WEST BLOOMFIELD ? Gibbs Sports Amphibians, maker of the world’s first personal sports amphibian, plans to add a hundred new dealers nationwide, hire more employees to assemble the land-water vehicles in Auburn Hills, and introduce a new two-passenger model later this year.
The company has orders to build 1000 Quadskis in 2013, said Gibbs Communications Manager Graham Jenkins. He also said Gibbs first Michigan dealer will be selected this summer. Jenkins spoke Tuesday at the 2013 Tech Crawl, organized by AutoCom Associates public relations. The day-long press briefing was held at the Pine Lake Country Club.
?Our primary focus over the past 12-14 months has been a successful Quadski production launch and the establishment of a strong, premium US dealer base, primarily in the Midwest, New York, Texas and the southeastern United States. West coast sales currently are on hold pending California regulatory approval.?
Jenkins said the $42,000 Quadskis are selling at a premium of roughly $48,000. The 1300 pound, 1300 CC devices are capable of speeds of 45 miles per hour on both land and water. Quadski?s retractable suspension retracts the wheels in roughly five seconds.
?All units are presold, production numbers are rising and the price point is no issue,? he said. He said a second power sport model will launch this year. He declined to provide details, but an industry source said it would be a two-passenger model that will be slightly smaller than the current one-passenger model, but be priced higher.
He described the buyers as first adopter yacht owners who are intent on becoming the first Quadski buyer in their area. He said buyers now are the ultra rich, but he hopes over time as production levels increase and sales prices decline buyers will be less well heeled.
?Eventually we?d like to be selling these to upper middle class young professionals,? Jenkins said.
He said assembly will remain in Michigan, but the parts are made by a variety of vendors in the U.S. and abroad. The company currently has more than 120 employees.
Gibbs continues to work with commercial and military High Speed Amphibian applications as well. Gibbs has shown two commercial concepts referred to as amphitrucks. The Gibbs Phibian is a 4,500 pound, 12-passenger High Speed Amphibian equipped with twin turbocharged diesel engines. The Humdinga is a smaller amphitruck designed for five-to-seven passengers and equipped with a supercharged V8 engine.
Jenkins also said his company is in talks with various first responder groups, including in Florida, and hopes to add government sales in the next 12-18 months.
