Fiat Turbina - a forgotten dream of speed
09/21/2011
In 1954, Fiat presented a coupé at the Turin Motor Show that reached a top speed of 250 km/h with a gas turbine thanks to 200 hp at 22,000 rpm.
The prototype, weighing just 1,050 kg, was driven in Lignotto in April 1954 and the noise must have been breathtaking.
Great importance was attached to the aerodynamics of the vehicle. The design is reminiscent of the Fiat 8V with an eight-cylinder engine presented in 1952. Three gas turbines were installed, two of which drove the compressors, while the third drove the rear axle via a reduction gearbox. After just one month of test drives, the project was stopped. The vehicle ended up in a museum.
It is not known whether the noise or excessive heat was the deciding factor. In general, gas turbines were not successful in cars despite their impressive performance data.
