$250K Typhoon Is the First Aquatic Utility Vehicle, a Beefy Water Toy That Hits 80 Mph

There are a lot of odd-looking water toys out there but Shadow Six Racing’s Typhoon tops them all with its unusual design that combines the body of a UTV with the hulls of a jet ski. I have to admit this is the first time I’m hearing about Shadow Six, which describes itself as a company that operates in the defense, technology, and motorsports industries. And when a team of motorsports enthusiasts puts its mind to work, something good’s got to come out of it. Enter the Typhoon.

Boasting a patented design, this beefy, hybrid rig measures 10.8 ft (3.3 m) in length and has a dry weight of 2,365 lb (1,072 kg). Its body is made from titanium and carbon fiber. On the titanium frame, Shadow Six mounted aftermarket widebody panels from a Polaris RZR side-by-side. The UTV body sits on two custom jet ski racing hulls made from aerospace-grade carbon fiber.

The Typhoon has a capacity of up to three passengers and comes with a solid suspension system that keeps the water toy stable on the water and capable of handling waves with ease.

Each of those hulls is powered by a Yamaha GP1800 R SVHO, with each of these 1.8L four-cylinder supercharged engines putting out 250 hp. And there’s also the option to add even more power, with the manufacturer offering some performance packages that boost the AUV from the standard 68 mph (110 kph) to up to more than 80 mph (128 kph).

The Typhoon feeds on gasoline and comes with a 37-gallon fuel tank.

But if you imagine that such a beast of a watercraft comes cheap, you are so far off. Shadow Six sells the Typhoon AUV for $250,400. The company already has customers lined up and plans to sell a few units sometime this year.

Check out some videos with the Typhoon doing its thing.