What? No torpedoes!?

February 18, 2008 3:18 PM

sQuba Submersible Sports Car --Rinspeed calls the sQuba the first real submersible car. Unlike military amphibious vehicles, which can only drive slowly on a lakebed, the sQuba travels like a submarine - either on the surface or submerged. The interior is resistant to salt water, allowing the skipper to drive into a lake or the sea. The only downside? It's a convertible.
posted by The Light Fantastic (23 comments total)

So you wear scuba gear, big deal. I’m more interested in whether the driver can marry people.
posted by HVAC Guerilla at 3:29 PM on February 18, 2008

Damn those bodies of water, constantly in the way!

Anywho, can't wait until the Top Gear boys get their hands on one of these. And it implodes underwater. Or something.
posted by pyrex at 3:41 PM on February 18, 2008

It looks a bit pokey once it's underwater, hardly fast enough to catch up to a supervillain.
posted by slogger at 3:47 PM on February 18, 2008

I’m more interested in whether the driver can marry people

Yes, but said marriages are only valid for the duration of the drive.
posted by TedW at 3:47 PM on February 18, 2008

Nice design. Looks a little bit like the modified Lola T70 , the car from THX-1138.
posted by HVAC Guerilla at 3:49 PM on February 18, 2008

Top Gear Race prediction:

Jeremy will drive this, he will complain endlessly about how slow it is, but he will be charmed by it's Bond like aspirations. At some point he will get very wet.

Richard will attempt to beat them both by driving a snowmobile across the water. (similar to what he tried here). He will also get very wet.

James will cruise across the body of water in some kind of stately pleasure-boat. He will be by-and-far the slowest of the three (because he will get badly lost). But at the end of it, you will be convinced that he is still the only sane one on the show.

Despite looking foolish and complaining the whole time, Jeremy will claim victory based on some arcane piece of logic.

And after watching it, I will still want to try the snowmobile thing more than any of the others. Because I am an idiot.
posted by quin at 3:51 PM on February 18, 2008 [1 favorite]

I came close to posting this the other day. I love the fact that it's a convertable and stays a convertible underwater, the cabin fills with water and use a diving mask to breath.
posted by delmoi at 4:22 PM on February 18, 2008

Do they explain why the cabin isn't sealed so the driver has to get wet?
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 4:24 PM on February 18, 2008

Yes. Because if they kept air in the interior, they'd have to put roughly 2 tons of weight on the frame to keep it underwater.

Or just have my ex-wife ride in the passenger seat. *ZING!*
posted by Parannoyed at 4:32 PM on February 18, 2008

"Do they explain why the cabin isn't sealed so the driver has to get wet?"

From the Wiki:

The open cockpit design is intended to allow the occupants to escape easily in case of emergency.

posted by pyrex at 4:34 PM on February 18, 2008

Doh, forgot to add: I wonder how well it dries out once it's back on the surface. Repeated exposure to moisture can't be too great for the interior.
posted by pyrex at 4:36 PM on February 18, 2008

You're arguing the feasibility of an underwater car? No less one that's just a prototype?

This crowd is a lost cause.
posted by spiderskull at 6:21 PM on February 18, 2008

Repeated exposure to moisture can't be too great for the interior.

I assume it's like all boats, where the plastic will spontaneously combust if not cared for lovingly with a shammy wipedown after use.
posted by smackfu at 7:02 PM on February 18, 2008

Does it come with an underwater garage? That you have to park outside of because it's stuffed full of underwater crap dating back to underwater college?
posted by brundlefly at 7:03 PM on February 18, 2008 [2 favorites]

Finally we get to see Jack Ass taken to a whole new level.
posted by christopherious at 10:02 PM on February 18, 2008

Why make one of these? Because you can and it's cool.

Why buy and use one of these? Because your penis is very, very small and you have a lot of money to toss around.
posted by not_on_display at 10:03 PM on February 18, 2008

Er, Jackass, of course.
posted by christopherious at 10:07 PM on February 18, 2008

Why buy and use one of these? Because your penis is very, very small and you have a lot of money to toss around.

or....

Because you can DRIVE IT UNDERWATER!!!!!!

jeez.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 10:44 PM on February 18, 2008

Oh, I missed that part. :)
posted by not_on_display at 10:50 PM on February 18, 2008

Convertible?

Pffft. Good luck getting a dry martini in that car, 007!
posted by chillmost at 3:28 AM on February 19, 2008

Next, I suppose you'll tell me it also has screen doors?
posted by Goofyy at 5:52 AM on February 19, 2008

Bond. James Bond.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:31 AM on February 19, 2008

Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads.
posted by kirkaracha at 7:31 AM on February 19, 2008