World's first FLYING sports car goes on sale next year for £90k

Samson Motors has designed the world's first flying sports car that can travel at a speed of up to 200mph and reach heights of up to 13,000ft

This is the car of the future - and it could be yours for £90,000. Samson Motors has designed the world's first flying sports car that can travel at a speed of up to 200mph and reach heights of up to 13,000ft.

The Switchblade functions as a normal car and can transform into an aircraft with ease. After a flight, the sports car returns back to driving mode, with the wings safely stowed and protected. It has side-by-side seating for two, room for 50 pounds of luggage, a wide cabin, and the power-to-weight ratio of a 2017 Corvette.

The Italian-inspired clean shape is designed to produce a down-force in gusty wind conditions, stabilising the lightweight vehicle on the road. The wings are set at the correct angle so you literally fly the plane off the runway. Landings are similar, in that you simply fly the vehicle onto the runway to land.

Samson says that prices will start at around £90,000, but once you've bought the car you can't just jet off. A private pilot's licence is required to fly it, and on the roads a full driving licence is needed. There are three versions of the innovative car: The Snowbird, for colder climates, the Trek, for heavy-duty landing, and the Aurora, which is a combination of the Snowbird and Trek. A spokesperson for Samson said: "You can drive the Switchblade to any public airport to take off, and may land at the same, or any other, public airport.

Flying cars could take to the skies by 2019 after Volvo parent buys 'roadable aircraft' firm Terrafugia "You can also take off and land from any private airport where you have privileges." And Samson is even looking at how it can be environmentally friendly.

The spokesman said: "We have already finished layouts for both hybrid, and electric drive systems pending on an appropriate battery solution."

Features

• Extendable wings and tail
• Wings fully protected while driving
• Redundant ignition and fuel systems
• 5-speed transmission for driving
• Dual ground / air lighting systems
• Digital instrument display
• Premium sound system
• Heating and air conditioning
• Adjustable leather seats
• Complete vehicle parachute
• Front and rear crumple zones
• Roll over protection
• Front and rear disc brakes
• Safety glass front windshield

Performance

• Maximum Airspeed - 190mph
• Cruise speed - 160mph
• Max driving speed - 125mph
• Range - 450 miles
• Fuel capacity - 30 gal
• Take-off distance - 1,100ft
• Landing distance - 1,600ft
• Stall speed (with flaps) - 67mph
• Max Takeoff Weight - 1,750lb
• Payload - 544lb