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Around the tracks: An amphibious VW Beetle and a gold-dipped Mercedes-Maybach S600

Plus, a hilarious Porsche prank, highly covetable automotive movie posters and a new Mini Moke.


When we’re not creating it ourselves, the CarAdvice team spends a lot of time finding and consuming motoring content from all over the world.

Here’s a handful of the photos, articles, videos or social media posts that most caught our eye last week. Some of them are brand new, others have been online for a while.

Enjoy them – just not too much, okay?


1. This amphibious Volkswagen Beetle for sale on Gumtree

The internet can be a weird and wonderful place – especially online marketplace Gumtree.

As anyone who's used it before would know, Gumtree can deliver undiscovered treasures or mouldy/creepy/broken nightmares.

Thankfully, this particular pick falls into the former category: the so-called Seabug, an amphibious 1960 Volkswagen Beetle.

Listed on Gumtree for $52,001, the Seabug is located in New South Wales and apparently has 20,000km on the clock.

The one-off modified Beetle can drive on both road and water thanks to a mostly fibreglass body with hardened glass windows.

Its owner, Sydney restaurateur and musician Paul Greene, has even attempted to cross the Bass Strait in the Seabug – you can see one of his attempts below.


2. This gold-dipped Mercedes-Maybach S600

If you need somewhere completely ridiculous to park an extra USD$1.5 million, we've found it: The Scaldarsi Emperor I.

While this car has been around for a while – the work of Canadian custom car shop Scaldarsi – a recent Facebook post popped up to remind us of its existence and just... wow.

One of only 10 ever made, the custom Mercedes-Maybach S600 features 24-karat rose-gold accents across the exterior and an interior that combines wood, leather and animal skins.

Under the bonnet is a Brabus-modified 6.3-litre V12 engine capable of generating 662kW of power.

Not exactly a wallflower. You can read more details on this not-so-subtle ride here.


3. This husband pranking his wife with the wrong new car

If you're in the market to sell your car, it's likely you're looking to upgrade with your next purchase, rather than downgrade.

One couple in the US has similar plans, selling their Toyota Prius in order to buy a more family-friendly SUV.

But when the wife left the task up to her husband, he decided to have some fun with it.

Watch her hilarious reaction when he tricks her into thinking he's exchanged their Toyota Prius for a ... Toyota Corolla.

But her reaction when she sees the real new car is even better.


4. A new Moke for a new era

Fifty-six years after it first landed, a new Moke has been released in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Slightly bigger and with a few more mod-cons than its predecessor, the thoroughly modern Moke will be priced from £20,000 or AUD$35,462.

It comes in 14 different colours and a limited-edition variant, the Moke 56, offers chrome exterior accents, a Union Jack badge and a numbered plaque on the bonnet.

Unsurprisingly, Moke claims "waiting lists are filling fast with resorts and private buyers in English coastal hotspots taking particular interest".

Sadly, it's only available in the UK for now. Coming soon to a British beach town (not so) near you.


5. These extremely cool, classic film-inspired car posters

Those looking for tasteful wall art that speaks to their automotive enthusiast side should consider their wishes granted via design studio Automobilist.

The CarAdvice team is obsessing over their online store, which sells unique posters showcasing everything from Formula 1 winners, to rally cars and scenes from Le Mans.

We are particularly taken by this 1953 Carrera PanAmericana poster starring a Porsche 356 SL – but there's plenty to peruse for everyone.

Check out their full range of prints here!

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Susannah Guthrie

Susannah Guthrie has been a journalist for over a decade, covering everything from world news to fashion, entertainment, health and now cars. Having previously worked across titles like The New Daily, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, People Magazine and Cosmopolitan, Susannah now relishes testing family cars with the help of her husband and two-year-old son.

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