Filed under: Concept Cars, SEMA, Green, Supercars, Cadillac, GM
SEMA: Jay Leno and GM unveil turbine-powered EcoJet supercar
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Unforgettable cars associated with the Leno name include the Tank Car and the twin turbo Toronado. After Monday night, we can add the EcoJet to that list. Designed and produced in collaboration with Leno, his Big Dog team of mechanics and GM's Design Studio in North Hollywood, the EcoJet is powered by a Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine producing 650 horsepower and 400 ft-lbs. of torque on bio-diesel. It rides on a modified Corvette Z06 hydroformed aluminum frame with additional aluminum and magnesium chassis components. The skin: 100% pure carbon fiber over Kevlar. The EcoJet's shape is a mix of Cadillac's current design language and cues taken from F1 racers and aeronautical craft.
The EcoJet was introduced at a shindig thrown by GM last night in Las Vegas at the SEMA show, and Autoblog's Mike Magda was in attendance. Unfortunately his hotel lacks the wi-fi, so we'll bring you some additional shots of this shocker later today.
You can still check out GM's press release after the jump, though.
[Source: GM]
PRESS RELEASE:
Turbine-Powered Ecojet Concept Began With Meeting, Sketches On A Napkin
Jay Leno, GM Advanced Design Studio Collaborated on 650-Horsepower Supercar That Runs on Bio-Diesel
LAS VEGAS - What would keep a group of automotive designers up all night? "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, for starters, but not by his monologue or parade of Hollywood guests. This time it's because the late-night talk show host invited the General Motors Advanced Design Studio to help design a mid-engine, turbine-powered supercar called EcoJet. Leno and Ed Welburn, GM vice president of Global Design, introduced the car today at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show.
EcoJet's genesis goes back to a discussion between Leno, an avid car enthusiast and collector, and Bernard Juchli, the chief mechanic and caretaker of Leno's collection. Leno then turned to Welburn for design direction.
"A couple of paper napkins later, Ed had begun to capture the essence of the car," said Leno. "I've admired the work of GM's Design Studio in North Hollywood, Calif., and asked Ed if the studio's director, Frank Saucedo, and his guys could continue the design study," Welburn agreed, and a two-week sketching frenzy commenced as GM's designers began working after-hours with Leno's team on the project.
"EcoJet's esthetics were driven by aeronautical and jet-age influences," said Welburn. "It's a purpose-driven design that conveys power, capability and even danger, with a hint of Cadillac's sophisticated design vocabulary."
Borrowing design cues from jet aircraft and Formula One racecars, the supercar began to take shape under the watchful eyes of Leno and Welburn. A concurrent engineering program defined the vehicle's proportions and mechanics.
Leno relied on Juchli and the entire Big Dog team at his garage to turn the EcoJet vision into a reality.
"We thought we pushed the creative envelope with the '66 twin turbo Toronado project with GM, but this turbine-powered monster is a whole new level of complexity," said Juchli, who constructed the car at Leno's facility.
The 650-horsepower (400 lb.-ft. of torque) Leno original is powered by a Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine that runs on bio-diesel fuel. The engine sits in a modified Corvette Z06 hydroformed aluminum frame with aluminum and magnesium structural and chassis components. The vehicle's shell is an advanced construction of carbon fiber over Kevlar.
EcoJet project partners
- GM Advanced Design Studio, North Hollywood, Calif. - conceptual and build design, engineering, digital design and fabrication support
- Alcoa - chassis and wheel engineering
- Metalcrafters - body engineering and construction
- Honeywell - engine supplier
- Intermountain Turbine - engine builders
- Dana - chassis supplier
- BASF - paint and finishing supplies
- GE Plastics - Lexan windows
- Viper Technologies - wheel construction
Vehicle description: mid-engine, turbine-powered, two-seat supercar
Wheelbase (in / mm): 110 / 2795
Engine: Honeywell LT-101
Horsepower @ % turbine speed): 650 @ 70
Torque (lb-ft @ % turbine speed): 400 @ 70
Fuel type: bio-diesel
Wheels: 20 x 10-in front_22 x 12-in rear
Tires: 255/35R20 front_305/30R22 rear
Track (in / mm): 66.9 / 1698 front_66.6 / 1692 rear
Overall length (in / mm): 184 / 4674
Overall width ( in / mm): 79.4 / 2024
Overall height (in / mm): 46.5 / 1180
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
James 4:14AM (10/31/2006)
So someone got their hands on 3D Studios Max for the first time, and this is the first polygonal mess he made. Voila.
