A Car Meet That Takes Place on the Water
Most car enthusiasts gather in parking lots to admire chrome and swap stories over coffee. The owners in this video have a different idea of fun: they drive down a boat ramp and keep right on going. Filmed by YouTube creator HD1080ide, this remarkable footage captures a gathering of around 70 road-legal amphibious vehicles in and around Berlin, Germany, each one just as comfortable on a lake as on the highway.
The event was organized by Les Amis de l'Amphibie, an international club of amphibious vehicle owners. The footage was recorded on August 2nd at Lake Schwielowsee near Potsdam, with vehicles entering at the Anglerklause and exiting at the Himmelreich campsite opposite Caputh, and on August 6th at Berlin's Lake Wannsee, with entry at Marina Lanke and exit at the ramp in Berlin-Kladow.
Wartime Workhorses Still Making Waves
Several of the most eye-catching vehicles are military machines from the Second World War. The Volkswagen Schwimmwagen (Type 166) is the most numerous mass-produced amphibious car in history. Based on Ferdinand Porsche's Kübelwagen design, it uses a fold-down propeller at the rear, driven directly by the engine, to push it through the water.
Its American counterpart, the Ford GPA, nicknamed the "Seep" (short for "sea jeep"), wrapped a Jeep chassis in a boat-shaped hull. It was never a great success in the war, but today it is a prized collector's piece, and in this video you'll even see one towing a stranded Schwimmwagen. The Soviet GAZ-46, a postwar design inspired by the GPA, also makes an appearance.
The biggest vehicles on the water are the DUKWs, the six-wheeled amphibious trucks famous for ferrying troops and supplies ashore during the Normandy landings. Watch for one towing an Amphi-Ranger back to safety.
The Amphicar: A Civilian Classic
The most common vehicle at the meet is the Amphicar, a German-built convertible produced in the 1960s and one of the few amphibious cars ever sold to the general public. With twin propellers under the rear bumper and front wheels that double as rudders, it is a charming blend of sports car and pleasure boat. Dozens of them cruise in formation here, and they look surprisingly at home among the sailboats.
Kit Cars, Off-Roaders and Homebuilt Wonders
The gathering also showcases later designs and creative one-offs. British-built Dutton Mariner and Dutton Commander models show how kit car makers adapted everyday components for life afloat. The rugged aluminum RMA Amphi-Ranger 2800 SR combines serious off-road ability with real seaworthiness, while the Amphicruiser, Europa Jeep, Ampi Jeep, Amphibuggy and a Chinese Beijing Qijian BJ5022 round out an unusually diverse fleet.
Some of the most entertaining entries are homemade. A self-built vehicle from Poland and the JetRanger, a custom creation, show the ingenuity of hobbyists who decided to build their own floating car rather than wait for one to come up for sale.
The Tricky Part: Getting Back on Land
Floating is only half the challenge. A large portion of the video shows the vehicles climbing back out of the lake, and it is surprisingly suspenseful. Drivers must line up with the ramp, find traction on wet concrete, and switch from propeller to wheel power at just the right moment. Some vehicles emerge effortlessly; others need a little help. Watching the procession of Schwimmwagens, Amphicars, Seeps and DUKWs roll out of the water and straight onto the road is a reminder of how clever these machines really are.
Why Amphibious Cars Remain So Rare
Building a vehicle that performs well both on land and on water requires compromise. A car needs to be light and aerodynamic; a boat needs buoyancy, a watertight hull, and a way to steer and propel itself. Amphibious cars must also meet road safety rules and boating regulations at the same time. That is why they have always been niche vehicles, and why seeing 70 of them in one place is such a special sight.
Highlights to Watch For
- All 70 amphibious cars on the water together (6:34)
- A DUKW towing an Amphi-Ranger (7:49)
- A Ford GPA towing a Volkswagen Schwimmwagen (13:26)
- DUKWs leaving the water at the finale (16:41)
What's Next for the Amphibious Car Community
The next international gathering, Amphib 2027, is scheduled to take place in London. If this video is any indication, spectators along the Thames are in for an unforgettable sight. Whether you love classic cars, military history, boats, or simply unusual engineering, this floating car meet is a delight from start to finish.