Production of world's first flying car begins

Author: Phil Cogar
Published: 30th July 2007
Comments (25) Stumble
Whiz over traffic jams in your new flying car.

Whiz over traffic jams in your new flying car.

We've all undoubtedly watched The Jetsons...but have you ever dreamed of the day that you could own your very own flying car? Well soon, that day will become true - Moller has announced that it has begun the production of its M200G flying car.

Don't think about taking the family along though as the M200G has a weight limit of 250lbs for its two passenger seats so most family members will need their separate skycar.

With a limit of 50MPH at an altitude of 10 feet, most people might find this vehicle laughable for daily use. But as limited as it may be, it's not for the light-walleted of you out there. With an estimated price as low as $90,000 (around £53,000), this car will be out of reach of the average Joe for years to come - but should hopefully fall in price sooner rather then later.

Now that we can go 3D with our vehicles, can you imagine the traffic requirements? What happens with bridges that only have eight feet of clearance? Will traffic laws need to change, or will they just be banned for now?

Do you think this could be the way forward or could this lead to even deadlier vehicles wrecks? Tell us your thoughts down below or over in the forums.
Quote kenco_uk 30th July 2007, 09:25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Cogar

What happens with bridges that only have eight feet of clearance?

rofl :D

Sounds cool, but I can't really see them taking off (groan).
Quote Bauul 30th July 2007, 09:28
Only £53,000, for a flying car? Bugger me that's cheap! You do understand we're talking about an actualy flying car here? For only £53,000? That's amazing!
Quote Jamie 30th July 2007, 09:33
Shouldn't have to pay road tax on that since it's not using them :D
Quote outlawaol 30th July 2007, 09:44
I cant wait to fly 10 feet above the ground, that way when my car sucks in a bird I can die without really crashing at all! Woo hoo!

:P

From the demo video I've found, ( http://www.moller.com/videom200x.htm ) I wouldnt want to be in that thing in ANY kind of weather. And who's gonna drive around with a crane following you with a tether?
Quote Bladestorm 30th July 2007, 10:06
The supposed newer model they have listed actually looks like a vehicle rather than a novelty, but a massive leap in price as well as seeming to suggest it hasn't actually been tested properly yet.

And yeah the video makes that M200 look like something out of a b movie complete with the strings and wobbly models! :D
Quote Blademrk 30th July 2007, 10:22
I've just got visions of drivers stalling and plummeting down to earth
Quote Bungle 30th July 2007, 10:45
I guess wacky races weren't far off the mark:D http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4c/PatPending.jpg/200px-PatPending.jpg
Quote woodshop 30th July 2007, 10:51
I don't even want to think of the fuel requirements for that thing.... 8 turbines... *sigh*
Quote Brooxy 30th July 2007, 11:01
And there was me thinking people would start being more reserved on oil consumption. Guess I was wrong :(

Still...it could be kinda cool I guess
Quote Spacecowboy92 30th July 2007, 11:06
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooxy
And there was me thinking people would start being more reserved on oil consumption. Guess I was wrong :(

Your expecting people to buy theese?
Quote Cupboard 30th July 2007, 11:20
One was made a long time ago, like in the 70s. Unfortunately I can’t remember its name, but it was is the Boeing Museum of Flight
Quote wharrad 30th July 2007, 11:39
Does anyone else think it's just a helicopter where the rotor blades are at child head height?!? Oh well.

Loving the music on the video by the way.
Quote aon`aTv.gsus666 30th July 2007, 11:56
Where'd you get your prices from anyways? On the page linked to by outlawaol they presume the price for the G to be like $125.000.

I'd love to have one of those though. :) But I'm pretty damn sure German laws won't allow this before 2020.
Quote proxess 30th July 2007, 12:48
seems pretty cool. I'd rather a wacky racer tho. 8 rotarary engines? thats like 8 mazdas rx7...
Quote E.E.L. Ambiense 30th July 2007, 13:57
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blademrk
I've just got visions of drivers stalling and plummeting down to earth

Only if it's a Detroit-manufactured car. :D
Quote FR34K 30th July 2007, 14:36
Quote:
Do you think this could be the way forward or could this lead to even deadlier vehicles wrecks?
It is a step forward, but if these are gonna be manually operated by the people themselves, then we're gonna have a problem. The average driver isn't going to be ready for flying. They're going to need another license type and everything, no different than driving a motorcycle, but more extensive. The more that are out there, the more they're going to have to think of a way to make them all controlled via computer network as to eliminate all possibility of collision and any conflict.

I like the idea, but I don't they're planning ahead enough.
Quote zabe 30th July 2007, 15:16
Quote:
Originally Posted by Brooxy
And there was me thinking people would start being more reserved on oil consumption. Guess I was wrong :(

Still...it could be kinda cool I guess

... and I thought this was great news... I thought flying cars would use nitrogen or oxygen in all cases... Don't industries see how much better that would be? Renewable energy? Avoiding contamination? Keeping things clean? Those cars would be so much cheaper in the end, thus generating benefits for the industry. I can't help imagining my future grandchildren dying when this planet cannot take anymore and decides to explode...

Sad, but something very harmful will happen to humans if new technologies don't start to be clean... I just hope this is the prototype and the final commercial models use nitrogen/oxygen as fuel...
Quote Duste 30th July 2007, 15:39
I also read in the Digg article that this is a sort of "hoax", and Moller has been sued before for selling fake shares in the product, or something.

I'unno, you'll have to look at the Digg article I guess.
Quote Amon 30th July 2007, 16:21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamie
Shouldn't have to pay road tax on that since it's not using them :D
LOL I suspect that air traffic laws would come into effect at that point.
Quote MisterGreen 30th July 2007, 16:22
They've had these on sale at I want one of those (or it might have been Firebox) for yonks now, something around the vicinity of £350k
Quote wafflesomd 30th July 2007, 16:25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Blademrk
I've just got visions of drivers stalling and plummeting down to earth

Especially in a manual.
Quote Mars 31st July 2007, 15:05
I was imagining a Dolorean :( sigh
Quote Akava 31st July 2007, 16:06
Looks great, i would love my first car to be a flying one :P, and i geuss at 10' your not gonna need to swerve around many hedgehogs ;)
Quote bloodcar 31st July 2007, 17:22
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mars
I was imagining a Dolorean :( sigh

It won't be a flying car, but the Delorean is scheduled to go back into a limited production run.

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2007/07/delorean-to-re-.html
Quote The_Beast 31st July 2007, 17:43
yeah it's cool but I'd still rather have a real car
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