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Von Mercier's electric "sports hovercraft" promises exceptional agility
https://newatlas.com ^ | February 10, 2022 | By Loz Blain

Posted on 02/10/2022 9:52:14 AM PST by Red Badger

See those seats? They're the luxury part. The sports part is the directional control system, and the red paintVon Mercier VIEW 7 IMAGES

The humble hovercraft has been around since the 1950s, floating drivers over land, sand and water alike on cushions of air trapped under flexible skirts. While they're not a common sight, they're still out there – indeed, there are plenty of companies still making them both as pleasure craft and utility vehicles, and you can pick a small one up second-hand for less than 10 grand if you want to have a crack at it.

Some hovercraft are less humble than others, and Von Mercier's Arosa is flat-out flashy. Billing it as "the world's first luxury sports hovercraft," the company has fitted it with a carbon body kit that looks every bit like some sort of misshapen supercar, complete with what look like a set of gangsta 26-inch rims.

These are not gangsta 26-inch rims. They're giant fan outlets, and part of a system Von Mercier says will make the Arosa "the most maneuverable personal hovercraft in the world."

The problem is this: hovercraft float on air, and they're blown around by big fans. Stopping one quickly can be achieved by flicking the entire vehicle around 180 degrees and blasting the fan, or by powering off, deflating the skirt, and engaging in an energetic interaction with whatever surface is beneath you.

(Excerpt) Read more at newatlas.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Outdoors; Sports; Travel
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 02/10/2022 9:52:14 AM PST by Red Badger
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To: 04-Bravo; 1FASTGLOCK45; 1stFreedom; 2ndDivisionVet; 2sheds; 60Gunner; 6AL-4V; A.A. Cunningham; ...

AVIATION Ping!......................


2 posted on 02/10/2022 9:56:03 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: 04-Bravo; 1FASTGLOCK45; 1stFreedom; 2ndDivisionVet; 2sheds; 60Gunner; 6AL-4V; A.A. Cunningham; ...

AVIATION Ping!......................


3 posted on 02/10/2022 9:56:04 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

Like Pertwee’s Whomobile better.

https://www.imcdb.org/vehicle_37751-Made-for-Movie-Alien-Whomobile-1973.html

He was the Batman of Doctors and had the best stuff.


4 posted on 02/10/2022 10:02:09 AM PST by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: Red Badger

I want one!


5 posted on 02/10/2022 10:06:08 AM PST by SkyDancer ( I make airplanes fly, what's your super power?)
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To: Red Badger

Oops, not the one I was thinking of.


6 posted on 02/10/2022 10:06:32 AM PST by SkyDancer ( I make airplanes fly, what's your super power?)
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To: Red Badger

7 posted on 02/10/2022 10:09:08 AM PST by real saxophonist (Wolf Blitzer claps on 1 and 3.)
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To: Red Badger

Sure! I’ll take ‘er for a spin! Always wanted to see what bumper cars on the freeway at 70mph would be like.


8 posted on 02/10/2022 10:10:56 AM PST by know.your.why (If you dont watch the MSM you are uninformed. If you do watch the MSM you are misinformed.)
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To: Red Badger

The EV soyboi greenie propaganda never ends. Let the shthole countries with no oil reserves deploy them. We have vast oil and NG reserves to burn in our internal combustion engines. By the way ICE technology is far advanced from 15-25 years ago. We are burning hydrocarbons in our cars and trucks, more efficiently every year.


9 posted on 02/10/2022 10:18:44 AM PST by dennisw
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To: real saxophonist

10 posted on 02/10/2022 10:29:34 AM PST by Seruzawa ("The Political left is the Garden of Eden of incompetence" - Marx the Smarter (Groucho))
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To: SkyDancer

I’ll wait for the amphibian/swamp version plug in hybrid. With rod holders and duck swivel mount.


11 posted on 02/10/2022 10:29:37 AM PST by Cold Heart (Seriously injured by the vaxx)
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To: Red Badger

Seriously, looks a lot like a landspeeder.


12 posted on 02/10/2022 10:49:27 AM PST by wbarmy (I chose to be a sheepdog once I saw what happens to the sheep.)
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To: wbarmy

13 posted on 02/10/2022 10:52:32 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

Fine, it doesn’t look like the land speeder. Add some fans on the back to “push” it though. Then we will be talking.


14 posted on 02/10/2022 10:54:23 AM PST by wbarmy (I chose to be a sheepdog once I saw what happens to the sheep.)
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To: Red Badger

Looks like the Pininfarina Design contract was too pricey for them


15 posted on 02/10/2022 11:31:31 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (If truckers quit their jobs, society would collapse. If politicians quit their jobs...HALLELUJAH!)
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To: Red Badger

Hey, this guy must be a long long long lost uncle. Always good to see our last name out there. The french really have thought up some cool stuff over the years. OK off my soap box
now.


16 posted on 02/10/2022 12:42:25 PM PST by refermech
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To: Red Badger

It looks like it can’t go on water. A hovercraft that can’t go on water completely defeats the porpose of a hovercraft.


17 posted on 02/10/2022 3:18:11 PM PST by UNGN
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