The Guinness World Records title
In 2010 Guinness World Records recognized the WaterCar Python under the title "Fastest amphibious car". The record, dated January 1, 2010, gives the Python a top speed of 96 km/h (60 mph, 52 knots) on water and a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.5 seconds on land, from an engine based on the LS Corvette power train [1].
Guinness has since taken the record page off its website. The citation here is an archived copy kept by the Internet Archive [1].
WaterCar's timed runs: 72 mph on water, 122 mph on land
WaterCar's own timed runs went further than the Guinness figures. According to WaterCar, the Python reached 72 mph (116 km/h) on water at Long Beach Marine Stadium and 122 mph (196 km/h) on land at Willow Springs Raceway, and its V8 made about 650 hp [2]. Guinness World Records has not reviewed these later runs.
Writing about the Python in 2009, New Atlas reported it at over 60 mph on water and over 120 mph (193 km/h) on land, depending on the engine fitted [3].
| Measure | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Guinness World Records title | Fastest amphibious car, January 1, 2010 | Guinness World Records [1] |
| Top speed on water (Guinness) | 96 km/h (60 mph, 52 knots) | Guinness World Records [1] |
| Top speed on water (timed run) | 72 mph (116 km/h), Long Beach Marine Stadium | WaterCar [2] |
| Top speed on land (timed run) | 122 mph (196 km/h), Willow Springs Raceway | WaterCar [2] |
| 0 to 60 mph on land | 4.5 seconds | Guinness World Records [1] |
| Engine | V8 based on the Corvette LS power train, about 650 hp | Guinness World Records [1] (engine); WaterCar [2] (power) |
Only the 60 mph water speed and the 0 to 60 time were certified by Guinness World Records. The later timed runs and the power figure are WaterCar's own.
How the Python was built
The Python was WaterCar's performance machine. It came after the company's first sports-car prototype and the Gator, and before the Panther and the H1 [4][5]. It paired a Corvette LS-series V8 with a Dominator water jet [3][4][5].
From the Python to today's WaterCars
The Python's record belongs to its own chapter of WaterCar's history [4][5]. WaterCar is sold today in three models: Adventure for fishing, hunting and exploring, Signature for cruising and entertaining, and Commercial for professional operations [6].
Photos
Related entries
More on WaterCar.com
Sources
- Fastest amphibious car (archived copy), Guinness World Records, archived by the Internet Archive Wayback Machine (2016-05-23). web.archive.org/web/20160523112544id_/http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/fastest-amphibious-car
- WaterCar Python timed runs and specifications: 72 mph on water at Long Beach Marine Stadium, 122 mph on land at Willow Springs Raceway, about 650 hp (company figures, Michael March), WaterCar (2026-11). www.watercar.com
- Python WaterCar amphibious performance, New Atlas (2009). newatlas.com/python-watercar-amphibious-performance/13323
- The Machines, WaterCar. www.watercar.com/machines
- Our Story, WaterCar. www.watercar.com/story
- How much does a WaterCar cost?, WaterCar (2026-11). www.watercar.com/how-much-does-a-watercar-cost
Last reviewed November 2026. Spotted something to correct or add? Tell us and include a source.
About the Amphibious Encyclopedia
WaterCar has designed and built amphibious vehicles in Southern California for more than 25 years. We keep this encyclopedia so anyone curious about vehicles that cross between land and water has one place to start, with the sources listed for every fact.
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