Auto aviation fans might want to temper their expectations.

The third national car of Malaysia will not be a flying car.

This was announced by Malaysian Deputy Minister of International Trade and Industry Ong Kian Ming on March 11 at a question-and-answer session during the CIMB Asean Research Institute dialogue in Malaysia, The Star reported.

Ong said the flying car would not be made for mass consumption, and further revealed that he had not seen the prototype yet, nor was he in the know of its details.

According to The Star, he said: "The third national car, as far as I know, will not be a flying car."

"I haven't seen the prototype and I'm not privy to the details of what this car would be but it is likely that the flying car will not be something that will be able to be produced and sold at a commercial mass basis."

Limited state finances

Ong elaborated that the third national car would be more than just a brand, as the aim was for Malaysia to be a vendor to different automotive players in the region, The Star reported .

However, Ong said that the government had limited finances for the project: "We are not in a position to commit a lot of government finances to this particular project.

As such, the third national car would be developed as a prototype first, with its subsequent expansion to be contingent on the interest of the private sector.

Ong said: "Whatever is developed will be a prototype, utilising some existing seed money and then if there are interested parties in the private sector to take on this project to expand it, it will be the prerogative of the private sector."

Currently, the development of the third national car is under the purview of the Malaysian Industry-Government Group for High Technology (MIGHT), which is in turn under the Prime Minister's Department.

Top image collage from Shelby Hawk Facebook and Ong Kian Ming Facebook