Skycar inventor: “Even if we sell 20 we’ll be laughing.” Mmm…
Gilo Cardoza has built a car that really flies after dreaming about it since he was a little boy.
Fully road-legal – the car passed the government’s single vehicle approval test last month – and designed to run on bioethanol, Cardozo’s Skycar is powered by a modified 140bhp Yamaha R1 superbike engine with a lightweight automatic CVT (continuously variable transmission) gear-box from a snowmobile. It boasts Ferrari-beating acceleration on land, an air speed of up to 80mph and can swap between road and flight modes in minutes.
Here’s how to get from road to air in the Skycar:-
“The driver unpacks the parafoil wing from the boot and manually deploys it from the rear of the car. He switches the transmission from road mode, which drives the wheels, to flight mode, which powers the rear fan
The fan’s thrust pushes the car forward, providing lift for the wing as the car reaches 35mph – takeoff speed. Once airborne, pedals in the footwell steer the Skycar by pulling cables that change the wing’s shape
The Skycar has a flying range of about 180 miles. If the wing is damaged or collapses, the pilot can fire a roof-mounted emergency parachute that allows the car to float safely back to earth”.
VITAL STATISTICS
ENGINE 1000cc, four cylinders
POWER 140bhp
RANGE 180 miles (flight) / 250 miles (road)
CRUISING ALTITUDE 2,000-3,000ft
MAXIMUM ALTITUDE 15,000ft
ACCELERATION 0-60mph: 4.5sec (on road)
TOP SPEED 80mph (flight) / 110mph (road)
COST £35,000
Car leasing rates have yet to be announced.
January 5, 2009 at 10:07 am | Car Leasing News | No comment
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