Chrysler's Turbine Car The Rise and Fall of Detroit's Coolest Creation

Offering a behind-the-scenes look into the world of automotive research and development in the 1960s, this engaging narrative traces the birth of Chrysler's alternative "jet" car and reveals the story behind its sudden and mysterious demise. Relying on extensive research and firsthand accounts from surviving members of the turbine car program -- including the metallurgist who created the exotic metals for the engine and the test driver who drove it at Chrysler's proving grounds -- this chronicle documents the bold development of an automobile with a jet turbine engine. In addition to running well on virtually any flammable liquid -- including kerosene, vodka, heating oil, and Chanel Ndeg;5 perfume -- the pioneering engines had one fifth the number of moving parts and required less maintenance than conventional engines. Despite the fleet's amazing performance over millions of miles by test drivers, Chrysler pulled the plug on the project and crushed almost all of the cars.

Steve Lehto is an adjunct professor at University of Detroit Mercy. His book Death’s Door: The Truth Behind Michigan’s Largest Mass Murder was named a Michigan Notable book in 2007.