Is it a car? Is it a boat? Walkers on the banks of Lake Burley Griffin might wonder. In fact, it's a bit of both.
Two "amphicars" were out on the lake on Friday in what you might call a wet run for the national festival of BMW clubs which is being held for four days from Saturday. It's the first time in 18 years that Canberra has hosted the national festival.
The amphibious vehicle originated in Germany. On land, it's a normal car but when it's driven into the water, two propellers on the back start up and it goes along like a boat. Two versions are on show in Canberra, both from 1964. One yellow, the other white.
The Canberra Times had a test drive and pronounced the ride "interesting". The vehicle feels like a boat in the water and like a car on land. There are a few adaptations, like special seals on the doors to keep the water out.
It's not the fastest in either mode but operational - and fun. You wouldn't want to drive it across rugged bush but it might be fun on a weekend.
"It's just brilliant to be able to see a body of water in the car and just drive into the water. And in 30 seconds, you're a boat," said Tony Nassar, owner of the white version.
"You can have a bit of fun in the water, turn around, come back out and in 30 seconds you're a car again."
The car-boat is descended from Volkswagen's war-time "schwimmwagen" (swim wagon), an amphibious vehicle used extensively by German forces.
These days, it's very much a niche model. After the war, sales of the revamped civilian version didn't take off - it was competing as an eye-catcher with the E-type Jag at a similar price, for example. In the end, the Quandt family which owns BMW bought the company.
Just 4000 were made between 1961 and 1968. They were the only mass-produced car that could float, but it still wasn't quite enough of a selling point.
But Mr Nassar, who is an enthusiast, bought one.
"An auction came up on New Year's Day and, sure enough, most people were holidaying so not many people showed up to the auction and I was bidding online with my uncle in Florida, and we ended up winning the bid. I thought, this is fantastic," he said.
Fantastic for a true car nut.
"Dad got me into fixing cars, my brothers and I always tinkered around cars. Dad always bought us older cars and made us pull them apart and put them back together so we could be self-taught," Mr Nassar said.
The amphicar stars in the BMW Clubs national festival which has been running for 30 years but which hasn't been in Canberra for nearly two decades.
The BMW Car Club of Canberra has organised the festival featuring what many people believe is the "ultimate driving machine".
