Flying Dutchman

No matter how many attempts litter automotive history, the temptation of a flying car just won't go away.

The latest to float the idea is the PAL-V, which stands for Personal Air and Land Vehicle.

What makes the PAL-V stand out is that there are no bulky wings, just some neat rotors on the roof that fold away when not in use.

Instead of trying to make a car that flies or a plane that drives, PAL-V has come up with a gyrocopter than can do a bit of both.

On the road, the three-wheeler uses a normal car engine that can also run on biofuel. But if congestion looms, you pop up the rotors.

They act like a wing to provide lift, but forward motion is generated by a propeller that unfolds from behind the cabin.

Designed to fly at heights of up to 4,000ft, the PAL-V can reach speeds of 125mph on land and in the air, and it only needs a very short strip to take off and land from.

With a range of 340 miles, the PAL-V could take you from London to Newcastle in one hop.

No prices have yet been announced for the PAL-V, but its Dutch builder reckons it should be on sale within the next two years.

At which point, presumably, pigs will fly. With an accompanying farmer, of course.