We’ve always had a wild imagination as child. One of the things we end up imagining is our car being able to run on water. Now, people will tell you that it’s not possible. However, they’re probably going to tell you that because they have yet to see the Amphicar Model 770 Design.

The Amphicar Model 770 is a two-door, four-seat convertible with a hard top that was considered to be one of the first amphibious cars. And as a way of promoting this vehicle, designer Hans Trippel had his design cross from France to Britain via the English Channel in 1962. Yes, you read that right. The vehicle was tasked to cross the English Channel. And you know what; it succeeded, despite the channel being really turbulent.

Now how is it able to travel through water? Well, the vehicle makes use of its front wheels to navigate nautically. The drawback with this though is that it makes the car less maneuverable. Aside from the front wheel, the Amphicar Model 770 sports two propellers at the rear to help it in its navigation. And to prevent water from seeping into its interior, the doors are equipped with watertight seals. These seals are placed on each door which then connects with another seal located on the door frame.

As for how good it is when driven on land and water, the Amphicar Model 770 is able to produce 43 horsepower at 4,750 rpm and 50lb-ft of torque. This enabled the vehicle to go up to 70 mph on the road and 7 knots when going through water. It also comes with a four-speed manual gearbox that was developed by none other than Porsche.

Despite not being a performance car, the Amphicar Model 770 enjoyed a good run with around 3,878 units built. And although you don’t see any of these cars being produced today (given that its manufacturer, Quandt Group closed shop), the Amphicar Model 770 will forever serve as a testament to man’s ingenuity and, unfortunately, his craziness.

Sources: How Stuff Works, Wikipedia