DONAR Hovercraft

British manufacturing firm ABS Hovercraft was probably ahead of their time when they built an experimental 6-seater hovercraft back in the early 90s, called DONAR. This amphibious craft was built from lightweight composites and had a sleek, fully enclosed cabin. It was mainly used to experiment with a range of technologies and innovations the company could introduce into its production models. Features included: gull-wing doors, an air-conditioned 6-seat cabin, complete with GPS system and a sportscar like layout. Continue reading for more pictures and another video of it in-action.

“Powering the DONAR hovercraft was a 12 cylinder BMW M70 engine which produced 300 horsepower. Variations of this engine were used in the BMW’s 7-series models, the 850CSi, and a highly modified version was used in the McLaren F1. One of the innovations of the hovercraft’s drive system were the low-noise ducted propellers which were made from carbon fiber. The thrust system featured independent reversible pitch-propellers and a V-rudder system for banking in turns. It also featured an air brake for better maneuverability,” according to Diseno-Art.

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