amphibious vehicle

Modelled on the Lamborghini Countach, it was once one of the world's fastest amphibious cars and has featured on TV shows including BBC's Top Gear.

The quest for increasingly versatile vehicles has already resulted in sophisticated amphibious cars, which could soon be followed by airborne personal transport too.

The Gadget Show star went one better than James Bond by testing an amphibious car that turns into a hovercraft.

In the movie it turned into an amphibious car. The award for the most passionate Bond car purchase has to go to Max Reid, a computer entrepreneur who paid pounds 157,750 as a Valentine's Day gift for his wife to buy the actual Aston Martin DB5 which was driven by Pierce Brosnan in Goldeneye.

A DAREDEVIL driver crossed the Mersey in his amphibious car just ahead of the Parade of Sail yesterday.

The Warwickshire company behind the Gibbs Aquada amphibious car has been honoured with the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Gold Medal for the pursuit of engineering excellence.

Gibbs, who has made everything from bras to television sets over a long career in New Zealand and the UK, launched Gibbs Sports Amphibians 16 years ago after building his own amphibious car and wondering if he could make it on a larger scale.

The conference has once again attracted an A-list of engineering leaders, including: Richard Parry Jones, group vice-president of global product development and chief technical officer at Ford Motor Company; Neil Jenkins, MD of Nuneaton-based Gibbs Technology, manufacturer of the Aquada high- speed amphibious car; and Chris Wilkinson, of BAE Systems Aerostructures.

The Gibbs Aquada high speed amphibious car being put through its paces; Neil Jenkins (left) being presented with the Churchill Medal 2004 by Winston Churchill

Perhaps the Aquada amphibious car on display at the motor show, and a home by a canal.

Rover's facelifted range, the Kia Picanto, Chrysler Crossfire Roadster and the Gibbs Aquanda amphibious car all vie for the attentions of the public.

Last week we printed a photo of an amphibious car called an Aquada rolling into the River Thames (left)and the pounds 10 winning caption came from Malcolm Brockley,of Nantglyn near Denbigh.

The 150,000-pound James Bond-style amphibious car, built by Gibbs Technologies, can convert a car into a boat at the push of just a single button.

He has dressed up as a bride, posed with countless models and crossed the Channel in an amphibious car to boost the profile of his company.

Highlights had to be the Nuneaton-made Aquada, the amphibious car which does 30mph in the water, and the stunning array of dream cars, including Ferrari and Mercedes.