Moller Skycar prototype up for sale
Original M400 'flying car' is going to auction, but it promises to be just an expensive static displayThe Moller M400 Skycar prototype from 2001 has been relisted for auction after failing to sell the last time.
According to the owners, the prototype M400 offered for sale has flown on numerous occasions in heavily restricted airspace, but is not approved by the American Federal Aviation Authority (FAA), unlike at least one competitor, but the M400 does have one advantage – it can take off and land vertically.
The machine is in its original state, the owners have advised, meaning it cannot be flown legally, and its value to a buyer is as a museum piece. In fact, it is a condition of sale that the vehicle can't be flown. And its tricycle undercarriage, tiny wheels and awkward weight distribution doesn't appear to offer much stability on the road.
Also, there may be some reassembly required, with the press release stating: "Reassembling it back to its original state will take some time."
So far, Moller International, which developed the prototype M400, has invested over US $150 million to invent and hone the engine and airframe technology, combining eight rotary engines in swivelling nacelles to provide lift and change direction.
In the years since the M400 prototype first flew, it has grabbed media attention, featuring on the covers of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics, as well as being the subject of news videos in the USA.
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