Chrysler Turbine Car

The 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car was a bold experiment in automotive propulsion: a two‑door coupé powered not by a piston engine, but a gas turbine (the A‑831 engine), capable of running on virtually any combustible fuel—from diesel and kerosene to tequila or even perfume. Designed by Elwood Engel and hand-built by Italy’s Carrozzeria Ghia, just 55 units were made—five prototypes and 50 for a public‑user test program across the U.S.

Chrysler loaned the 50 cars to real drivers in 133 cities between 1963 and 1966, gathering over 1 million miles of data. Testers praised the turbine’s smoothness, durability, and minimal maintenance; yet noted drawbacks like sluggish acceleration, poor fuel economy, complex start-up procedure, and high noise levels.

Ultimately, despite favorable feedback, the program was scrapped. The high cost of exotic materials, combined with growing emissions regulations and limited advantage over standard piston engines, made mass production untenable. Chrysler recalled the cars in 1966, destroying 46; only nine survive today,