The Fiat Turbina: a unique, charming and visionary car

Established in 1933, the Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile is one of the most famous car museums in the world. Designed in a contemporary and futuristic style, it keeps one of the rarest and most interesting collections of its kind, with almost 200 original cars of 18 different brands, each one set in its context with spectacular scenery. The permanent exhibition is supplemented by a temporary exhibition area, Open Garage, Documentation Center, Educational Center and Congress Center.

In order to seal this alliance, the choice fell on the Fiat Turbina, which was presented in 1954, the year when the Larusmiani shop was inaugurated in Via MonteNapoleone, Milan. Exhibited among clothing items handmade by expert craftsmen using natural materials, in a perfect match of shape and functionality, the spectacular Fiat Turbina from the MAUTO will represent the match of quality design and Italian style. Larusmiani, established in 1922, is presently the oldest fashion and tailor’s shop in Via MonteNapoleone. The fashion designer of the traditional gentleman with a contemporary twist, cleverly mixes quality, elegance and craftsmanship, which are distinctive of the Handmade in Italy. Since 2015, the shop has been able to present its collection, which keeps expanding based on Larusmiani ongoing research, and the know-how of Aldo Lorenzi, the sole director of G. Lorenzi MonteNapoleone.

The car will leave Turin and, before reaching Via MonteNapoleone, will “land” in Milano Prime Linate by SEA Prime, one of the major business aviation managers in Europe and the leader in Italy, where the Fiat Turbina is exhibited together with exclusive top range business jets, whose engines were the original inspiration for the futuristic design of this car.

Later on, the prototype will be on display for the entire month of February at the iconic Larusmiani shop in Via MonteNapoleone 7, which has been involved with the most extraordinary cars in history for years.

In the early 1950s, under the impulse of revolutionary progress brought to aviation by gas turbines, the main car manufacturers started to develop the idea of applying a similar solution to cars. One of them was Fiat, which in the late 1940s started a research project led by Dante Giacosa, an engineer who was the director of Technical Departments, and Oscar Montadone, an engineer leading the Research Department.

 

The result is a car with futuristic mechanisms, a mix of the 8V frame and a nearly 300 HP gas turbine. The engine consist of a two-stage centrifugal compressor, matched with a two-stage turbine and a driving turbine connected with a gear reducer for the transmission of motion to the wheels. The engine is positioned in the rear of the car chassis with four independent wheels.

Particular attention was paid to aerodynamics, which was studied on miniature models in the Politecnico di Torino wind tunnel: an excellent shape coefficient was achieved, about 0.14, which remained a record figure for 30 years. The body derives from the Fiat 8V, with an excellent two-seater body with a streamlined profile, retractable headlamps and fins on both rear bumpers.

The car reached its maximum speed of 260 km/hour in track tests, which were carried out by test driver Carlo Salamano on the Lingotto track and the Caselle airport.

Eited by Lisa Maria River
Avion Luxury Magazine

Text source and photos: Ufficio Stampa Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile
Photos: Copyright © Museo Nazionale dell’Automobile

All rights reserved. Reproduction prohibited.

 

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