Autoblog

Jaguar to confine turbine-powered C-X75 to track use? [w/poll]

Noah Joseph — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, Government/Legal, Jaguar, Specialty, Electric

We can appreciate a good track car as much as the next enthusiast, but we're beginning to bemoan their creation as a way out for automakers to charge wealthy customers obscene amounts of money for cars they're not even legally allowed to drive on the road. (As least, not in countries were homologation can't be circumvented with a sufficient bribe to the right bureaucrat. Which we're not entirely sure includes these United States.)

It's the road that Lamborghini is expected to take with the "production" version of the Sesto Elemento concept, and it appears to be the way Jaguar plans to bring its C-X75 concept to production. At least, the jet-powered one, anyway.

The C-X75, as you may recall, bowed at the 2010 Paris Auto Salon with an awesomely innovative powertrain: two micro-turbines acting as range-extenders to electric motors. Reports then began to surface that Jaguar intended to build the supercar, only that the commercially available version would pack a 1.6-liter turbo four being developed with the Williams Formula One team and packing about 500 horsepower instead of the turbine setup. (Not too shabby, but still no turbine.)

Then parent company Tata invested in a turbine outfit called Bladon Jets near Jaguar's headquarters in Coventry, leading to the development that a limited quantity would be offered with turbine power like the concept's. The latest reports, however, indicate that even those would be confined strictly to the track.

Now don't get us wrong, we applaud Jaguar and Tata pursuing the technology of getting this experimental powertrain into a "marketable" car, however much it may cost. We're just not sure that keeping it confined to the race track, given the prices they'll be bound to charge, is the right way to go about it. Agree or disagree? Cast your vote in the poll below.

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Jaguar to confine turbine-powered C-X75 to track use? [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man creates world's only turbine-powered Batmobile [w/video]

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Etc., Videos

Turbine-powered Batmobile - Click above for image gallery

Having a real-life Batmobile in your driveway sounds like a fun idea. Upon closer inspection, however, it's not going to be that exciting. Most often, Batmobile replicas are powered by something like a junkyard-salvaged General Motors 350, featuring an interior reminiscent of a hastily cobbled together 24 Hours of LeMons racer. A man by the name of Casey Putsch decided he wanted a Batmobile to call his own, but he wasn't ready to settle for second-rate.

This particular Putsch is the same man behind Putsch Racing, an outfit that restores, designs and appraises all manner of items automotive. When we said that Casey Putsch wasn't going to settle for a low-rent Batmobile, we meant it. Instead, Putsch has assembled what he says is the only turbine-powered Batmobile in the world.

Under the long hood of Putsch's Batmobile sits a Boeing turboshaft engine plucked from a naval drone helicopter. The power output is rated at 385 horses, which is good for a vehicle that weighs around 2,800 pounds.

Besides the engine upgrade, this Batmobile has an interior that would make Bruce Wayne nod approvingly. That's all you can hope for really, since it's impossible to make Mr. Wayne jealous. Putsch strapped an Apple iPad into the center stack of his super(hero)car, which then acts as his avionics system and also supplies GPS information.

We have footage of Casey Putsch driving his creation available for you after the jump, which is worth it for the sound alone. We also have a handful of photos in the gallery below. Be sure to check out Todd Cooperider's website for more information on this mad machine.

Continue reading Man creates world's only turbine-powered Batmobile [w/video]

Man creates world's only turbine-powered Batmobile [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 1963 Chrysler Turbine whirs into Jay Leno's Garage

Chris Shunk — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Chrysler

Jay Leno's Chrysler Turbine Car - Click above to watch the video after the jump

Chances are you've probably heard about the Chrysler Turbine cars of the 1960s, but we're betting you don't know anywhere near as much as Jay Leno. The late night talk show host and car nut picked up his own Turbine, and it is featured in the latest installment of Jay Leno's Garage.

The post-jump video is nearly 25 minutes long, and after watching it you'll ascend to Chrysler Turbine expert. We had no idea there were only 55 units ever produced, that it can run on tequila, the bodies were crafted in Italy or that the turbine engine sounds like... well, you'll have to hear it for yourself. As an added bonus, Jay threw in a 1960s promotional video that illustrates just how the turbine engine works. Terrific history lesson, and you can see it for yourself by hitting the jump.

