Notes:
Cole Quinnel, Engineering and Technical Affairs Public Relations Manager, noted:
Those (multi-fuel, etc) were the advantages touted in the 1960s. How much of this would still be true today is unknown because so many elements changed in conventional vehicles, automotive legislation, and related technology. Today we do an incredible amount of testing and modeling to determine cost, efficiency, customer acceptance, customer value, durability, and so on. These testing capabilities just didn't exist 40 years ago. ... Regarding [the ability to use] various types of fuel, this is true. However, they were all petroleum based fuels which does not reduce our dependency on oil. ...
You are correct that the turbine engine has evolved as well in those 40 years and that may be an advantage. The fact that Chrysler built some of these cars in the 1960s is interesting trivia, but it may not be of any real value in considering whether a turbine car is viable in the future. You really must start from a clean slate of paper considering all of the changes in customers, environment, and technology.
Regarding fuel--from an immediate customer perspective, less expensive fuel options are desirable. In the long term, however, vehicles that use non-petroleum based fuel are what the government would prefer. ... that the availability of oil is decreasing is a reality and companies are working to develop alternatives.
Where are they now?
Nine Turbine cars survive today:
1 - Smithsonian Museum - Washington D.C.
1 - National Museum of Transportation - St. Louis, MO.
1 - Gilmore Museum - Hickory Corners, MI.
3 - Walter P. Chrysler Museum - Auburn Hills, MI.
1 - Private owner - Indiana
1 - Henry Ford Museum - Detroit, MI.
1 - National History Museum - Los Angeles, CA.
40 production cars and 5 prototypes were crushed and destroyed, late 1967. One other was destroyed in a crash test at the Chelsea proving grounds.
Personal Note:
I have forever been fascinated with the Turbine Car since reading about it in one of the science/mechanics magazines back in the early 60's as a (pre-teen). It has really been a privilege to not only learn more about this project, but to share a little history with people who perhaps never knew anything like this existed. I will always remember seeing one of these vehicles on US 1 north of Miami, Fl. while riding a bus from Homestead to DeLand, Fl.
To learn more about the Turbine car or to check into other Mopar subjects, visit http://www.allpar.com/ .
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2 comments:
I'd like to know if there have any later turbine cars have survived. As I know Chrysler went on with the turbine project until the early 80's. I also read in a german magazine from 1973 that Chrysler tested the turbine in regular sedans.
I'd love to own any car with a turbine.
If you check Youtube, you can probably find a movie of a turbine car running so smoothly that a coin balances on edge. Incdredible sound--I'd love one too!
john
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