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Iguana Yachts Promises World’s Fastest Amphibious Boat, Based on Special-Ops RIB

Boats that can be operated on both land and water sound very James Bond, but they’re real—and they’ve been around since at least 2008, when Iguana Yachts was founded. The French company is perhaps the most famous builder of amphibious boats in the world, and the fact that it constantly breaks new ground with its models has a lot to do with it.
The Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boat 8 photos
Photo: Iguana Yachts
The Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boatThe Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boatThe Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boatThe Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boatThe Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boatThe Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boatThe Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boat
Take, for example, the latest Iguana boat, one that brings military specs to civilians under the guise of insane performance and extra durability. Iguana Pro is based on the IG Pro Interceptor RIB unveiled in May this year, a special ops RIB that delivers insane speeds, the highest quality and durability, and the ability to crawl on virtually any type of terrain to get to water.

As noted above, Iguana Yachts is not new to this market of amphibious boats. It’s been making them since 2008 and grabbing headlines around the world with each new model. As cliché as it may sound, Iguana makes models for all needs and budgets, in various configurations and sizes, with prices starting at $300,000 and going well over $1 million for custom units.

Iguana makes anything from small RIBs to yacht tenders (the Day Limo released in the summer of 2020) and special ops vessels, like the Pro Interceptor. This last one delivers insane performance: a top speed of up to 55 knots (reachable in under 2 minutes), the ability to land on any terrain, resistance to 9G impact, and the ability to climb inclines of up to 45 degrees. It’s described as the perfect vehicle for surveillance, high-speed interception, extraction, rescue and first response, it’s able to carry up to 12 people, and it is fully customizable.

The Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boat
Photo: Iguana Yachts
The Pro Interceptor will serve as the base for a civilian RIB, which will be officially introduced in July this year, Iguana Yachts says. Details on the new amphibious boat are scarce, but the maker does say that it will be the fastest amphibious boat in the world, which means it will use the same power configuration as Pro, with dual 450-hp outboard engines for a max output of 900 hp and a top speed of 55 knots.

The New Atlas notes that the civilian version will have a 2-seat configuration, which means that it will be considerably smaller in size than the Pro. What it will have in common with its older sibling is the murdered-out all-black paint job, the reinforced carbon hull, and the Ullman seats, which are specifically designed for high-speed water safety.

Like all Iguana boats, the Pro, regardless of its speed on water, is very slow on land. It rolls on Kevlar-reinforced rubber tracks, connected to the hull by hydraulically-retractable struts. Once in the water, the struts pull the tracks up and aside, out of the way so as to create minimal resistance.

The Pro, which is used by the U.S. Navy, moves at a top speed of 4.3 mph (7 kph) on land. It might seem ridiculously slow, but it’s on purpose: the boat can remain stable on all terrains, like mud, sand, and even rock, and in various scenarios. The aforementioned media outlet notes that it won’t topple even if 11 passengers crowd to the front. It’s also able to climb inclines of up to 45 degrees.

The Iguana Pro Interceptor RIB will get a civilian version that will become world's fastest amphibious boat
Photo: Iguana Yachts
If this still needed to be said, we’ll say it: the benefit of an amphibious boat isn’t to have it roll on the highway. As Iguana Yachts explains in the video below, an amphibious boat offers new operational capabilities because it no longer requires a docking spot, extra transportation to land, or extra resources to bring it to water. The same will apply to civilian use: with this high-speed RIB, you will no longer have to worry about docking, storage, or launching it to water because you can simply drive it to a nearby garage and take it out whenever you feel like it.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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