Swiss car designer Frank M. Rinderknecht has a fascination with the 1977 film The Spy Who Loved Me, wherein James Bond’s Lotus Esprit was able to drive underwater. In that vein, Rinderknecht’s latest Rinspeed creation is a Lotus Elise converted into “the world’s first real submersible car,” according to the company. The conversion was largely performed by Swiss engineering specialist Esoro.
The mid-mounted combustion engine of the Elise was replaced by three electric motors (powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries)—one provides propulsion on land, the other two drive the screws for navigating the underworld; two Seabob jet drives are located up front, which breathe through special rotating louvers to open and close the water intake. All of which make the sQuba a zero-emissions vehicle.
When driving on land, the sQuba’s stainless coil-over suspension by KW automotive and large Pirelli tires on custom wheels from AEZ should provide better handling than your typical amphibious vehicle.
The sQuba is functional to a depth of 10 meters, but for safety reasons as the car submerges, the interior (done up by Strähle and Hess to be saltwater resistant, with mother-of-pearl trim and diamond-plated, non-slip inlays from KGS Diamond) gets filled with water. In scuba-diving fashion, an onboard tank of compressed air provides oxygen for the occupants. Bathing suits (or water-resistant clothes) recommended.
