designed to appeal to those of us who want to get the most out of our investment in a motor vehicle. Designed for use in WWII the Schwimmwagen never really caught on in the mass market but nevertheless it was a testament to technological ingenuity if not marketing savvy.Monday, February 9, 2009
Two In One Technology
Part jeep and part boat the German Schwimmwagen was an intersting combination of technologies 
designed to appeal to those of us who want to get the most out of our investment in a motor vehicle. Designed for use in WWII the Schwimmwagen never really caught on in the mass market but nevertheless it was a testament to technological ingenuity if not marketing savvy.
designed to appeal to those of us who want to get the most out of our investment in a motor vehicle. Designed for use in WWII the Schwimmwagen never really caught on in the mass market but nevertheless it was a testament to technological ingenuity if not marketing savvy.
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that is pretty awesome. i wish people actually wanted those. i would have one in a heart beat, how can beat driving in the water
ReplyDeleteHow do you change the tires on that thing? Do you have to pay tolls?
ReplyDeleteI laughed when I saw this picture. I have never seen anything like that. I want one!! Were they actually used in WWII?
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome. When i was in Boston they had a bus tour called the moby duck. It was a bus that tored around Boston on land and water it was sweet it was like this but a big bus like the kind were there are 2 stories of seating.
ReplyDeleteThis car/boat is great. Alan Jackson has one. In a special about him, he showed us how it worked. He drives it on his property and into the lake he has. The Schwimmwagen is seen so often today than you think. They have tham in quite a few tourist places. Baltimore and Philadelphia to name a few. They don't call it the Schwimmwagen they call it "The Duck Ride." It takes you around the city to show you historic sites and then on the water. Its a great concept. It would work well for those places that flood, then people wouldn't have to worry about their cars floating away or being stuck on top of thier car because of Mother Nature.
ReplyDeleteWow, how fun would the Schwimmwagan be now? We could completely avoid traffic on 95 and take the Delaware River to school every day. I wonder if the accident rate would go down or the drowning rate would go up? It would be interesting to see how things like this played out now.
ReplyDeleteThat is one sweet ride. You would think in this day and age we would see some kind of advancement in this land/water technology for the masses. Maybe it just wouldn't sell? Either way, these vehicles are awesome to look at.
ReplyDeleteit not the swim, its the schwimmm! i wonder why it never influenced any models in the United States? Seems like an interesting jeep. I know alot ofmpeopel who would be interested in one. Its definitely an idea pondered by many for eyars. I know every child thinks and dreams up his flying car or car-boat that can "transform". Its just good to see they finally went all the way and put the fantasy to the test, but ashame that it hadent caught on like it should have.
ReplyDeleteThis is really cool. Wish there was more to read about it. Pretty amazing and interesting combining the jeep and boat into one creation. My brother could have used one of these creation back when his placed got flooded a few years ago in New Jersey. This would be nice experience taking a trip on a jeep/boat. Being able to travel by land and then by water is pretty amazing and it proves that technology is advancing everywhere.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this is an interesting concept, I can't imagine it being at all practical unless you live in a flood zone. It would be nice though as Laura said you could take the car up the river if necessary.
ReplyDeleteIt is confusing that such an invention had failed. What was its major flaw? It was likely the lack of rivers and streams that needed to be crossed (bridges were already invented). For tourism, we have boats. Or it could have been the prohibitive cost of creating it. Another likely choice is the general dislike of Germany during the time, but that doesn’t explain how the Volkswagen is popular. It truly is innovation at its finest, though. It just failed.
ReplyDeleteThat vehicle looks cool, but just like the slingshot, I don't see it having much of a purpose. I guess people are crazy enough to think they save money in the long run by purchasing this car and boat combo.
ReplyDeleteThis idea is good but I would never trust it. Imagine driving your car through the water and it starts to sink? Yeah, I will pass on this. It does remind me of the Duck Ride down Philly. I have seen them in the River and driving down South St. I'm sure one day technology will reinvent this. I don't think this is the last time we will see this idea
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