The Chrysler Turbine Car was an experimental concept car as it never reached full production. Manufactured from 1963 until 1964, the Turbine car was only ever tested and used as a prototype, even if members of the public could test it. It came with a turbine engine and was Chrysler's attempt at producing an alternative to the standard piston engine. Indeed, with the '60s also bringing powertrains such as the Mazda rotary engine into existence, it was a time of development and experimentation.
Not only is the Chrysler Turbine Car an interesting part of car history, but it is also an exceedingly rare car that not many people even know exists. As such, there are plenty of hidden facts and pieces of information that most people don't know. In this list, we bring you the 10 things we bet you didn't know about the Chrysler Turbine Car, one incredible classic car that deserves to be remembered.
10 It Came With A Unique PR Strategy
To test the car, Chrysler came up with an effective yet bold PR marketing strategy. Chrysler decided that people would be able to borrow a Turbine for a few months to test the car, and this was done completely free of charge. The customer simply had to provide Chrysler with feedback at the end of their time with the car.
For three years between 1963 and 1966, 203 people got to test the car. There were 46 cars available to the public to try. Also, most of these lucky drivers were men, with only 23 of the testers being women, a sign of the times when the car was released.
9 Only 55 Have Ever Been Made
The car came in limited production numbers, and Chrysler only made 55 before the user program ended. While only 46 were available to the public, four others were made for the World's Fair and dealership tours.
The other five cars were prototypes that were driven in 1962 before the user program started. After the program finishing in 1966, most of the cars were destroyed by Chrysler.
8 All Except Nine Were Destroyed
With the destruction of the Chrysler Turbine Car in 1966, the brand decided to keep nine of them. These nine still survive today, Chrysler owns, two are in private hands and there are five in museums.
Chrysler pulled the plug on the Turbine out of fear of high operating costs and the turbine engines' problems running leaded gasoline. Each Turbine was set on fire before being crushed.
7 Unique Color Scheme
The color of the car is officially called "Turbine Bronze" by the Chrysler company. The metallic finish is stylish, and the color features throughout the entire car itself too. The interior of the car features bronze-colored leather seats and bronze carpeting too.
The coloring changes on the roof, with it being a black vinyl color but even the steering wheel features the bronze coloring. This is very distinctive and enhances the uniqueness of the car. All bar one were painted this color which was painted white with a blue stripe.
6 Only Two Driving Examples Left
While there are officially nine still in existence, there are actually only two driving examples left. One of the car's in private holding is owned by Stahl's Auto Museum in Michigan, with the other being owned by gearhead Jay Leno.
Leno purchased the car in 2009, but despite having the same stock paint, his car has new tires to enhance safety. However, the other driving example is entirely stock, even down to the tires.
5 Chrysler Continued The Turbine Strategy Until The '70s
While the Chrysler Turbine Car finished production in 1966 and most were destroyed, the turbine strategy actually continued until 1979. The main reason the program ended was because of emissions regulations in the US at the time, and that the turbine engine produced a lot of nitrous oxide.
Indeed, it was too difficult for Chrysler to keep up as poor fuel economy was associated with the turbine engine and it is now no more. It was an interesting engine choice, but it couldn't be sustained in the long term.
4 One Ran On Tequila In Mexico
While the engine ran on normal fuel types - diesel, unleaded petrol, kerosene, and jet fuel, there was actually the ability to run the car on tequila. This was done by the Mexican president Adolfo López Mateos after Chrysler confirmed that the car could be run on tequila. The car performed fine on tequila, which is incredible in itself.
There is also an urban legend that the car ran on Chanel No. 5 when the car visited Paris, which may or may not be true but is a very wild claim. As the turbine can run on anything that burns, perfume and alcohol are genius options.
3 It Had A Hypersmooth Engine
The turbine engine was actually an incredibly good powertrain. While the fuel economy wasn't good and its acceleration may not have been out of this world, the engine was actually very smooth. It was so smooth in fact that one could balance a coin on it and the vibrations wouldn't knock it over.
Also, the turbine engine was very durable and it didn't require much maintenance. As such, it is disappointing that the engine didn't really work into long-lasting production, and it would have been interesting to see how it would have changed over the years if it had been done.
2 It Was Designed As A Jet-Age Car For Families
The car wasn't supposed to be a radical car that wasn't going to be used by many people, but instead, it was supposed to be used as a conventional car that was suitable for families. While it was meant to look futuristic and to fit the 'jet-age' styling, the car was also meant to be something that was bought by a lot of people.
Indeed, at the World's Fair, 350,000 visitors were able to ride in the Chrysler Turbine Car, bringing quite a large audience to seeing and trying out the car. With this many people trying it, it wasn't just something a few people would drive, and Chrysler definitely exemplified this.
1 The Engine Featured An Air Recirculation System
The Chrysler Turbine Car came with a clever engine feature through the air recirculation system. The brand realized that it could cut fuel consumption by using a regenerator that would recirculate the hot gases to warm the incoming air. This advanced technology was perfect for the fuel consumption issues at the time, but it also had another interesting feature.
The system also prevented bystanders from being burned by the turbine car's exhaust, meaning that the car wouldn't be dangerous to passengers. As such, Chrysler definitely made a very clever engine system that was futuristic and practical.