For decades, flying cars in movies and pop culture have tickled the imagination of automobile fans around the world.
From their iconic design to futuristic vision, these flying cars have inspired the designs of the automobile industry for decades.
Surprisingly, some people have recreated these cars and made them into reality, although with some limited potential compared to their fictional counterparts.
READ MORE! The challenges and obstacles facing flying car mass production
So today, we will be taking a look at some of the most iconic flying cars in movies and pop culture within the modern era.
Some automobile engineers have recreated these futuristic vehicles in one shape or form, while others remain as an inspiration for future generations.
Most Iconic Flying Cars in Movies and Pop Culture
DeLorean – Back to the Future
When it comes to flying cars in movies and pop culture, the time-traveling DMC DeLorean is the most iconic car out there.
The movie also predicted flying cars and hoverboards would be very common in 2015.
Although many people have created their own hoverboards and flying cars, they are certainly not commonplace.
However, after 40 years, the legendary car is back as a stunning DeLorean Alpha5 EV.
The Alpha5 EV may not fly or time-travel, but it’s the closest thing to a modern-day DeLorean.
Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder – Star Wars
Star Wars is home to the best flying cars in movies in all of Hollywood.
But one particular vehicle stands out from the rest.
We are obviously talking about Luke Skywalker’s SoroSuub X-34 landspeeder from A New Hope.
It is not exactly a flying car, but more of a ground-based hovercraft, similar to an Air-Cushion Vehicle (ACV).
Surprisingly, we do have something similar to landspeeder racing in the real world, called the World Hovercraft Championship.
Each year racers compete in the championship, where ACVs race against each other over land and water.
Agent K’s 1987 Ford LTD Crown Victoria – Men in Black
Another iconic flying car from the movies is Agent K’s 1987 Ford LTD Crown Victoria.
The car is a MiB standard-issue vehicle driven by Agent K in the first movie in the franchise.
A red button on the car’s gear stick also activates a hidden auxiliary mode.
In this auxiliary mode, the car goes fast enough to defy gravity, riding along the roof of the tunnel.
The car was essentially ‘flying’ above the traffic in the movie.
In the Men in Black II, the 1987 Ford was replaced by Agent J’s 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500, which turns into a proper flying car.
Spinners – Blade Runner Series
Whenever a lazy journalist writes about flying cars in movies (cough cough) they are contractually obligated to mention the Spinners from Blade Runner.
In the movies, the Spinners are used as flying police cars with butterfly doors and vertical take-off capabilities, just like a VTOL.
2017’s Blade Runner 2049 makes some serious upgrades to the original design.
Imagine flying through the skies of a futuristic Los Angeles city in such a cool ride.
Flying Cars in Movies and Pop Culture (Honorable Mentions)
There are so many flying cars in movies that we can’t list all of them. However, here are some honorable mentions for the most iconic flying cars in pop culture.
- Ford Anglia 105E – Harry Potter
- The Bat – The Dark Knight Rises
- Pontiac Fiero Space Car – F9
- Hovercar – Total Recall
- Bruce Willis’s Flying Taxi – Fifth Element
- Flying Car – The Jetsons
- AMC Matador coupe – The Man with the Golden Gun
Hopefully, we will soon get to fly in one of the futuristic vehicles or something similar to them.
