Project 1221 gas-turbine car delayed

[Pebb]

Source: 4car

The Project 1221 team behind the as-yet unseen MF1 and Aellepous gas-turbine supercars has admitted that it is unlikely to deliver its 675,000-euro, 1500bhp MF1 to schedule as planned. It has also hinted that it is running short of cash to finance continued development - though it is now looking at the different proposition of producing zero-emissions vehicles.

A statement on the Project 1221 website reads: "In the immediate future Project 1221 may as well outsource relevant design, engineering and manufacturing activity, and/or acquire technological and commercial objectives and/or form alliances, as this will be deemed appropriate, in order to attain its set industrial and commercial objectives and to expand its scope, notably to pursue zero-emissions capability." In other words, the team needs to outsource work and find a partner before it can start selling cars.

The development of the gas-turbine powerplant, to be supplied by Williams, appears to have stalled, though Project 1221 still seems to be pushing ahead with the Aellepous, thought to be a conventionally-engined V12-powered alternative. "Project 1221 may develop and market under a separate brand motorcars powered by reciprocating engines"& says the statement, and "in fact, given than the 'vehicle part' of our endeavour has progressed more rapidly than the 'gas turbine part', we took the opportunity to extract certain elements in order to create and produce a quite more affordable - yet sophisticated - conventionally-powered sports car."

So we could yet see a car from this mysterious consortium, which says that the sports car "should keep us busy while we wait for our production gas turbine engines and it could also generate some revenue soon, which would be quite welcome after such a long spell of absolute disbursement."

 

[Jim Prower]

Didn't work when Chrysler tried it either.

 

[Pebb]

Didn't work when Chrysler tried it either.

But Chrysler would not know how to make one work, because there so use to making V8's.

 

[Jim Prower]

But Chrysler would not know how to make one work, because there so use to making V8's.

Chrysler had been working on a turbine engine since before World War II, but throttling problems and fuel efficency issues made things difficult.

Union Pacific also tried Turbines, but had to run them wide open at at all times other than small yard movements and braking/coasting, making then even less efficient.

 

[Pebb]

Chrysler had been working on a turbine engine since before World War II, but throttling problems and fuel efficency issues made things difficult.

Union Pacific also tried Turbines, but had to run them wide open at at all times other than small yard movements and braking/coasting, making then even less efficient.

I reckon car companies, from either of these nations will crack it first:

Japan
England
Germany

 

[Jim Prower]

I doubt it will be cracked. We're talking something that, in the real world, isn't very useful, other than in ships and aircraft.

I can't blame them for the ZEV mission, it is noble, but a gas turbine should be left for the birds...Sikorsky, Bell, and C-130, in particular.

 

[Philly]

So. What exactly is this? Is it a jet car? Does a turbine somehow drive wheels? Wouldn't it be an incredibly heavy car?

Unless this project proves to make an untouchably fast car, I think the Veyron will stay as my ultimate dream car for a while.

 

[niky]

Anyone remember the gas-turbine drag axle from way back when? (stops to dig it up online)

Hey, whaddaya know, I actually found it (wasn't really expecting to...):

http://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2006/04/the_real_acme.html

That was 1300hp from a 100 pound device... in the 60's. God bless American loonies.

Of course, turbine powered cars will always be impractical, as it's hard to get a transmission that will easily convert those extreme rpms to road speed... and the fuel consumption...

 

[Dave A]

I remember seeing a prototype motorbike with a turbine engine a few years ago, that had something like 800bhp at 52000rpm.

 

[Jim Prower]

Anyone remember the gas-turbine drag axle from way back when? (stops to dig it up online)

I've seen one where they put a turbine on a VW, and challenged...I think it was "TV" Tommy Ivo's 4-engined Buick dragster. yeeeow.

EDIT: Yep, found it. apologize for the size, though.

Better pic of the Turbonique Bug

 

[Philly]

So is it like Jay Leno's motobike?

This sounds like a pretty cool concept. Zero emmissions sounds like a stretch to me, though.