Sunday 14th March 1954
The Fiat experimental gas-turbine car, the Turbina, was given its first road test. Fiat was the second car manufacturer, after Rover, to introduce a car propelled by a gas turbine. The project took a long period of planning, studies began in 1948 and ended with a track test in 1954 on the rooftop track of the Lingotto factory. The engine had two compressor stages, one turbine stage, power turbine was single stage with a geared reduction. The declared power was 300 hp (220 kW) at 22,000 rpm, and the estimated top speed was approximately 250 km/h (160 mph). The Turbina held the record for lowest drag coefficient on an automobile (0.14) for 30 years.
The concept was shelved due to high fuel usage and problems with overheating.
The Fiat Turbina is today shown in the Automobile Museum of Turin
