Want to Drive and Fly? Get Ready
More 2012 New York Auto Show Coverage
As a car, the Transition raises some questions. Visibility is likely to be an issue, as is driving a car that tops out 65 mph; this clearly isn’t meant for the open roads of the western U.S., where drivers laugh at the 65 mph speed limit. Still, it does come with a backup camera, which is great since there’s no rear window; that area is reserved for the propeller that powers the plane.
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On the plus side, the company says the Transition can manage 35 mpg (no mention of an EPA estimate, though), and comes with a carbon fiber safety cage for the pilot and passenger. In the air, the Transition can reach a maximum air speed of 100 knots (about 115 mph) and a cruising speed of 93 knots (105 mph), so clearly it prefers the air to terrain.
This is a rear-wheel-drive plane/car, and its proportions resemble those of a midsize SUV: 80 inches tall with the wings withdrawn, 90 inches wide and 19 feet 6 inches long, the company says. It comes with airbags, a tire pressure monitoring system (a federal mandate for all new cars) and, something that’s near and dear to our hearts, a storage area for golf bags.
Prepare to transition a lot of money from your hand to the dealer if you want to buy one: The “anticipated” MSRP is estimated to be $279,000. What doesn’t come with it for that price? Options include air conditioning(!), auto pilot (we presume that’s only for when you’re in the air) and a tinted panoramic roof, which for a plane/car may make a lot of sense. It comes with a one-year limited warranty. We wonder what an extended warranty would cost for one of these!
