Supercars and private jets seem to be two of the key ingredients of any self-respecting international playboy’s lifestyle. And the Firenze Lanciare is both, with predictably awkward results.
Looking like something a 12-year old might dream up in a boring history lesson, the Lanciare packs a pair of Williams FJ-33 jet engines that together provide 4000lb of thrust. We don’t know much about planes, but that sounds like plenty because it delivers a cruising speed of 520mph, a cruising altitude of 10,000ft and a range of 850 miles.
Back on the ground, with the retractable wings stowed, it can rocket from 0-60mph in less then 4sec courtesy of a pair of Tesla electric motors producing 1000bhp.
The jet/supercar mash-up is the brainchild of Greg Brown, a former F-18 jet pilot in the US Navy who has spent the last 15 years trying to get his dream off the ground.
The lightweight tube-frame chassis is built by Armada Engineering, a company better known for building Trophy Trucks, Baja buggies and other crazy US off-road racers that are often seen flying through the air.
Those same racers are built with long-travel suspension to withstand huge impacts when landing jumps, and Brown reckons that knowhow will help make the Lanciare easy to land even for less experience pilots.
Most plane cockpits are fairly cold and utilitarian but Brown says the Lanciare’s pressurised cabin will be trimmed like a luxury car's and feature leather, Alcantara and plenty of sound insulation to reduce noise.
But in addition to the steering wheel and conventional foot pedals there’s a fighter jet-style joystick in the centre console and s throttle control in both doors so the driver and passenger can take turns to fly.
You won't be surprised to hear that production is still some way off, and it would need some major investment to fund the colossal certification costs. And let’s not get started on the legal minefield of driving a car that could theoretically escape a motorway jam by simply flying over the traffic.
But Brown estimates a finished Lanciare would costs $5-7m (£3.9-5.4m) which, while hardly cheap, is roughly what you’d pay for a small, conventional corporate jet – or a Bugatti Divo. The Lanciare does the job of both. Or at least it does according to Jonny in Year 8 history.
Keyword: Firenze Lanciare is a supercar that absolutely flies