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View Full Version : FOR SALE:A FLYING CAR. (really!)



Protostar
Oct 4th, 2005, 2:17 PM
IF you've got money to burn and a loved one who's hard to buy for, a US retailer has come up with the perfect gift: A flying car.
The US$3.5 million ($5.8m) M400 Skycar - with a rather jealous Santa and his helper - can glide through the air at a nifty 560kmh and take off and land vertically like a helicopter.
It's described in the Neiman Marcus Christmas catalogue as being as safe, affordable and easy to operate as a regular sedan.
It's also fuel-efficient, averaging 9km per litre, and environmentally friendly, being fuelled by alcohol instead petrol.
'A limited number of M400s is expected to be available within the next three years, but you can purchase the actual prototype for yourself or your favourite commuter now,' the catalogue states.
The price tag does not include delivery or permission to operate in the buyer's home country.

The luxury retailer's annual Christmas book of gifts for the rich and richer will be mailed to more than two million households worldwide this week. - Reuters.
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I gotta laugh because in july 2001 I was laughed out of my ex-bosses office
when I told him that Moeller (maker of skycar) and the D.O.T here in USA
were going to discuss this mode of transportation. Naturally 9/11 happened a couple of months later and it all went away, until now...

Britney Tessie
Mar 14th, 2009, 12:10 AM
If the flying cars that are promoted today get built they'll probably end up a niche market serving special applications (probably much like helicopters which are about the least efficient transportation device we have).
Personal Rapid Transit is probably a better solution although that'll require running guideways all through a city.

MVP
Mar 14th, 2009, 2:10 PM
Well, let me just write a check for $3.5M.

one14am
Mar 16th, 2009, 12:50 PM
The FAA is keen on the idea of flying cars and has recognized that the personal aircraft market will expand. Mollers skycar looked to be the winner in this category but it is not quite there yet. The infrastructure is being built and skytaxies will probably be the first use. The main goal is for these things to be automated, i.e. no pilot. Only then will we see them everywhere.

Automated seems good. I would not want a drunk flyer crashing into my house.

For more on the skycar go to mollers home page. They also make other cool devices with their ducted fan technology. Flying cameras for inspecting bridges are supposedly in use in CA but I haven't seen them.
http://www.moller.com/