Follow the jump for video of the 280Z Turbine
This video was uploaded to YouTube in 2006, so yes, we know it's old. Make a snide "SLOW NEWS DAY? THIS IS OLD!" comment at your own risk. As for us, we saw it for the first time Tuesday night as a "related video" on the Turbine Porsche 928 clip. Chances are, this'll be a first viewing for a good number of you, too. You're in for a treat, because not only do you get the full 280ZX Turbine aural extravaganza, you get a nicely-edited video with desert road fly-bys and a sweet interior shot of the instrumentation while underway. We're starting to think that our lives are incomplete without a turbine car in the Autoblog permanent garage. We nominate Neff's Alero for a transplant. The video's embedded after the jump.
[Source: YouTube]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
biggins @ May 16th 2008 12:40PM
No! It's a 280zx.
piss.
Alex Nunez @ May 16th 2008 12:51PM
Indeed. And corrected.
MachinaDC5 @ May 16th 2008 2:38PM
Ah the 280zx... Best car I ever totaled. :(
SPG @ May 16th 2008 12:40PM
That would be pretty insane to drive, wowza.
Montezuma @ May 16th 2008 8:52PM
What about engine dynamics? Can it accelerate and stop its turbine like engine on a normal car, or is it like a plane, rev up for a few seconds, release brakes, accelerate, maintain speed, and then slowly decelerate?
joey @ May 16th 2008 12:44PM
SLOW NEWS DAY? THIS IS OLD!
Quattrofan @ May 16th 2008 1:02PM
Beat me to it!
Good video though.
Farris @ May 16th 2008 12:45PM
You guys just love harshing on John's Olds, don't you?
:D
Alex Nunez @ May 16th 2008 12:51PM
Yes. This is why if he ever sells it, we're all screwed.
MemphisNET @ May 16th 2008 12:57PM
NOOOO hearing about John's Old's is the highlight of ever podcast!
'' So, I'm driving, as I'm driving every week....''
Love the turbine cars :D
500 @ May 16th 2008 12:55PM
I wonder what the horsepower is on this? The Boeing 502-6 turboshaft engine in the 928 sounded cool, but is only rated at 160 bhp.
http://www.boeing502.com/
However, this one does look more, er, energetic in action.
Kevin @ May 16th 2008 1:28PM
It's not so much horsepower as it is torque. I mentioned in my other post that the Chrysler turbine car in the '60s had 130hp, but 425ft-lbs of torque @ stall. And since torque is what most people are really after... I'd say that 928 was respectably peppy.
Kevin @ May 16th 2008 12:56PM
I'm surprised the Autoblog staff is just now realizing how awesome gas turbines are. They're not necessarily especially fuel efficient, and as far as I know they're happier at a fairly constant speed than they are spinning up and down like they would in an automotive application, but....
They have an enormous amount of torque (the Chrysler turbine car was rated at 130hp & 425ft-lbs), they have far fewer moving parts than a piston engine does, and from what I've read they're more reliable. It also wouldn't surprise me to learn that they require less maintenance than internal combustion engines do. I mean, Chrysler didn't even specify an oil change interval for their turbine car (according to Wikipedia it was deemed unnecessary as there was no possibility of it being contaminated with combustion byproducts). And besides, a car that sounds like a giant vacuum cleaner is just plain awesome.
Alex Nunez @ May 16th 2008 12:59PM
Plus, you could make some extra dough taking bets on the over/under for the number of days it takes your town's mayor to pass a new noise ordinance targeted specifically at your car.
thesawzall @ May 16th 2008 1:19PM
I'd love to see a hybrid turbine car. Keep the turbine running at a constant speed and let the electric motors rev up and down.
Kevin @ May 16th 2008 1:26PM
This is also true. Although in my case it might be a while... I drove around an old Mercedes 560SEL with straight pipes for a solid 8 months and only put the mufflers back on it 'cause I had to make an 800 mile road trip in the car. Never got a ticket for that.
MemphisNET @ May 16th 2008 1:04PM
You can also fill the tank with pretty much anything, kerosene, diesel, biodiesel, alcohol - mix and match!
Yar @ May 16th 2008 1:27PM
... the blood from a drunken homeless man, etc...
E.J. @ May 16th 2008 1:06PM
DIY Turbine cars NEVER get old.
The sound is so freaking awesome when it starts.
I wonder how would be having a little jet turbine inside my '94 Pulsar...
Benfolio @ May 16th 2008 2:28PM
Yeah, if my Legacy's engine ever takes a a crap I'm doing this.
AWD TURBINE 5-SPEED FTW!!!!1!!!1!!!ONE!!11