Parajet SkyCar flying vehicle evolves, now ready for pre-orders

The historians once pontificated that we'd all be cruising about in flying cars right around the year 2000, and while that whole Y2K fiasco threw us a tad behind schedule, it looks like the future may actually still be upon us. Parajet, the same company responsible for that downright unnerving personal flying machine we peeked back in '05, has now placed its long-awaited SkyCar up for pre-order. Said vehicle has evolved quite dramatically over the years, but now that dollars (er, pounds) are being dropped on it, we have to assume that the design is near final. The vehicle is completely street legal and can accelerate to 62mph in just 4.2 seconds, thus making it the world's first "usable, road-legal flying car." If you're champing at the bit to be the first on your block with one, you can drop £10,000 ($16,381) now and pay the remaining £50,000 ($81,905) just before it ships in "late 2010." Of course, we're not making any promises about it actually shipping, but that's a risk you'll have to take.

[Via AutoblogGreen]

Gallery: Parajet SkyCar flying vehicle evolves, now ready for pre-orders

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[Adam @ Jul 19th 2009 2:54PM]

Recession Antidote?

[Adam @ Jul 19th 2009 2:55PM]

I'll reply to my comment by saying this beast is a beatiful creation, kinda reminds me of Halo... can't say I haven't always wanted my own Warthog.

[Chaz D @ Jul 20th 2009 11:19PM]

Hahaha, it does look like a warthog. Man if only that was a recession antidote...

[djnshores @ Jul 19th 2009 3:53PM]

Sure, spend $100,000 on a flying car and somebody's recession will end. Unfortunately, this isn't what I had in mind for a flying car. A hovercraft or an ultralight would be more fun.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ Jul 19th 2009 3:59PM]

My nephew built one of these in His spare time, He's 12...

[Tinu @ Jul 19th 2009 4:13PM]

Meh. Next time you buy a new car, just be sure to select the "parachute" option. You shall have your own flying car.

[dsteve303 @ Jul 19th 2009 4:53PM]

Flying cars are a stupid waste of time. PPL WILL DIE FROM IGNORANCE, STUPIDITY, AND ALL TOGETHER HUMANITY.

[Izzy @ Jul 19th 2009 5:53PM]

@dst

It's called natural selection.

[wat up!!! @ Jul 19th 2009 6:39PM]

Mr Darwin was a smart man!
it even applies to humans!!

[ilh @ Jul 19th 2009 7:54PM]

Chavs are breeding more than the rest of us...that isn't smart.

[m @ Jul 19th 2009 9:19PM]

"smart" is knowing the difference between "the historians" and "futurists." engadget for the win!

[Rocketboy @ Jul 20th 2009 6:49AM]

Look at me!! I'm replying to the first comment so people read it first!!

[94 taurus owner @ Jul 20th 2009 8:09AM]

@Rocketboy

YAY!!!!!!

[Linhares @ Jul 20th 2009 3:59PM]

I see dead people

[GadgetGeek @ Jul 20th 2009 4:04PM]

More like overpriced crapgadget. let me get a Dune Buggy, put a big fan on the back with a chute and car it a flying car.. It's like grabbing a garbage can flipping it over and leaning it against the wall and calling it a chair. It might function as a makeshift chair, but by all means, it is not a chair.

[lawyer bird @ Jul 19th 2009 3:00PM]

I don't know, the whole everglades fan-boat vibe is not really doing it for me..plus it flies by parachute, which is just lame.

[Adam @ Jul 19th 2009 3:03PM]

That's a para-sail friend.

[TomTom2007 @ Jul 19th 2009 3:13PM]

and it costs $80,000? Come on, it's just a buggy plus a parachute...

[Shinigami @ Jul 19th 2009 4:29PM]

What else did you expect for 60.000 British pounds? A plane worth 50.000.000 US dollars?

[rinum09 @ Jul 19th 2009 6:14PM]

HEY! It might be lame but it still beats waiting in a trafffic jam in Atlanta.

[Scarhawk @ Jul 19th 2009 7:46PM]

Cliff to drive off...not included in base price.

[Duke @ Jul 20th 2009 11:26AM]

Maybe rinum09, except you'll still be sitting in that jam just knowing you had a wing that you can't really use.

"The Parajet SkyCar in “fly mode” is suspended by the latest ram-air wing and capable of take-off from a field or airstrip in less than 200 metres. It will be easier and safer to fly than any other aircraft, as it has no pitch control and therefore impossible to stall or dive. Should the engine fail, the pilot would simply glide down into the nearest field or strip of sandy desert."

