Evinrude Rooney Lakester (A Boat in a Car Body)
Amphibious vehicles have existed for many years. From the Second World War GMC DUKW (Duck) and VW Type 166 Schimmwagen military vehicles, through to the 1960s Amphicar and current Dutton Surf, cars that can be driven straight from the road into the water have long been a popular dream.
In 1970 the Evinrude Rooney Lakester took this dream a stage further by combining the best attributes of a car and a boat in one vehicle, without the compromise of driving a vehicle on the road that handled like a boat!
Created by famous American car stylist Brooks Stevens – the designer of the 1960s Volkswagen 411 and Excalibur neo-classic roadster – the Lakester was a VW Beetle-powered dune buggy that carried a 14-foot fiberglass boat within its funky bodywork, from where the vehicle was driven.
The idea behind the Lakester was that the buggy could be driving down to the water’s edge, sufficient for the boat to then become afloat for a spot of fishing, cruising or waterskiing. Once it was time to come ashore again, the Lakester’s boat could be hauled onto the back of the four-wheeled buggy with the standard electric winch. The sales appeal of the Lakester proved too limited though, and the project quickly sank without trace.