.

The Terraquad shares the same basic idea as the QuadSki, only with the ability to carry a rider and passenger seated beside each other.

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Interestingly, the dimensions of the Terraquad are almost identical to the original QuadSki. Both machines are 128.3 inches long and the Terraquad is all of a half-inch wider at 63 inches. We’ve ridden the QuadSki and it felt incredibly wide, so it’s not surprising that Gibbs figured there was room for a passenger and driver in one row.

The engine powering the Terraquad seems to be the same four-cylinder 1300cc BMW that is found in the QuadSki (and the BMW K1300 engine). It produced a claimed 140 horsepower on the water, though that number will likely be tamed considerably for use on land. Speed is restricted to 50 mph on land and 45 mph on water. Propulsion on the water is provided by Gibbs’ own jet drive system.

Of course, the Terraquad will share the QuadSki’s very cool technology that sees the wheels tucked up when being used on the water.

Like any UTV, the Terraquad features a Roll Over Protection Structure (ROPS). It also has two seatbelts, which brings up some potential concerns. While seatbelts should be used on land, we’re not sure you want to use them on the water, as you don’t want to be strapped down if the Terraquad ends up upside down. Users will have to keep that in mind.

Another potential issue is the wearing of personal flotation devices (PFD). A PFD can go pretty much unnoticed on a straddle-style ATV seat, but it could feel cumbersome on a UTV seat. The last thing you want is for riders to find a reason not to wear a PFD.

Regardless of these questions, we are excited about the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the Terraquad. We will be on the phone with Gibbs as soon as this machine is ready to hit the marketplace.

Pricing has not been released, but the QuadSki retails for about $40,000, so the Terraquad will likely start a bit higher than that.

Visit GibbsSports.com for more information.