Dubbed the world’s first AUV (Aquatic Utility Vehicle), the Typhoon is the answer to a question nobody asked: what happens if you turn a powerful ATV into a watercraft?
If it looks like someone has taken a Polaris RZR and swapped out the tyres for a pair of jet ski hulls – than it’s because they have. The body, which seats one to three people, wears aftermarket body panels from a Polaris RZR widebody side-by-side model. The twin jet ski hulls are in-house builds too, in aerospace-grade carbon fibre, and the frame is custom-fabricated and made from titanium, for its corrosion resistance and lightweight properties.
It still has suspension though, so those twin hulls are mounted to a shock and spring assembly on each corner. This suspension setup will either help dampen the impact of the waves, or introduce sea sickness, depending on who is onboard.
In order to stay upright in corners, the high-mounted UTV chassis automatically adjusts the trim of the hulls using its Cornering Control system. Only 136 kg of its 1073 kg dry weight are above the waterline, greatly improving stability and keeping it from capsizing.
Of course it comes with major firepower; inside the two hulls sit two 1.8 litre supercharged four cylinder Yamaha GP1800R SVHO jet-ski engines, putting out 186.5 kW apiece. Should you deem these unworthy, you can choose from Stage 1, 2 or 3 Riva Racing performance kits. These will elevate the 109 km/h top speed up to well over 129 km/h.
30 production models are expected to arrive this year. For a quarter of a million bucks, this is one that gets the heads turning – on a trailer or on the water.
By Bill Varetimidis
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