L.A. Auto Show 2013: Calling all Flying Cars!
Last week, we headed out to the L.A. Auto Show to check out the retro-inspired new cars.And yet, we wondered... where were the flying cars? We've been promised flying cars for decades, and this year's L.A. Auto Show ad teased us, giving us the hope that we'd find some at the show...
So, off we went in search of candidates to become the next airborne autos, and we did find a few good ones...
... including the newest Dodge Viper.
Maybe it's the color. Red! Red would be great for a flying car, right? Well, a red one would probably live up to the old stereotype of getting more speeding tickets. We thought this Lexus concept car would be a stunning candidate for a flying car.
This car certainly looks ready to take to the skies, right? This is the Honda FCEV electric concept car, complete with futuristic styling.
Although the wheels appear to have the potential to be hiding rocket boosters to lift the car off the ground, we sadly report that this Honda is earth-bound, for now, at least.
Now if we could choose for one car to fly, this would be it. This is the Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo, a car that will never really exist, except in the video game Gran Turismo 6. This is the full-size concept model of that vehicle.
With serious curves and looks to kill, this is one sexy beast. Flying or not, we want one!
This one has wings, so maybe we have a chance here at flight? Nope - those are just the doors of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing, the last Mercedes to be produced with Gullwings.
Wait, wait... this one has to fly - it actually has wings! This little (not so little-feeling when you sit in it) Smart Car is sure zippy looking, but it still won't ever make it off the ground.
Maybe we need to send auto manufacturers some pix of the flying cars we're looking for. We recommend these retro-styled flying cars like from the movie The Fifth Element. Check out the grille on that checkered taxi!
Automotive styling has come a long way, and that is true for flying cars as well. This is one of the earliest flying car designs, a 1917 Curtiss Autoplane. From the first introduction of the automobile, inventors continuously searched for ways to make cars fly - and airplanes fly. Next time we're at Aerobooks-Autobooks, we'll have to see what books they have on flying cars!How about the modern version of a flying car? Above is the Moller Skycar, coming soon to a garage or hanger near you. Want to see even more? Check out the Smithsonian Channel's Incredible Flying Cars for even more concepts and realities in the flying car world.Here's hoping that one day, the L.A. Auto Show will surprise us with a flying car. Just in case one is on the way, we're putting our names on the list now for a test drive.