Mystery of world’s first SWIMMING Mini Cooper hidden in tunnels to transport cars in WW2… before sinking without a trace
THE inventor behind the world's first aquatic Mini Cooper is on a mission to track down the bizarre motor after it mysteriously vanished.
Derek Linney, who conjured up the wacky idea in 1977, was heartbroken when the Frankenstein vehicle disappeared after a huge fire.
The car-boat was made at Longbridge, a factory that built cars like the original Mini.
A group of workers decided to cobble together the Aquamini in their spare time and Derek called it one of the most unusual projects he'd ever worked on.
Derek said that he was involved in making many mind-boggling prototypes - the vast majority ending up being stored in secret WW2 tunnels under the factory.
Unfortunately in the late 1970s, a huge fire broke out in the tunnels and destroyed some of the car experiments, but the Aquamini was luckily not stored there at the time.
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‘‘Fire engines came from all over the Midlands and you could see the smoke for miles," Derek told Birmingham Mail.
"In fact, there was so much smoke, firefighters could only be down there for minutes at a time.”
Petrolheads believe that there are dozens of prototypes still squirreled away in the tunnels that were originally built to transport cars covertly in the Second World War.
The tunnels were constructed underneath the vast, 1.2-acre Longbridge factory in the West Midlands.
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Just before the blaze, the vehicle made its first public appearance in the 1977 Hampton Loade to Bewdley raft race and carried four men inside.
It sunk almost immediately after it entered the water.
After its problematic reveal, the car vanished and Derek is hoping to be reunited with it over five decades later.
He joined the team in 1965 as one of 500 Austin apprentices and said it was "considered the best apprenticeship in the world".
The Aquamini had a personalised number plate and the floor of the car was made out of fibreglass.
The car had huge red water wheels and a large fog horn attached to the bonnet.
The concept of drivers being able to travel on land and sea has rattled around the heads of engineers for decades.
Workers at BYD are creating a plug-in hybrid SUV that can float on water and even has seats with a "hot stone massage" setting.
Secret World War II tunnels under Longbridge factory
By Jacob Jaffa
AN astonishing network of tunnels built to secretly transport cars during World War Two became home to some of the rarest prototypes in the world.
Petrolheads still believe the labyrinth could contain one of the most bizarre vehicles ever produced after it disappeared without a trace around 50 years ago.
The tunnels were constructed underneath the vast, 1.2-acre Longbridge factory in the West Midlands.
Initially the birthplace of the Austin Motor Company, it was most famous as the beating heart of the nationalised car industry under British Leyland.
It is currently leased by Chinese auto giant SAIC as a development facility for MG, but no cars have actually been made there since 2016.
In its heyday, however, it was the breeding ground for iconic models like the Mini, the Land Rover and the Rover 75 (as well as the stage for the industrial disputes that plagued much of the '70s and 80s).
But it was in 1939 that tunnels were dug to house staff and allow for cars and components to be transported during air raids so production could continue.
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The car is also expected to have a fragrance diffuser and refrigerator that can run for 12 hours after the vehicle is turned off.
The new U8 Premium Edition vehicle from BYD's Yangwang division is externally reminiscent of a Land Rover Defender - and comes complete with 20- or 22-inch wheels, a "floating" roof, flush-mounted door handles, and an octagonal spare tyre cover.
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Motoring expert at Sam Sheehan said: "Unlike its British rival, the U8 is a massive flotation device. This makes it safer in the event of an accident in the water, keeping all passengers upright and dry.
"As soon as it senses you’ve driven into the water, Emergency Floating Mode activates, shutting down the engine, raising the suspension, closing the windows, opening the sunroof and displaying water depth and vehicle position on the central control screen."
