Overview
The fascinating story of an almost-forgotten automotive phenomenon
In 1964, Chrysler gave the world a glimpse of the future.
The automaker built a fleet of turbine cars—automobiles with jet engines—and lent them out to members of the public. The fleet logged over a million miles; the exercise was a raging success. If the cars had been mass produced, today we might have cars that run on any flammable liquid instead of petroleum-derived fuels. Yet Chrysler crushed and burned most of the cars two years later; the jet car’s brief glory was over. Where did it all go wrong?
Steve Lehto interviewed all the surviving members of the turbine car program, from the metallurgist who created the exotic metals for the interior of the engine to the test driver who drove it at Chrysler’s proving grounds for days on end. Lehto takes these firsthand accounts and weaves them into a fascinating story about the coolest car Detroit has ever produced.
In this expanded edition, Lehto describes working with Jay Leno to rebuild one of the last remaining turbine cars, a prize in Leno’s famed collection.
Reviews
"A detailed, entertaining meander through the history of 'Detroit's Coolest Car.'" —
New York Times
"A fascinating example of engineering and product development. . . . Motorheads will love it." —
Library Journal
"A delightful history." —
Wall Street Journal
"Steve Lehto's lively history of Chrysler's turbine car program is a must read for anyone interested in the history of the automobile in the jet age." —David N. Lucsko, author, The Business of Speed: The Hot Rod Industry in America, 1915–1990
“A meticulously researched, sometimes sobering, always fascinating account of the coolest car ever to come out of Detroit—and why you can’t buy it. At a time of skyrocketing gasoline prices and gas-electric hybrids, the world would do well to consider Lehto’s loving history of the alternative-fuel engine that could run on peanuts—literally—and the car that looked good doing it. Chrysler’s Turbine Car demonstrates that the best ideas don’t always need to be developed; sometimes they only need to be rediscovered.” —Karen Dionne, author of Freezing Point
“Compelling and strongly researched. . . . An excellent history.” —Hemmings Classic Car
“Captivating. . . . 100% enjoyable reading that virtually any car buff will enjoy.” —Mopar Action
“The story of Chrysler’s lengthy involvement with turbine power is related with enthusiasm and in fascinating detail.” —Globe and Mail
Author Biography
Steve Lehto is the author of Preston Tucker and His Battle to Build the Car of Tomorrow, Death’s Door: The Truth Behind Michigan’s Largest Mass Murder, a 2007 Michigan Notable Book, and Michigan’s Columbus: The Life of Douglass Houghton. He is an adjunct professor of law and Michigan history at the University of Detroit Mercy. Jay Leno is a stand-up comedian, a television host, and a writer. He contributed a column to Popular Mechanics that showcased his collection of more than two hundred vehicles and advice about automotive topics.
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