CAMI Terra Wind

The Terra Wind was a luxury amphibious motor coach built by John and Julie Giljam's company, Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International (CAMI), of Bluffton, South Carolina. The owners designed and built it in 2002-2003, originally for their own family holidays, and it made its debut on 4 July 2003. It was promoted as the world's first luxury amphibious motor coach and yacht, with prices quoted from the $850,000s, but only the one was built.

Design

The coach is 12.95 m (42 ft 6 in) long, 2.59 m (102 in) wide and 3.8 m high, and weighs about 13.6 tonnes empty. The hull is 3/16-inch marine aluminium plate, and the walls and roof are foam-cored, fibreglass-reinforced plywood. Power comes from a Caterpillar 3126E turbocharged diesel. On land it rides on Neway air suspension and is good for about 130 km/h (80 mph). In the water, two 19-inch bronze propellers at the rear drive it at about 8 knots (15 km/h).

Inside, it was fitted out like a luxury yacht. There was teak cabinetry, granite worktops, marble floors and a Jacuzzi, along with two slide-out rooms, a full kitchen, a 42-inch plasma TV, and GPS and computer navigation in an aircraft-style cockpit. It seats six and sleeps four, and a swim deck opens off the rear bedroom. Pull-out sponsons were later added so the slide-outs could be used afloat.

History

The Terra Wind drew huge media attention, starting with an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America on 21 July 2003. It went on to feature in many other television programmes and trade shows, and drove on road and water for six or seven years. When the owners put it up for sale around 2011, its marine transmissions and drives had been removed for an upgrade that was never fitted, so it was offered as a road-only vehicle.

Related vehicles

CAMI also built the H2O EX extreme amphibious 4x4 and the Hydra Spyder amphibious sports car.