The Halo Intersceptor in its basic automobile configuration

We’ve seen cars that transform into boats, into airplanes, and even into helicopters, so why not one that transforms into all three? That’s the idea behind UK designer Philip Pauley’s Halo Intersceptor concept. Now, before you start picturing a kind of Swiss Army knife-type vehicle, you should know that the Intersceptor concept revolves around a central car that remains unchanged, that simply “plugs in” to different attachments. It’s definitely an intriguing idea, even if you may never be able to buy one.

The four-seater Intersceptor automobile itself would have a hybrid engine, four wheel drive, a top speed of 311 mph (500 km/h), an acceleration time of 0-62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.3 seconds, and a range of 700 miles (1,127 km) – shoot for the stars, right?

The car would back into a central docking point on the Halo 120 attachment, which would turn it into a jet airplane. The 120 would be powered by two Pratt and Whitney TF30-P-100 turbofan engines, delivering 17,900 lbf (79.6 kN) of thrust each, or 25,100 lbf (112 kN) with the afterburners engaged. It would have a maximum speed of Mach 2, a range of 4,200 miles (6,759 km) and a ceiling of 66,000 feet (20,117 m).

For those days when its billionaire users weren’t in such a hurry, the Interceptor would instead reverse into the Halo 46 attachment, which would allow it to function as a helicopter. The two front seat occupants would serve as pilots, while passengers in the back could simply enjoy the ride. It would have a top speed of 185 knots, a range of 450 nautical miles (833 km), and a ceiling of 15,000 feet (4,572 m).

Finally, when it was time to take to the water, the car would be driven forward into the back of the Halo 22 attachment. This would doubtless require some sort of specialized pier, which would mean that the car couldn’t disengage and drive around on the land wherever it stopped. It’s definitely reminiscent of the Strand Craft 122 luxury yacht concept, in which a custom car would be driven in and out the boat via a rear ramp.

The double-hulled Halo 22 would have a forward double berth, a maximum speed of 55-63 knots, a cruising speed of 38 knots, and a range of 1,200 nautical miles (2,222 km).

“The Halo Intersceptor project is a roadmap for boundary pushing Auto Manufacturers to follow, says Pauley. "You will see a shift towards this type of design by all sports models within the next decade. Air space is going to become a very competitive place as the global road infrastructure starts to slow down.”

This would seem to put it somewhere between his not-likely-to-happen-but-it’s-still-a-good-idea Sub-Biosphere 2 underwater habitat concept, and his thoroughly-likely-to-see-production Bi Computing design.