Visit the Food Lion AutoFair page.
With four-wheel-drive traction for land, a jet drive for water and two turbocharged engines, the unsinkable H2O EX will make its way to Lowe's Motor Speedway for the Sept. 13-16 Food Lion AutoFair.
The massive vehicle will be among the featured attractions showcased throughout the four-day automotive extravaganza.
Employees of Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International in Ridgeland, S.C., conceived the H2O EX as the perfect mode of transportation for the family that spends time at the lake or lives in a flood-prone area.
The idea was to create a new category of sport amphibious vehicle, or SAV, that could also serve as a water rescue craft.
Cool Amphibious Manufacturers International has extensive experience making land-based vehicles float and perform in water. The company's Hydra-Terra amphibious vessels are used around the world by tour lines and sightseeing companies. Its amphibious product line also includes the Hydra Spyder sports car and gigantic Terra Wind motorcoach which comes complete with a diving deck.
Built around a biggest-in-class Ford Excursion, the EX features a turbocharged six-liter V-8 engine that cranks out 325 horsepower for road use (at 13.5 miles per gallon) and a 240-horse turbocharged Yanmar marine engine for the water. Both powerplants run on diesel fuel.
This beast of a travel machine tips the scales at 9,500 pounds-about twice the weight of a mid-size pickup truck-and measures eight feet in width and 19 feet in length. An external steel skeleton binds slab-shaped pontoons, which are filled with flotation foam, to the sides of the EX.
Its front hull is protected by three-eighths-inch aluminum plating, and two 9,000-pound capacity winches can free the big truck from any marsh or deep mud. Should the EX owner want to enter or exit a body of water without a convenient ramp, the vehicle can be lifted by crane through hooks on its eight-point roll cage.
Inside is a full complement of controls and gauges for automotive and marine use. Water travel is conducted by way of a shifter on the console that directs the jet drive and the front wheels can be used for additional steering. The well-stocked dash includes a Global Positioning System to keep the family from getting lost in either environment.
This new breed of go-anywhere truck/boat seats a driver and four passengers in typical SUV comfort, but the rear third of the interior has been commandeered by the 55-gallon fuel tank and some watercraft components.
John Walsh, host of the hit television series "America's Most Wanted," owns the H2O EX that will be shown at the Food Lion AutoFair and the unique machine has appeared in an episode of his TV show.
Other attractions scheduled for the Sept. 13-16 Food Lion AutoFair include a trio of cars from Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s personal collection; Bumblebee and Ironhide from the hit movie "Transformers;" Dale Earnhardt's No. 3 "pass in the grass" Chevrolet from 1987; and world-class hot rods from Watty's Fabrications.
Food Lion AutoFair is the world's largest automotive extravaganza.
The four-day event includes a car show featuring various makes and models from more than 50 clubs; more than 7,000 vendor spaces that offer a plethora of automotive parts and memorabilia and a car corral that features nearly 1,500 vehicles available for sale or trade.
Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday. Tickets are $10 for adults. Children under 12 are admitted free when accompanied by an adult. Parking for the event is $5. For information, contact the speedway events department at (704) 455-3205.
