The Fiat Turbina, Europe’s first car equipped with a gas turbine engine. Born from a project that started in 1948 and reached fruition in 1954, this concept broke convention by swapping piston power for jet-inspired propulsion.
The car was tested on the famous rooftop track at Fiat’s Lingotto factory in Turin, a city that served as both the heart and soul of the project. At its core was the Tipo 8001 turbine, a 300 horsepower unit spinning at an astonishing 22,000 revolutions per minute. This powerplant was designed with two combustion chambers, a two-stage centrifugal compressor, and a single-stage power turbine directly driving the rear wheels.
Luigi Rapi’s aerodynamic coupe shape was equally revolutionary. With a drag coefficient clocked at an ultra-low 0.14, the Turbina’s profile sliced through the air with minimal resistance, flirting with speeds up to 250 kilometers per hour. Its streamlined body featured stabilizing twin tail fins and a sleek two-tone red and white paint job that captured the era’s spirit of optimism and innovation.
Inside, the spartan cockpit featured two black bucket seats and a cluster of instruments that read everything from turbine speed to combustion gas temperature. The engine’s roar echoed unmistakably, amplified by the lack of soundproofing and the turbine’s jet-like exhaust exiting the rear.
Despite the radical progress and spectacle, the Turbina’s fate was sealed by practical issues. High fuel consumption, predominantly kerosene, and persistent overheating kept the car from entering production. Fiat shelved the project soon after its public debut at the Turin Motor Show.
Today, the Fiat Turbina lives on as a prized exhibit in the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile in Turin.
