COLUMN: Carillon Flashback July 3, 1964 – Turbine-powered car returns to A.D. Penner’s showroom

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This article was published 26/11/2023 (516 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Two years after Chrysler’s revolutionary turbine-powered car made its Canadian debut in Steinbach, the latest model, almost ready for the production line, was back in A.D. Penner’s showroom on Main Street.

The world’s first turbine-powered automobile, designed for large scale production within five years, offers the first workable challenge to the conventional piston engine in 80 years of automobile development.

The unique revolutionary power plant of the sleek, copper-colored hardtop is the product of 15 years of research by Chrysler engineers and designers.

Lighter than conventional engines of similar horsepower, the Chrysler turbine engine has 80 percent fewer moving parts, has only one spark plug, needs no water or antifreeze and will operate on almost any fuel from diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, to perfume and peanut oil.

It requires no oil changes, no tune-ups in the conventional sense, yet promises instant starting and instant warm up-even in sub-zero weather.

Two years ago, over 1,000 people took a peek under the hood of the Dodge Turbo Dart when it made its Canadian debut in the Automobile City on Fair Day of 1962.

A.D. Penner, at the time, said having the turbine-powered car in his showroom first was the proudest moment of his 26-year career in the automobile business.

“I’m more excited than I was when I sold my first car in 1936.”

That is saying a lot for Steinbach’s leading auto dealer, often credited with being the first to promote his town as “The Automobile City.” Penner has seen many changes since he first started selling cars, and says the turbine engine is by far the most dramatic for him.

According to the Chrysler spokesman, who accompanied the car on its most recent visit to Steinbach, the community was chosen for the first showing of the revolutionary new automobile engine in 1962, because of Penner’s tremendous merchandising record in recent years.

While the car itself looked very much like a conventional 1962 model of the Dodge Dart, the big difference was under the hood. The engine is similar to that which powers a turbo-prop airplane. The engine weighs only half as much as a piston engine of equal power, has fewer moving parts and is air-cooled.

While the vehicle was in Steinbach, two years ago, it was started every hour in the showroom, showing visitors that the turbine engine does not generate any dangerous fumes, although it throws off a quite an amount of heat.

It was earlier expected the vehicle would be available for sale to the general public by 1964, but during a return of the vehicle to Steinbach this month, a Chrysler engineer in turbine research indicated it could be another five years before the turbine car would be in full production.

Chrysler has manufactured a total of 55 of the turbine-powered cars, including five prototypes and a limited run of 50 cars for a public-user program. All have the signature metallic paint named “turbine bronze”, which is roughly the color of root beer.

And like the model which recently appeared in A.D. Penner’s showroom, all feature power brakes and a “torque-flite” transmission.

After the user program ended in 1966, Chrysler reclaimed the cars and destroyed all but nine; Chrysler kept two cars, six are displayed at museums in the United States, and one is in comedian Jay Leno’s collection. Chrysler’s turbine engine program ended in 1979, largely due to the failure of the engines to meet government emissions regulations and relatively poor fuel economy.