Rolling On Land and Water

DETROIT (WWJ) - A local factory will soon start buiding what backers are calling "The world's first high-speed sports amphibian."

The Gibbs Quadski is a cross between a personal watercraft and an all terrain vehicle. It has a top speed of 45 miles per hour on land and water.

VIDEO: Jeff Gilbert reports on the Gibbs Quadski

"We've created vehicles which are both good on land and good on water,"said company founder Alan Gibbs.

There have been many efforts to build amphibious vehicles for a mass market. But, Gibbs says, most were not that good on the water. He says the Quadski is different.

"They can do on water, what a good boat can do," Gibbs said. "That's never happened before."

Gibbs had planned to sell a more car like vehicle. But, it didn't meet government safety standards. They are working on amphibious utility vehicles.

The Quadski's price tag is steep--around $40,000. Gibbs sees an interest from extreme sports enthusiasts and law enforcement agencies.

The product will be built at a facility in Auburn Hills, recently purchased by Gibbs Industries.

(VIDEO CORRECTION: On the video, the speeds of the Quadski are stated as 40 miles per hour land, 10 miles per hour water. The actual speed is 45 miles per hour land and water.)