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speed cars 5:33AM (10/31/2006)
It looks like an robot not like a car.
http://www.carsprofile.com/
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uncle john 6:15AM (10/31/2006)
Go Jay! It looks awesome! You truely are one of the great auto hobbyists of our time!
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TalD 7:04AM (10/31/2006)
Nice front end Cadillac lines.
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Dan 7:23AM (10/31/2006)
No word on fuel consumption ;)
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Hamud 8:00AM (10/31/2006)
It may be a supercar, but they could have done better in the design department, this car looks terrible. Looks like a bunch of steel sheets hand-molded, welded and painted.
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icerabbit 8:20AM (10/31/2006)
Don't tell me they couldn't spend a few extra hours on it to make it look better than that ...
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asurroca 8:22AM (10/31/2006)
Dude, the press release says it's a purpose-driven design. It wasn't made to look sleek or pretty, but to work.
That says, looks good enough by me. I'm glad they went bio-diesel instead of some lame hybrid hogwash. Or ethanol LOL.
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ramsport47 8:34AM (10/31/2006)
Turbines in cars aren't new...Chrysler played with them in the '60s and late 70's
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Stphane Dumas 8:49AM (10/31/2006)
ramsport47 have a point about Chrysler Turbine, here a link about it http://www.allpar.com/mopar/turbine.html
However, the use of biodiesel for a turbine engine is new to my ears.
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Elias 10:27AM (10/31/2006)
Caddie in the front, Koenigsegg cockpit.
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Dun dada 11:17AM (10/31/2006)
Now place it in an Aveo to get 40mpg
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DJ 11:31AM (10/31/2006)
"6. It may be a supercar, but they could have done better in the design department, this car looks terrible. Looks like a bunch of steel sheets hand-molded, welded and painted."
Come on folks, can't you see that it designed to look like Jay Leno's CHIN?
Anyway, turbines have long been considered a great alternative to piston style engines for many reasons (like unlimited torque and ability to run on almost any combustible liquid), but were never able to achieve suitable fuel mileage to be financially viable. Now that gas, and especially diesel, prices are staying realtively high, turbines may become more desireable.
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ruggels 11:49AM (10/31/2006)
"Dude, the press release says it's a purpose-driven design. It wasn't made to look sleek or pretty, but to work."
Ummm purpose-driven.. where have i heard that before? Oh the McLaren F1, the Bugatti Veyron, the Elise, the F430 etc. Every super car has a purpose-driven design incorporating sundry shapes and underbody work to facilitate handling, cooling, etc. So to single this car out as being ugly due to a 'purpose-driven design' is a poor excuse in our world filled with dozens and dozens of purpose driven designed supercars. It warms my heart to see someone take marketing jive seriously.
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Benmark 12:09PM (10/31/2006)
It looks like GM got an Audi R8, threw a Cadillac grille on it and slapped on some leftover ground effects plastic (making it an Audi R8 GTP?)on the sides.
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Richard Sharpe 12:35PM (10/31/2006)
How American looking... It looks horrible.
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Marc 1:19PM (10/31/2006)
Ug. Ly.
All diesels are potentially biodiesel. Who cares if it has a turbine? Leno has some nice cars, but this thing is not very tasteful or exciting to me... not that anyone asked my opinion, haha. Seems more like a way to market the companies that worked on it, instead of an excercise in innovative engineering.
I think Leno 'engineered' all the aerodynamics himself.
What the hell qualifies this as a supercar? 650hp is nice, but notice how they neglected to mention how much the damn thing weighs. meh.
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John 1:22PM (10/31/2006)
I hear it was built buy Toyota: Go!
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Corey W. 2:01PM (10/31/2006)
HAHA, If it was designed by anyone else, it would be a work of art... GM haters are always on their job!!!
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David 1:08AM (11/01/2006)
To me it is one of the great design concepts of all time. Haunches like a big cat. Air intake up top way cool. Doors sculptured. Killer headlight cluster. Sweet ass hood and grille. 10 out of 10.
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