Rate It: Toyota’s Hybrid, Gas-Turbine Sports Car

Colin
By Colin Wood
Aug 11, 2020 | Toyota, Rate It, Sports 800, Gas-Turbine

Chrysler may be best known for putting a gas turbine engine in a car, but Toyota also tried its hand at making one in the 1970s.

Unlike Chrysler, Toyota's aim was to find a powerplant that would be suitable as part of an electric-hybrid powertrain.

The system consisted of a gas-turbine engine connected to a generator, which fed an electric motor. In turn, that electric motor sent power to the rear wheel through a two-speed gearbox.

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Comments
Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter)
Hungary Bill (Forum Supporter) GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
8/11/20 3:30 p.m.

this is seriously cool.

TurnerX19
TurnerX19 SuperDork
8/11/20 3:56 p.m.

I liked that car just fine when it had an 800cc air cooled flat twin. See Toyota Sports 800.

11110000
11110000 Reader
8/11/20 3:58 p.m.

Volvo did something similar in the '90s, in a concept vehicle that foreshadowed the original S80:

 

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
8/11/20 4:21 p.m.

In reply to TurnerX19 :

It's definitely worth pointing out how great the Sports 800 was. For some reason, it seemed to kind of get overshadowed by the 2000GT.

IIRC the modern GT86 was partly inspired by the Sports 800 (and, of course, the AE86).

Colin Wood
Colin Wood Associate Editor
8/11/20 4:22 p.m.

In reply to 11110000 :

That makes me wonder just how many companies have toyed with gas turbines.

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