ROME – Automobile enthusiasts often love boats and vice versa. It is no coincidence that some of the most fascinating cars are defined as ‘barchetta’ and that, over time, various iconic cars have been transformed into nautical vehicles. However, Floating Motors, an Italian company born from a joint venture between Jet Capsule, an Italian manufacturer of jet skis, and the studio of designer Pierpaolo Lazzarini, has decided to take the opposite path. Starting from a base of a jet ski, he transforms some of the most iconic vintage cars in the world into customized electric-powered boats, while always respecting the original spirit of the vehicle.
The project, called ‘Resto-Floating’, is based on a supporting floating structure on which the body of the chosen car is installed. Depending on the models, the structure can have different dimensions, starting from 3 meters up to 7.5 meters in length, while the hull is available in three variants, namely conventional, catamaran or hydrofoil. Floating Motors proposes the transformation into boats of historic cars such as the Mini Cooper, the Jaguar E-Type, the Mercedes-Benz 300 SL, the Ferrari 328, the Vw T2 Bus and many others. The Volkswagen even sports a deck on top and a rear hatch that opens to form a lounge area and dive platform, complete with a ladder to get out of the water.
The engines are electric and deliver variable powers from 41 to 243 horsepower, to satisfy the different wishes of customers. Various customization possibilities, which allow each model to be used both for leisure time, but also as a tender, water taxi, or hotel shuttle. The project is currently in its crowdfunding phase and is looking for supporters, partners and shareholders. There is therefore no timeline yet as to when production will start, but given the originality of the idea it is worth the wait.
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