Fiat Turbina

Year:	1954
Class:	Concept car
Type:	Sports coupe
Engine:	Gas turbine,(220 kW)
R. P. M. :	30.000-22.000
Doors:	2
Seats	2
Length:	4369 mm
Width:	1610 mm
Height:	1255 mm
Wheelbase:	2400 mm (94.6 ins)
Empty weight:	1050 kg
Track:	51.2 ins.
Turning circle:	16.4 ft.

The Fiat Turbina was built in 1954 to test the use of gas turbines in vehicle construction.

History 

In the late 1940s, Dante Giacosa, the technical director of Fiat's automotive division, started thinking about a gas turbine engine for road vehicles. The highly developed piston engines of aviation were replaced within a very short time by the new jet engines and propeller turbines - which at that time suggested a corresponding development in vehicle construction. 

Although the widely branched industrial group Fiat had already experience with both small jet engines - the jet turbine de Havilland Ghost built the aviation division Fiat Aviation under license - and in large turbine construction, developed Giacosa with its designers Oscar Montabone and Vittorio Bellicardi his vehicle turbine completely new. The drive was a centrally installed two-stage gas turbine with three combustion chambers and two-stage compressor, which was operated with kerosene. She developed 300 hp (221 kW) at 22,000 rpm. That was enough for a top speed of 152.5 mph (250 km/h) Engine oil capacity : 17.6 Imp.pts. 10.6 US qts.The Gastank capacity : 2 X 11 Imp. 13.4 US gal. 

The car body was characterized by two rear stabilizing fins forming part of a completely removable rear section that enclosed the engine housed in a soundproofed compartment. The excellent aerodynamic study allowed the car to have a C _x of 0.14. The chassis was made up of tubular elements, the suspensions (the front ones derived from those of the 1952 Fiat 8V) had 4 independent wheels, and the gearbox was replaced by the operation of the turbine which was similar to a hydraulic converter. The transmission was equipped with a reducer that brought 22000 rpm at maximum speed to about 4000 at the differential.

The rear wheels could be hidden if necessary. The tanks, each with a capacity of 60 litres, were arranged in the sills below the door cut-outs wheel suspensions corresponded to the design of the racing car Fiat 8V. Borrani wire spoked wheels were fitted with Pirelli "Stelvio Corsa" tires measuring 6.00 × 16 ".

The front lighting system was characterized by headlights incorporated into the car body, which when needed were directed towards the road (a solution also adopted by Bertone for the second car of the Alfa Romeo BAT family also exhibited at the Turin auto show of the same year). After the exhibition, the project was set aside for technical production reasons.