Jay Leno says he originally wanted a hydrogen fuel cell for his one-of-a-kind mid-engine supercar, but such a project wouldn't have been ready for the SEMA Show. So the topic of engine power turned to alternative fuels.
"I wanted to do something with bio fuels to show that we're a little bit responsible," Leno told AutoblogGreen last night during a special unveiling of the car at the Wynn's Casino. "I wanted something fast, something exciting and still environmentally friendly. The jet was the most compatible with biodiesel."
There's more after the jump.
The jet is a 650-horsepower Honeywell LT-101 turbine engine modified by Intermountain Turbine. It's mated to a Corvette C6 automatic transaxle. Those huge slots next to the engine are for the exhaust. Much of the framework is based on the C6 platform, except this one is hydroformed from aluminum. Suspension and brakes are also Corvette while the great-looking, turbine-inspired wheels are from Alcoa. Targeted weight is 2,400 pounds. The stunning design is a collaboration between Leno and the GM Advanced Design Studio. It took a few paper napkins with Leno's sketches to fire up the studio's imagination. Two weeks later, following many late-night sessions, a final design incorporating aircraft and Formula 1 cues was approved. The body is made from carbon fiber and Lexan glass. BASF furnished the latest environmentally friendly water-born paint formula. "You can spray it in your kid's nursery," quipped Leno, who told us that he is converting his shop to solar power.
Leno saved a few jokes for the corn farmers and posed with a jar of yellow fuel. "Will I drive it every day? Yeah, during the harvest."
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