I took the Dutton Surf amphibious car for a swim – it’s more fun than a supercar & is like ordinary motor without brakes
THE word “sport” in the title SUV has always confused me.
SUVs are utility. SUVs are vehicles. But they’re not sporty.
Apart from maybe this one.
Unlike the soft-roaders churned out by every manufacturer, this heavily-adapted Suzuki Jimny actually justifies the word sport in SUV.
A cross between a rubber duck and a car, you can take this thing out on the water for a spot of FISHING, hop off to go SWIMMING, or switch off the marine jet and use it as a ROWING boat.
There you go. That’s at least three sports — none of which you can do in a VW Tiguan — and I’m sure you can think of more.
More fun than a 200mph supercar
On dry land, this four-seat soft-top is proper utility.
It’s 4WD. So it will get over muddy ditches and gravel.
And it runs like a regular car on normal roads. It can even be serviced at a Suzuki dealer.
Best of all, it costs less than £30k all-in.
Owner Richard Usher paid £1,500 for a damaged Jimny donor car and sent it to conversion specialist Tim Dutton, hence the name Dutton Surf down the sides.
Tim has been making amphibious cars for 35 years.
The fully-built conversion is £26k plus extras. Or you can order the kit for £14k and build it yourself.
Right, let’s go for a swim.
Put your foot on the clutch as you roll down the slipway, pull up the red marine jet lever between the front seats, put the 4WD transfer box into neutral and the gearbox into third — and off you go.
Just double-check the bilge pump switches are in auto.
Lot of fun
You are now the captain of a boat.
You use the accelerator pedal to speed up. The steering wheel to steer. Reverse to reverse.
It’s just like driving a car, except the brakes don’t work. And there’s no rush-hour traffic to ccontend with.
To do a U-turn, ease off the accelerator, turn hard left or right, then give it full beans, and the back end steps out sideways like a rally car on gravel.
You’re basically drifting and counter-steering with a dab of opposite lock on the way out.
Key facts: Dutton Surf
Price: £28,000
Engine: 1.3-litre petrol with marine jet
Top speed on land: 85mph
Top speed on water: 6mph
It’s a lot of fun.
There’s a Nasa depth gauge on the dash to stop you getting grounded.
Top speed is about 6mph. But that’s plenty.
This is really a pleasure boat for long summer days. But it’s also flood-proof and more crowd-pleasing than a 200mph supercar.
Richard has just added the Dutton Surf to his collection of cars at double attraction greatbritishcarjourney.com and drivedadscar.com, locaterd at an old foundry in Ambergate, near, Derby.
He’s acquired close to 200 vehicles charting the history of the British car industry and you can drive 40 of them, including Capris, Minis, Jags and even a Rolls-Royce, on private roads from as little as £49.
Dutton Surf rides in the neighbouring River Derwent start soon.
Richard said: “We celebrate British ingenuity here at the Great British Car Journey and there’s nothing more ingenious than a car that can be driven on land and sea.”
It’s also the perfect definition of SUV.
