Two cars are changing the concept of “car”.  The Milner Motors AirCar and the Rinspeed sQuba.  The AirCar by Milner Motors doesn’t currently fly but the ultimate goal of the company is to create a car that can be driven  and flown.  Meanwhile Rinspeed has created the sQuba that can be driven not just on the road but into the sea. 

The AirCar is designed to be driven like any other car.  However, should the owner need to get to a distant city, the AirCar can be flown to the destination airport, and finally driven to the owner’s ultimate destination.  The wings fold up for driving and can be locked down for flying. The car holds 4 passengers and will reach 200 mph in the air. The AirCar will have two different engines. One for use when flying and the other for use when driving. The inside instruments will also show the appropriate information depending on what mode the vehicle is in.  The car is designed to fly at an altitude of 25,000 feet.

The sQuba convertible can literally drive from the road into the owner’s preferred lake or ocean.  The AirCar uses two separate motors while the sQuba requires three electric motors.  One motor controls the wheels, while the rear propellers and front water jets, each have their own separate motors.  The car is watertight down to 10 meters and contains two compressed air tanks.  The passengers in the two seater simply need to use the mouth pieces attached to the tanks when the car submerges.  The sQuba was designed as a convertible not just because it is sporty, but also as a safety feature.  Should the occupants find themselves in danger, they can easily escape. 

Both the AirCar and sQuba extend the concept of car into the realms of science fiction and secret agents.  The worlds of James Bond and Blade Runner are coming closer to reality.

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Entry was posted on Friday, March 21st, 2008 at 6:08 pm under Technology.

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