The vehicle comprises a main bodywork (12) supported on four wheels, provided with an engine, and shaped as a four-sided tubular body having side walls (18, 20), a roof (22) and a bottom wall (24) consisting of a double sheet (74, 76) with interposed cavity. A tubular bodywork extension (38) may be anchored to the rear part of the main bodywork, which also has side walls (42, 44), a roof (46), and a bottom wall (48) consisting of a double sheet (740, 760) with interposed cavity. A layer of lagging material, a layer of deadening material, or plates of ballistic steel may be housed within the cavities. A nose-shaped front fairing (64) or a watercut-shaped, forward flotation member (69) can be anchored to the forepart of the main bodywork (12).

An amphibious vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle includes a land motive device (24) and a marine motive device (54). An engine is positioned within the vehicle to provide power to the land motive device and the marine motive device. A directing device (50) operatively connected to the engine directs engine power selectively to one of the land motive device, the marine motive device, and the combination of the land motive device and marine motive device. An engine management arrangement (220) defines a pair of relationships of various engine operating parameters. One of the relationships defines engine operation when the engine power is directed to the land motive device. Another of the relationships defines engine operation when the engine power is directed solely to the marine motive device.

An amphibious craft has a hull and wheels for supporting the hull on land. At least one pair of the wheels is driven from a motor on the craft. The driven wheels (13) on one side of the craft are driven independently from those on the other side of the craft. To this end respective drive transmission mechanisms (28, 29, 31; 33, 34) are provided for the wheels to transfer power from the main drive shaft (15) to the wheel stub axles (20). Each drive transmission mechanism is housed in a watertight casing which also acts as the main strut for the wheel when in use. The wheels are retractable into respective compartments in the hull preferably without breaking the strength of the keel.

A vehicle having a steerable wheel has a mechanism for retracting the wheel into a compartment in the vehicle. The mechanism comprises a pillar 23 mounted to the vehicle within the compartment at two spaced positions, preferably at the top and bottom of the pillar. A steering arm 26 fixed to the pillar is movable to rotate the pillar 23 about its own axis. A collar 22 is slidably mounted on the pillar 23 but rotatable with the pillar. The collar 22 carries wheel forks 21 on which a pair of wheels is mounted on stub axles. The wheels are turned by rotation of the collar as a result of the steering action on the pillar, and their height is altered by raising and lowering the position of the collar on the pillar. The mechanism is applicable for use in an amphibious craft.

A two-level sea-land creeping vehicle formed by three main parts: a frustoconical bow portion which is movable independently but connected to the central part or compartment in the form of a drop of water, which is flat in the lower part and which is fixed with respect to the rear part which comprises the drive and steering assembly, as well as the breathing and safety zone.

The vehicle is displaced on land by means of two rollers disposed in the lower region and by the drive of the motor, and it is likewise displaced on the surface of water due to its buoyancy and it is also displaced in a condition of dynamic immersion by the drive of the motor linked to positioning of the bow portion and hydroplanes; the air required is picked up from the surface by means of an appropriate telescopic arrangement and it has the particularity of not being hermetically sealed in the immersed condition. It is totally safe since it rises automatically to the surface when the motor stops.