You remember that old cartoon, Inspector Gadget? How Dr. Claw’s car could retract its wheels, extend a set of wings and suddenly start flying?  I’ve actually got video of said flying car at the bottom of this page.

Butf you’ve got two hundred thousand dollars handy to just burn outright on a car, then you may want to know about a new brand of flying car that was just developed at MIT.

You’ll also need a sport pilot license in order to fly this beast, which can convert from a car to a plane, much like Dr. Claw’s, in under thirty seconds. It can drive at normal highway speeds and achieve an airspeed of a hundred and fifteen miles per hour.

I can’t help but think this is awesome, and not just because I grew up with Gadget and Dr. Claw, either.  The thought of being able to suddenly fly away is a thrilling one indeed, but something would have to be done to keep criminals from using this as a getaway vehicle of choice.

Just like Dr. Claw.

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Leigh Aerosystems is a company that wants absolutely to develop a two-seat flying car which is going to be called the High Road. It’s not the first flying car concept so let’s see what this version has to offer:

• FAA certification for instrument flight operations
• 100LL fuel
• 180 mph cruise speed at 15,000 ft.
• 20,000 ft ceiling
• 500 mile range

Impressed with any of that? What about road performance? Here it is:

• 25 mpg fuel consumption
• 500 mile range

High Road has passed its initial wind tunnel tests at the San Diego Air and Space Museum 12 ft tunnel so we’ll be looking forward to a finished product. Would you be interested in a flying car?

via Leigh Aerosystems

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The first flying car completed its first rounds and everything worked out so far. The car might not look like in the movies yet but it will fly for you as long as you know how to pilot it. You’ll need about $194,000 and a valid pilot license to get this baby flying. And the first models will be ready by 2011 and promise to offer you about four hours of air travel at 180km/h. Not bad for this first flying car. It will make commuting a whole lot easier.

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Would you like to buy a car that can fly? Well the Terrafugia Transition in the picture above can fly. It doesn’t look that good yet but what’s important is that the Terrafugia completed its first flight earlier this month at the Plattsburgh International Airport. With this economy, a car that flies might not be the best idea you could have. Unless you can afford all the gas in the world of course!

via likecool

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Moller International is a name you should remember. It might just be the company that invents the first flying car. Based on the $350,000 Ferrari 599 GTB, the Autovolantor will be one of the greatest cars ever to have been built.

The car will be available to take off vertically and hover with help of eight powerful thrusters which will send air down. The car is then tilted and then it flies. Back to the future anyone? The Autovolantor should be able to get at 100 mph on the ground and 150 mph in the air.

The thrusters will be powered by a hybrid fuel and they will get as much as 800 hp. It will fly up to 5,000 feet and you will probably need a flying permit to drive one. Any thoughts? Anyone?

via The Telegraph

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