What Ever Happened to Chrysler's TURBINE CAR? (Part 10)

(From Allpar.com)
Consumer Delivery and World Tour

In return for the use of the turbine car, each user was asked to furnish Chrysler with information needed for the market evaluation program. In general, Chrysler handled the service, insurance and other costs involved in the use of the turbine car. Each user bought the fuel for driving it. They also were expected to maintain the physical appearance of the car, exercise reasonable care to protect it from damage, and supervise its use by others. And, in the event of some difficulty, they were instructed to report the situation to a turbine service representative.

The world's first consumer delivery of a turbine car took place October 29, 1963 in Chicago. Mr. Lynn A. Townsend, president of Chrysler Corporation, presented the keys to the turbine car to Mr. and Mrs. Richard E. Vlaha of Broadview, Illinois (a Chicago suburb). Typical of the 200 scheduled deliveries, the presentation was observed by newsmen and reported in various newspapers, magazines, and on radio and television.

The objective of this program was to learn just how this new kind of car performed in the hands of typical drivers and in typical everyday usage - on long trips and short trips - and over a wide range of climatic conditions and terrain.

In addition to the user evaluation program, a traveling exhibit began visiting large shopping centers across the United States in January, 1964. The exhibits included a turbine car, turbine engine displays and regular production Chrysler Corporation products. Each stopover was scheduled for several days or weeks and was announced in local newspapers. Chrysler representatives accompanied the exhibits and explained the turbine and Chrysler's program to interested visitors.

A turbine car also was taken on a world tour. From September 12, 1963 through January 8, 1964, the car was shown in 23 cities in 21 countries. The 47,000-mile journey by a chartered aircraft included stopovers in Geneva, Paris, London, Turin, Bombay, Singapore, Tokyo, Sydney, Cape Town, Buenos Aires, and Mexico City.

Throughout all aspects of the consumer evaluation, shopping center exhibit, and world tour programs, Chrysler was trying to get reactions from the general public - from the millions of people who would drive, ride and view this new kind of car. This evaluation, Chrysler emphasized, was designed to generate the information needed as the basis for decisions regarding the direction that should be taken in the turbine program. It was a necessary piece of research concerning the size and characteristics of the potential market for this new kind of automobile. And since it was a test -an experimental market-research project - it had no pre-ordained outcome.

In 1966, Chrysler wrote:
Its body was designed by Chrysler engineers and stylists and built by Ghia of Italy. The gas turbine engine was built and tested at Chrysler Research Laboratories. It had a rated output of 130 bhp @ 3600 rpm output shaft speed. The Turbine Car was used to test consumer and market reaction to gas turbine power in one of the most ambitious consumer research programs yet undertaken. All told, the 50 Turbine Cars used during the test were loaned to 203 different drivers in 133 cities throughout 48 states. Each car was assigned to a user for a three-month period, at the end of which time they were asked to furnish Chrysler with information needed for the market evaluation program.