Really, does that sound like a convenient set-up to anyone to actually use? I guess if I was in the country all the time. Otherwise, this is just another way for someone with disposable funds to entertain themselves.

[DanielT @ Jul 19th 2009 3:02PM]

It looks like Halle Berry.

[loocas @ Jul 19th 2009 4:20PM]

o_O

[Pitchy @ Jul 20th 2009 12:17AM]

I'm guessing by that, you mean SEXY!

[RandyFD @ Jul 19th 2009 3:03PM]

Looks like the dune-buggy from hell. How about some air-speed data?

[jon @ Jul 19th 2009 3:14PM]

100mph max.

[CraigJ @ Jul 19th 2009 3:08PM]

What could possibly go wrong?

[Yamikotai @ Jul 19th 2009 5:55PM]

What could go wrong, possibly?

[Jagger @ Jul 20th 2009 8:30AM]

Possibly, wrong could go. WHAT?!?!

[Dr. Evil Genius @ Jul 20th 2009 11:08AM]

Go possibly, wrong could.

[DaSpider @ Jul 19th 2009 3:12PM]

I am sure we are going to see a DIY version anytime soon.

[derX @ Jul 19th 2009 4:51PM]

You mean this isn't it?

[Miike @ Jul 19th 2009 3:13PM]

Not available in cities with bridges.

[d889 @ Jul 19th 2009 3:13PM]

seriously $80k for that thing ... i could take a rhino, slap a decent long travel 4x4 kit on it, build a good cage and slap a fan and a parachute on it for less than half the price.

[singing_pigs @ Jul 20th 2009 1:07AM]

Pretty sure it's not cheap to get your hands on a rhino.

[tmarks11 @ Jul 20th 2009 11:14AM]

I am pretty sure that this is exactly what they did. Dune buggy+parachute=death trap.

They only have to sell one, and then go out of business quickly before the sucker crashes it (or gets run over by an SUV) and his heirs sue them. Can you say LLC? Then they can use the money they earned to pay for their community college after they graduate from high school.

Exactly how do you get a dune buggy with a wicked propellor on the back classified as "street legal"? That is a pretty good trick. Imagine the look on the DMV clerk's face as he looks for the VIN....

[CaramelZappa @ Jul 19th 2009 3:14PM]

I like the original version better than the render. Looks more rugged and utilitarian. What's the point of spending $100k on that concept if you have to worry about it getting scratched and dirty?

[Matthew @ Jul 19th 2009 3:16PM]

Street legal != safe

Seriously. Doesn't road legal only refer to the fact that it has three mirrors, turn/brake signals, correct bumper height, et cetera? I'm all for flying cars, but I'd hate to drive what's essentially a dune buggy on the Phoenix freeways.

Although the fact that this car can fly from London to Timbuktu on biofuel is pretty damned impressive (though further digging shows that the journey took 42 days). But legal or not, I can imagine running into a few problems with the FAA/local customs and immigration.

Doing a little more digging on the ParaJet site, it seems like this vehicle is nothing more than a dune buggy + paramotor. More of a toy for adventure junkies (and as a skydiver, I see nothing wrong with that), and definitely not ready for prime time. This testimonial says it all: "Wow. This one serious machine. It’s like the ultimate kind of toy! "

[Ghatid @ Jul 19th 2009 4:11PM]

I'm sure we're not allowed to have this in California...we aren't allowed to have any fun:(

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Jul 19th 2009 4:22PM]

yeah, california is just one big right-wing, fascist concentration camp. you want to meet up at the dispensary later?

[Sean @ Jul 19th 2009 3:18PM]

There is no way in hell I'm paying 80k for something that doesn't even have wings.

[Mike Mielke @ Jul 19th 2009 3:24PM]

you'd buy a house would you not?

[Sean @ Jul 19th 2009 3:26PM]

No.

[Rod @ Jul 19th 2009 6:57PM]

Don't say that, Jobs might read it and attach a set to the next Mac Pro...

[jon @ Jul 19th 2009 3:21PM]

I lost interest when I realized you can't drive it off a cliff and pop the chute to escape from a cop on a hoverbike.

[Matt @ Jul 19th 2009 4:57PM]

Can't even do that in Transformers 2...

[Sarig @ Jul 19th 2009 5:55PM]

Haha, me too! What's the fun in having a flying car, if you have to step out and prepare it for flight? And vica-versa, if you can't land on the freeway and just keep driving like nothing noteworthy happened, what do we need flying cars for?

[joushouhaigara @ Jul 19th 2009 3:29PM]

Imagine the insurance on that thing...

[Ciesson @ Jul 20th 2009 1:25AM]

Meh. Insurance is for noobs :)