1964 Amphicar Model 770

The Amphicar Model 770 is one of the most distinctive and quirky vehicles ever produced: a civilian amphibious car that could truly drive on land and swim in water. This 1964 example sits right in the heart of production.

German engineer Hans Trippel designed the Amphicar, drawing on earlier amphibious work that included the wartime Volkswagen Schwimmwagen. The 770 debuted in prototype form around 1959 to 1961, including a splash at the New York Auto Show on April 1, 1961, and entered production in West Germany, with bodies from Italy and assembly in Berlin and Lübeck. It was backed financially by the Quandt Group, linked to BMW, and marketed primarily through Amphicar Corporation in the United States.

The powertrain is a rear-mounted 1,147 cc inline four from the British Triumph Herald, producing about 43 horsepower. That gives roughly 65 to 70 mph on land through a four-speed manual transmission, and about 7 mph (6.5 to 7 knots) in the water via two rear propellers. The front wheels act as rudders for steering afloat. It is a rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive convertible with a sealed hull for buoyancy.

Only 3,878 were built from 1961 to 1968, with some final sales from leftover parts. About 3,046 of them, roughly 78 to 90 percent, were exported to the United States, making it the most successful civilian amphibious passenger car ever made. Production effectively ended after 1967 because the car could not meet new U.S. safety and emissions standards for 1968 models without costly changes.

The “770” name cleverly referenced its dual capabilities: 7 knots in water, 70 mph on land. It featured tall tail fins, reportedly the highest of any production car, edging out the 1959 Cadillac by an inch, and was U.S. Coast Guard-approved as a legitimate boat, complete with navigation lights.