Volkswagen Schwimmwagen The VW Type 128 and 166 Schwimmwagen ( literally " Floating / Swimming Car " ) were amphibious four - wheel drive off - roaders , used extensively by the German Wehrmacht and the Waffen - SS during the Second World War . The Type 166 is the most numerous mass - produced amphibious car in history . Development . Volkswagen Schwimmwagens used the engine and mechanicals of the VW Type 86 four - wheel drive prototype of the Kübelwagen and the Type 87 four - wheel drive ' Kübel / Beetle ' Command Car , which in turn were based on the platform of the civilian Volkswagen Beetle . Erwin Komenda , Ferdinand Porsche ' s first car body designer , was forced to develop an all - new unitized bodytub structure since the flat floorpan chassis of the existing VW vehicles was unsuited to smooth movement through water . Komenda patented his ideas for the swimming car at the German Patent office . The earliest Type 128 prototype was based on the full - length Kübelwagen chassis with a 240 cm ( 7 . 9 ft ) wheelbase . Pre - production units of the 128 , fitted with custom welded bodytubs , demonstrated that this construction was too weak for tough off - roading , had insufficient torsional rigidity , and easily suffered hull - ruptures at the front cross - member , as well as in the wheel - wells . This was unacceptable for an amphibious vehicle . The large - scale production models ( Type 166 ) were therefore made smaller , and had a wheel - base of only 200 cm ( 6 . 6 ft ) . VW Schwimmwagens were produced by the Volkswagen factory at Fallersleben / Wolfsburg and Porsche ' s facilities in Stuttgart ; with the bodies ( or rather hulls ) produced by Ambi Budd in Berlin . 15 , 584 Type 166 Schwimmwagen cars were produced from 1941 through 1944 ; 14 , 276 at Fallersleben and 1 , 308 by Porsche . Given these numbers , the VW 166 is the most mass - produced amphibious car in history . Only 163 are known by the Schwimmwagen Registry to remain today , and only 13 have survived without restoration work . Technology . All Schwimmwagen were four wheel drive only on first gear ( and reverse gears with some models ) and had ZF self - locking differentials on both front and rear axles . Just like the Kübelwagen , the Schwimmwagen had portal gear rear hubs that gave better ground clearance , while at the same time reducing drive - line torque stresses with their gear reduction at the wheels . When crossing water a screw propeller could be lowered down from the rear deck engine cover . When in place a simple coupling provided drive straight from an extension of the engine ' s crankshaft . This meant that screw propulsion was only available going forward . For reversing in the water there was the choice of using the standard equipment paddle or running the land drive in reverse , allowing the wheel - rotation to slowly take the vehicle back . The front wheels doubled up as rudders , so steering was done with the steering wheel both on land and on water . In fiction . The amphibious vehicle in the manga and anime series " Kokoro Library " , used by the three sisters who maintain the titular library , is very reminiscent of a Volkswagen Schwimmwagen , as is the vehicle used by Section III in Pumpkin Scissors . It was also used in the Polish TV series " Samochodzik i templariusze " ( Mr Automobile and Knight Templars ) as the main character ' s amphibious car ( to which he owes his nickname ) , although in the book the car is described as modified Ferrari 410 Superamerica . The vehicle is also featured in the game Company of Heroes as alternate units . It also makes an appearance in the racing simulator Gran Turismo 5 and the war game . The " Scouter " in is based on one of these too , though with various modifications .