[Source: Jay Leno's Garage]

Continue reading Video: 1963 Chrysler Turbine whirs into Jay Leno's Garage

Video: 1963 Chrysler Turbine whirs into Jay Leno's Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Apr 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Barrett-Jackson 2011: Woodill Wildfire is a turbine-powered thing of beauty

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:27:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Auctions, Specialty

1955 Woodill Wildfire at Barrett-Jackson - Click above for high-res image gallery

Before stumbling upon this 1955 Woodill Wildfire here at the Barrett-Jackson festivities in Scottsdale, we weren't even aware that such a car existed. And this is one of the reasons why Barrett-Jackson is such a cool event.

Apparently, an employee of McDonnell Douglass (we'd guess with the last name Woodill...) built an experimental turbine engine originally intended for use in a helicopter. First seen in 1952, this machine is recognized as the world's first production fiberglass-bodied automobile. For what it's worth, the Corvette didn't come until late 1953.

According to the official Barrett-Jackson auction page, the engine puts out 310 horsepower at the crank at a stratospheric 37,500 rpm. This particular machine, built in 1955, was reportedly clocked at 137 miles per hour on a dry lake bed and then sat for 40 years until being restored to its current condition.

See the proceedings for yourself live and in living color over at Speed's online streaming channel. You can also play along with Speed's online Fantasy Bidding game - we only hope you're better at guessing these values than we are...

Gallery: Barrett-Jackson 2011: 1955 Woodill Wildfire Turbine Convertible

Barrett-Jackson 2011: Woodill Wildfire is a turbine-powered thing of beauty originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Turbine-powered 1982 Porsche 928 spits flames, takes names

Jonathon Ramsey — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 14:07:00 EST

Filed under: Auctions, Videos

1982 Porsche 928 with a Boeing T50 turbine engine - Click above for image gallery, watch video after the jump

How often are you going to see the phrase "Flame Shooter" in an eBay Motors description? And of those instances, how often will the seller be referring to flames that emerge a Boeing T50 turbine shoved under the hood? This is one of those instances, wherein a fellow has installed a 350-horsepower turbine from a Vietnam-War-era QH50 helicopter drone in the engine bay of a 1982 Porsche 928.

In addition to the coupe retaining its conveniences like heating and air conditioning, the car is supposedly used as a daily driver. You might be able to do the same, but since the Porsche generates 130 dB at idle and the temperature around the exhaust is 517 degrees - before you turn on the afterburners - it might only be meant for daily driving in places with very kind neighbors. Or another planet. It does, however, get 17 mpg... of jet fuel.

You'll find a gallery of images below, and be sure to check out the start-up videos after the jump. The seller wants $20,000 for it, and while that might sound a little steep, it's a Porsche with a frickin' turbine, and professionally done at that. FYI, it doesn't come with a warranty. But you probably suspected that anyway.

Gallery: Turbine-powered 1982 Porsche 928

[Source: eBay, YouTube]

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: Turbine-powered 1982 Porsche 928 spits flames, takes names

eBay Find of the Day: Turbine-powered 1982 Porsche 928 spits flames, takes names originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 04 Jul 2010 14:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Jay Leno takes EcoJet out for a spin

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Hybrid, Green, Technology, Videos, GM

Jay Leno's EcoJet - Click above to watch the video

Now that Jay Leno's retired from his duties hosting The Tonight Show, he may find himself with a bit more time on his hands to devote to his many automotive passions. Jay occasionally leans towards the green end of the interesting vehicle spectrum, and that tradition looks secure as the comedian has recently been spotted out and about in his home state of California in the EcoJet concept.

It's been a few years since we last heard about the prototype car, which uses a biodiesel-powered Honeywell turbine engine mated to a rear-mounted transaxle and chassis bits from a Corvette Z06, but it's now apparently fully operational. As you can clearly see in the video pasted after the break, the carbon fiber and kevlar-bodied EcoJet sounds like God's Own Hair Dryer and draws quite a crowd when Leno randomly shows up with it it at a local car shows.

Gallery: Jay Leno's EcoJet

[Source: YouTube via Straightline]

Continue reading VIDEO: Jay Leno takes EcoJet out for a spin

VIDEO: Jay Leno takes EcoJet out for a spin originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: More turbine excellence -- this time, it's a Z car

Alex Nunez — Fri, 16 May 2008 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Videos, Nissan

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]

Continue reading VIDEO: More turbine excellence -- this time, it's a Z car

VIDEO: More turbine excellence -- this time, it's a Z car originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 May 2008 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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