[Infowarrior] - James Bond-inspired submarine ready for launch

[Richard Forno]

James Bond-inspired submarine ready for launch

Posted 2 hours 34 minutes ago
The sQuba submersible car
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/16/2164494.htm

The sQuba, touted at the world's first submersible car, can descend up to 10
metres underwater. The sQuba will be unveiled next month at the
International Geneva Motor Show. (Rinspeed)

A car that can be driven underwater is set to be unveiled next month at the
International Geneva Motor Show, the Swiss manufacturer of the prototype
announced.

The 'sQuba', reminiscent of James Bond's underwater car in the 1977 film The
Spy Who Loved Me is, according to manufacturer Rinspeed, the world's first
real submersible car.

Rinspeed's head, Frank Rinderknecht, is a James Bond enthusiast who has
dreamed of making the amphibious vehicle come true.

"For three decades I have tried to imagine how it might be possible to build
a car that can fly under water," said Mr Rinderknecht in a statement. "Now
we have made this dream come true."

The convertible sports car transforms into an underwater vehicle in which
passengers breathe with the help of compressed air masks.

"It is undoubtedly not an easy task to make a car watertight and pressure
resistant enough to be manoeuvrable under water," said Mr Rinderknecht. "The
real challenge however was to create a submersible car that moves like a
fish in water."

Propelled by electric motors, the car can descend up to 10 metres
underwater.

Aesthetic appeal aside, the open-top design of the car is actually a safety
feature that permits passengers to get out quickly during an emergency and
avert the problem of excessive water pressure on the windows of a closed
car.

The invention will be presented at the car show in Geneva, which opens to
the press March 4 and runs for the public from March 6 to 16.

Rinspeed was not available to specify the sale price of the new model.

- AFP

Tags: automotive, offbeat,