Up on the Plane

New Zealand-founded company Gibbs Sports Amphibians will introduce a new off-roader on to the market this week, the Quadski, which is equipped with retractable wheels and a BMW motorcycle engine. Gibbs’ chairman Neil Jenkins said: “With modern technology, it was possible to create a vehicle that could do well on land and break free of the plane in water. The key is to get it out of displacement mode, where it’s plowing through water, and up on the plane.” To achieve that, the Quadski employs a lightweight hull of fiberglass composite. If all goes according to plan, the 2013 Quadski will be the first amphibious vehicle from the Gibbs companies to make it into the sales distribution chain. The company was founded in 1996 by New Zealand entrepreneur, Alan Gibbs.