Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Biofuel Skycar headed for production in 2010]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/biofuel-skycar-headed-for-production-in-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/biofuel-skycar-headed-for-production-in-2010/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/17/biofuel-skycar-headed-for-production-in-2010/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Parajet Skycar prototypes - Click above for high-res image gallery

Earlier this year, the Parajet Skycar Expedition, featuring the "World's First Bio-fuelled Flying Car," flew from London, England to Timbuktu in Mali, Africa. If you lusted over something so incredibly cool - a car that can transform from ground to air mode in about three minutes and actually works in both areas, then we've got good news for you: Parajet International Ltd has struck a deal to produce road-legal SkyCars with Rage Motorsport Ltd.

Rage will build the vehicle and Parajet will add all the parts that make it fly. A mock-up of the vehicle is pictured here, but Parajet says a "totally new chassis is being designed for the SkyCar which accommodates the rear fan system into the tubular chassis work." This will reduce weight by about 80 kg (176 lbs). Other changes are to include a re-positioned rear parachute, more legroom and a three-cylinder, 140 horsepower fuel-injected Yamaha engine. How long will you have to wait for one? Parajet says test flights of the skycar should happen this September and the release date could be early 2010.

Watch a CNN-produced video of the Skycar in action after the jump.


Gallery: Biofueled Skycar


[Sources: Parajet Ltd; CNN.com]

Continue reading Biofuel Skycar headed for production in 2010

Biofuel Skycar headed for production in 2010 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flying autoflying carflying carsFlyingAutoFlyingCarFlyingCarsparajetskycarFri, 17 Apr 2009 13:57:00 EST<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: One of six Aerocars ever made]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/02/ebay-find-of-the-day-one-of-six-aerocars-ever-made/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/02/ebay-find-of-the-day-one-of-six-aerocars-ever-made/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/02/ebay-find-of-the-day-one-of-six-aerocars-ever-made/#commentsFiled under: ,


Click above for more shots of the Aerocar in eBay

Now here's something you just don't see every day. In fact, we'd wager most people will never see an original Aerocar in person at all, considering that only six were ever made. Now that one has managed to pop up on eBay Motors, this could be your chance to own a small piece of history. Built in 1956, this red and black Aerocar hasn't been flown since the late '70s, but looks to have been stored properly and appears to be in remarkably good shape.

Powered by a single Lycoming engine offering up 135 horses, the Aerocar is capable of hitting 112 miles per hour in the air and about half that on the tarmac. The whole kit was an amazing when it was designed in the 1940s with its front-wheel drive chassis propping up foldable wings that are towed behind when not needed along with a rear-mounted detachable pusher prop. The transformation from automobile to airplane reportedly takes one man just five minutes to complete.

Such a unique and historically significant machine isn't going to come cheap. In the case of the Aerocar, a cool $3.5 mil is all that's required to fly drive trailer it home for yourself. To quote Dr. Jones, this thing belongs in a museum.

Gallery: 1956 Aerocar on eBay


[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: One of six Aerocars ever made originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aerocarebay aerocarEbayAerocarflying carflying car ebayflying carsFlyingCarFlyingCarEbayFlyingCarsTue, 02 Dec 2008 20:01:00 EST<![CDATA[New York 2008: Milner Motors AirCar lands in Javits Center]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/20/new-york-2008-milner-motors-shows-flying-electric-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/20/new-york-2008-milner-motors-shows-flying-electric-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/20/new-york-2008-milner-motors-shows-flying-electric-car/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Click above for high-res gallery of the flying car from Milner

Our environmentally-attuned brethren at AutoblogGreen pointed us into the lower hall of the Javits Center to check out something they knew we'd love. After wading through the trucks and specialty makers on hand, we reached the Milner Motors booth. To one side was the Milner Motors ElectriCar. Across from it was the Milner Motors AirCar, which was what we came to see. Essentially the same as its electric vehicle, the flying car adds a set of wings and twin engine nacelles that theoretically supply enough thrust and lift for 1,000 miles of flight at 200 MPH. When earthbound, the wing package folds up and the car's 40-hp electric motor powers it up to 85 mph thanks to its light weight and great aerodynamics (the cd is only .209). This particular one is a non-functioning prototype, but we think we'll toss it off the roof of the Empire State building to test its glide prowess. We can only guess how much fun this thing might be if we could figure out a way to use those jet engines and their extra 300 hp to power this 1,800 lb. missle on the ground.

Gallery: Milner Motors AirCar

New York 2008: Milner Motors AirCar lands in Javits Center originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>flying carflying carsFlyingCarFlyingCarsmilner motorsMilnerMotorsnew yorknew york 2008new york auto showNewYorkNewYork2008NewYorkAutoShowThu, 20 Mar 2008 14:39:00 EST<![CDATA[VIDEO: Onion interviews automaker execs, flying cars are out]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/08/video-onion-interviews-automaker-execs-flying-cars-are-out/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/08/video-onion-interviews-automaker-execs-flying-cars-are-out/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/08/video-onion-interviews-automaker-execs-flying-cars-are-out/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



Try as they might, The Onion got the typical stonewall response from GM, Ford, and Toyota when pressing the automakers about their flying car programs. All these companies do is deny, deny, deny. Even when the Onion called them out, pointing to their secret labs where engineers fly around gleefully like Charlie Bucket and his grandfather all hopped up on hotrod soda, flat denial was the order of the day. We can expect these programs to be pushed further underground, now that their cover was nearly blown by The Onion, so we'll have to deal with more talk of hybrids and wheel motors instead of airspeed and tailrotors. Please note: The Onion is pure satire. Usually screamingly hilarious. Satire doesn't tend to work unless the presentation is dry. They really aren't serious.

Hit the jump for the embedded video.

Continue reading VIDEO: Onion interviews automaker execs, flying cars are out

VIDEO: Onion interviews automaker execs, flying cars are out originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Nov 2007 10:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automakersflying carsFlyingCarsfordgmgm ford toyotaGmFordToyotaonionspoofthe onionTheOniontoyotavideoThu, 08 Nov 2007 10:57:00 EST