Australian Car Guide

2001: The official launch (literally) of the Dutton four wheel drive (4WD) amphibian. This is one four wheel drive that has less to fear from entering a water crossing at a reasonable click than most; this was at 10mph (16km/h).

As large scale car building in the UK finds itself on shaky ground, small specialist firms are doing well. This one is based in the south of England - see details below and search for Duttons in the 4WD links database.

2000 October: The latest Dutton amphibious car is a four wheel drive version of the Commander. The Commander 4x4 is based on the Suzuki Samurai (Sierra) with 1900cc turbo diesel engine, 5-speed gearbox and 2-speed transfer case.

The Mariner 4x4 is based on the leaf sprung Suzuki SJ413 with a 1300cc petrol or 1900cc diesel engine.

Dutton Marine seals the transfer box [to the hull] where the front and rear prop's attach, also manufacturers [its] own transfer gears/shaft to take drive for the [water] jet from back of the input shaft, [and] may offer this to anyone who wants a PTO for their Suzuki.

2000, January: Dutton Marine tell us that the front wheel drive Commander (right), based on the Ford Fiesta Mk4, from £16,587, and the 4x2 Mariner S2, based on the Ford Fiesta Mk3 from £9,574 + donor car, is to be joined by the four wheel drive Commander 4x4 based on the Suzuki Sierra.

1999: Dutton report that it enlarged its factory in 1998 which has cut the waiting time for delivery of the Dutton Mariner amphibious car.

e.g. new Mariner S2, LHD or RHD, list £12.1K (tax free), £14.2,K (inc UK tax),
new Commander LHD or RHD diesel £16K (tax free), £18.8K (inc UK tax) 1/1999.

1996: Tim Dutton is well known for making kit cars, a business he sold in 1989. He is back with another kit car but this one is a bit different - it is an amphibian, the Dutton Mariner.

The Dutton Mariner is based on the Ford Fiesta Mk3 (April 1989-), a small front wheel drive sedan manufactured in the United Kingdom. The Fiesta provides the engine, gear-box, running gear and much of the interior for the Mariner.

Dutton's brochure credits the German-made Amphicar as being the last production amphibious car, with 2000+ being sold in the 1960's. Its downfall was the use of steel components which corroded at the merest sniff of salt air. In fact the AmphiRanger was still going two decades later and it had solved the corrosion problem with an aluminium alloy hull, although it was arguable an amphibious 4x4 rather than a "car".

Dutton's own solution to the corrosion problem is the use of a glass reinforced plastic (GRP) hull. Various steel Ford Fiesta bits have to poke out into the wet but these are coated with a corrosion resistant polymer. The running surfaces for wheel hub-seals have stainless steel sleeves fitted - a neat touch.

Power comes from the engine of the Ford Fiesta donor vehicle - 1100cc, 1300cc, 1400cc, 1600cc, 1800cc (petrol), or 1800c diesel - take your pick. Front wheel drive is very suitable for an amphibious car. There is rarely any difficulty getting into the water, it's getting out that can be tricky. When approaching shore it is the front wheels that are first to touch and get any significant weight onto them.

A water-jet unit rated at 24kW (35hp) provides propulsion in the water. It is driven hydraulically: a belt takes power from a crank-shaft pulley to a hydraulic pump which drives the water-jet through a hydraulic motor. This gives a speed of about 5mph (4.5 knots or 8kph) in the water. The Mariner Sport comes with twin water-jets and can reach 8mph.

The are various ways to acquire a Mariner. You can buy one complete and ready to drive away from Dutton Marine's factory in Littlehampton Sussex, based on either a new Ford Fiesta (£14.4K - £16.2K as of 1996) or a secondhand Mk3 Fiesta (£7.8K). Alternatively you can buy the kit (£5.6K - £7.2K), find your own Fiesta and do the conversion yourself.

URL: /4WD.html

Dutton Mariner 1996 - Manufacturer's Specifications

• open car (soft-top and hard-top available), 5 seats, 2 doors
• loa: 4165mm, width: 1625mm (body), height: 1473mm
• approach: 35, departure: 35
• weight: 1050kg (2310lbs)
• engine - as from donor Ford Fiesta
• 5-speed manual gearbox, front wheel drive, water-jet driven by hydraulic pump and motor
• speed afloat: 5mph (4.5 knots, 8kph), sport: 8mph (7 knots, 13kph)
• tyres: 5Jx13" wheels 185 70R 13 tyres; fuel tank: 42L

Go to the civilian and Military Amphibian pages