ABOVE: Motorworld München is now home to Germany’s first flying car showroom

PAL-V, Dutch designer of the ‘world’s first flying car’, has opened Germany’s first showroom dedicated to flying cars; ‘reaffirming its commitment to making futuristic transportation available to the masses’.

The ‘Personal Air and Land Vehicle’ (PAL-V) Liberty – the two-seat, gyroplane-configurable craft – is ‘poised to redefine personal mobility’, able to convert between roadworthy vehicle and aircraft in as little as five minutes. It boasts a top road speed of almost 100mph and a flying speed of around 98kts, with an airborne range of 250-310 miles (depending on single or dual-person operation).

“We believe that the future of transportation lies in the skies, and with our showroom now open in Munich, we are one step closer to turning this belief into a widespread reality,” said Robert Dingemanse, CEO of PAL-V. “Flying cars are no longer a distant dream; they are here, they are here, and they are ready to revolutionize the way we travel.”

The company hope the showroom ‘will serve as a platform for potential buyers, investors and enthusiasts to witness firsthand the sophisticated craftsmanship and unparalleled technology behind PAL-V’s flying car’, although customers should note the gyrocopter car is not available to fly away just yet.

In 2009, PAL-V agreed to use EASA’s Certification Specifications for Small Rotorcraft, CS-27, as a starting point for the development of its vehicle’s certification basis; working with EASA to amend over 1,500 criteria to make it applicable for the PAL-V. The PAL-V’s first proof-of-concept prototype first flew in 2012 with the fully-customizable ‘Liberty Pioneer’ edition (limited to just 90 units) first unveiled in 2019. Although the basis for certification has been completed, “next to the aircraft, all aspects of the organization, including suppliers and maintenance parties must be certified,” notes Dingemanse.

The Pioneer is priced from £445,500 (excluding taxes) and the regular Sport model from around £254,000.

IMAGE: PAL-V