So, where is my flying car?

Er, step this way...

It looks like one Reg reader's heartfelt plea has been answered.

Back in January, Erik Trent demanded the flying car that 1950s boffins promised us by the year 2000 and - like the housework robot and an end to world hunger - failed to deliver. Until now.

American inventor Paul Moller yesterday unveiled the Skycar at the Big Boys' Toys exhibition in Sydney. Having spent 40 years and £140 million on the development of his VTOL flying gizmo, Moller was understandably prepared to make extravagant claims about the future of the project: "I think it's reasonable to believe that 90 per cent of the population will be using the Skycar within 25 years," he enthused.

Of course they will Paul - to fly to their holiday homes on Moon Colony 1. And at £700,000 a pop, it's competitively priced with your average four-door saloon. As long as your saloon is made of diamond-encrusted 24-carat gold. And runs on vintage champagne.

Whether or not the Skycar ever does lift humanity to new heights of commuting freedom, it does have one big-bucks customer in the bag. The US military has already tested the thing and is said to have placed an order. Infinity and beyond!