Samson Motors has joined the race to have the first flying cars in the skies, with the world's first 200mph (320km/h) flying sports car, dubbed the Switchblade.

The Switchblade can cruise at an altitude of 13,000 feet and at a top speed of 200mph and is fitted with a safety parachute.

Samson Motors claims the car will be ready for launch in spring 2018, with prices starting at £90,000 ($120,000).

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The Switchblade can cruise at an altitude of 13,000 feet and at a top speed of 200 miles/hour, and is fitted with a safety parachute, should disaster strike

SWITCHBLADE'S KEY FEATURES - 5.1 metres long on the road, 6.2 metres long with tail extended - Top ground speed of 100mph (160 km/hour) - Top flying speed of 200mph (320 km/hour) - 90bhp liquid-cooled 1.6-litre V4 engine - 450 miles from the 113-litre fuel tank - Premium sound system - Reversing camera - Digital instrument display - Parachute for the whole car - Rollover protection - Crumple zones in the front and rear - Three versions of the car exist – the Snowbird, for colder climates, the Trek, designed for heavy-duty landing, and Aurora, which combines the Snowbird and Trek - Prices star at £90,000 ($120,000) Advertisement

The Switchblade is a three-wheel car, designed by Oregon-based Samson Motors.

The car has two seats, and on the ground is 5.1 metres long.

But it also has extendable wings and a retractable tail that fold out, taking the car's length to 6.2 metres, meaning it can be used both on the road and in the sky.

On the ground, the Switchblade's top speed is 100mph (160 km/hour), while in the sky it can reach speeds of 200mph (320 km/hour).

Unlike vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) vehicles, the Switchblade can't takeoff from the road, and will need to be flown from regular airports.

A spokesperson for Samson said: 'You can drive the Switchblade to any public airport to take off, and may land at the same, or any other, public airport.

'You can also take off and land from any private airport where you have privileges.'

In terms of engine, the Switchblade is powered by a 190bhp liquid-cooled 1.6-litre V4 engine, which gives the car a range of around 450 miles from the 113-litre fuel tank.

The Switchblade is a three-wheel car, designed by Oregon-based Samson Motors. The car has two seats, and on the ground is 5.1 metres long

And while the current version uses unleaded petrol, Samson is already looking ahead to other options.

The Samson spokesperson added: 'We have already finished layouts for both hybrid, and electric drive systems pending on an appropriate battery solution.'

The car is kitted out with a range of features, including a sound system, reversing camera and a digital instrument display.

Various safety features are also included, such as a parachute for the whole car, rollover protection and crumple zones in the front and rear.

Three versions of the car exist – the Snowbird, for colder climates, the Trek, designed for heavy-duty landing, and the Aurora, which combines the Snowbird and Trek.

COMPETITORS European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is working on a driverless flying taxi called Vahana that at first will have a pilot, but will later be autonomous Samson faces stiff competition from several other firms, who are racing to be the first to have a flying car in the skies: Airbus European aircraft manufacturer Airbus is working on a driverless flying taxi called Vahana that at first will have a pilot, but will later be autonomous. Airbus plans to have the first Vahanas ready for production by 2020. Israeli tech firm Urban Aeronautics originally designed its people-carrying drone as an 'air mule' for military use Urban Aeronautics Israeli tech firm Urban Aeronautics originally designed its people-carrying drone as an 'air mule' for military use. Dubbed the Cormorant, this vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft is capable of carrying 1,000 pounds over 31 miles, allowing it to deliver supplies to war zones and carry wounded soldiers to safety. A test flight last November was successful, but it is unclear when Urban Aeronautics plans to launch the Cormorant. German technology company Lilium Aviation is working on a two-seater aircraft that will take off vertically using 36 electric fan engines arrayed along its wings Lilium Aviation German technology company Lilium Aviation is working on a two-seater aircraft that will take off vertically using 36 electric fan engines arrayed along its wings. The egg-shaped plane, called Lilium, has been heralded as high up as the European Space Agency (ESA), who highlight its environmental benefits as well as not needing to land at an airport. Lilium Aviation says it will be ready by 2020. The Slovakian company AeroMobil has developed a car with wings that unfold for flight AeroMobil The Slovakian company AeroMobil has developed a car with wings that unfold for flight. It uses regular gasoline and fits into standard parking spaces. It can also take off from airports or 'any grass strip or paved surface just a few hundred meters long,' according to the company's website. The AeroMobil is expected to go into full production in the upcoming years with the first deliveries being made to customers by 2020. Chinese drone maker EHang has been flight-testing a person-carrying drone in Nevada EHang 184 Chinese drone maker EHang has been flight-testing a person-carrying drone in Nevada. The vehicle is a cockpit with four arms equipped with a total of eight rotors. The company says the 184 is autonomous, so all the passenger has to do is enter in their destination in the smartphone app, sit back, and let the drone take over. EHang 184 is expected to be ready in two to three years. Joby Aviation has developed a two-seater aircraft that not only reaches speeds of 200 mph, but is also powered by lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide batteries S2 Joby Aviation has developed a two-seater aircraft that not only reaches speeds of 200 mph, but is also powered by lithium nickel cobalt manganese oxide batteries. The S2 is in 'active development' but it is unclear when it will be ready. Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, is working on a 'flying car' called the TF-X - a car with folding arms and rotors for vertical takeoff and landing Terrafugia TF-X Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, is working on a 'flying car' called the TF-X - a car with folding arms and rotors for vertical takeoff and landing. The TF-X is still in development and a launch date remains unclear, The Volocopter VC200 takes to the skies using its 18 gently humming rotors and electric propulsion Volocopter The Volocopter VC200 takes to the skies using its 18 gently humming rotors and electric propulsion. It is piloted one-handedly with a single joystick, which has shown to reduce the major reason behind fatal helicopter accidents: human error. Volocopter says the VC200 will be ready in 'two to three years.' Advertisement

The car has extendable wings and a retractable tail that fold out, taking the car's length to 6.2 metres, meaning it can be used both on the road and in the sky

In terms of engine, the Switchblade is powered by a 190bhp liquid-cooled 1.6-litre V4 engine, which gives the car a range of around 450 miles from the 113-litre fuel tank

Samson says that prices will start at around £90,000 ($120,000).

But it isn't quite as simple as buying the car and setting off on a journey.

A private pilot's licence is required to fly it, and a full driving licence is needed to operate it on the roads.

The car is kitted out with a range of features, including a premium sound system, reversing camera and a digital instrument display

And bizarrely, due to its classification as an experimental/homebuilt vehicle, US law dictates that 51 per cent of the vehicle must be built by the owner.

Thankfully, Samson says this can be completed in three weeks at a Samson Build Assist Centre.

Various safety features are also included, such as a parachute for the whole car, rollover protection and crumple zones in the front and rear

Bizarrely, due to its classification as an experimental/homebuilt vehicle, US law dictates that 51 per cent of the vehicle must be built by the owner

Samson is in a race with more than a dozen well-funded European and US firms, each with its own science fiction-inspired vision for creating a new form of urban transport that is a cross between a driverless electric car and a short-hop, vertical takeoff-and-landing aircraft.

These include aerospace giant Airbus, which aims to put a self-piloting taxi in the air by 2020; Kitty Hawk, a company backed by Google co-founder Larry Page; and Uber, which is working with partners on its own flying taxi strategy.