The Howmet TX turbine-powered car – Video

It sounds like a military fighter jet & is faster than an Italian Ferrari. Ladies & gentlemen, meet the incredible Howmet TX, an experimental race vehicle that is the only turbine-powered vehicle to actually win a race. Built by a talented team of engineers in 1968 using little time & just $10,000, the first Howmet was very much a moon shot.

Introducing legendary Howmet TX engineer Bob McKee as your tour guide, watch this sports racer scream around the track like you’ve never heard before. From its complex start procedure to the sound of more than 350HP & 650 lb-ft. of torque pouring out at 65,000 rpm, the TX is a vehicle that had to be wholly engineered from the start as a turbine-powered racer.

Masterful solutions like a wastegate—which allowed the engine to operate at 80% throttle, even in corners—helped the vehicle claw back time on the race track. After all, a helicopter turbine in a race vehicle produces lots of power for little size & weight, but its fuel consumption & unique powerband mean there are big trade-offs when adopting this type of engine.

Only two were built, & on-track could hang with the world’s best, to the tune of the Porsche 907 & Ford GT40. Early reliability woes kept its true potential hidden, but wins at the Heart of Dixie & Marlboro 300 in 1968 were the first-ever for a turbine vehicle.

Chances are you will never come across one but your best chance to see a Howmet is at a vintage racing event, but until then, turn up your speakers & enjoy the sight of an aircraft turbine harnessed for road use.