Maybe we're cynical, but our first reaction to yesterday's story about a new Duesenberg hitting the market was something like, "Sure, and if grandma had an Adam's apple, we'd have called her 'Steve-ma'." But possessing at least one engine-geek gene, the plans for the car's engine grabbed us by the throat: 70 mpg and 300 hp from a 100 pound package measuring 18 inches in diameter and 24 inches in length, which will provide an unparalleled power-to-weight ratio. What th'? Now, thanks to one reader (whom we'll call Chris, 'cause it's his name), we're closer to understanding the nature of such outrageous claims. The Axial Vector Engine, a new adaptation of an experimental aircraft powerplant of the 1950s, appears to fit those specs to a T. Say the engine's builders: "Our initial engines are expected to put out 200 HP with 650 ft-lb torque while weighing less than 100 lbs." Oh. My. This definitely could get good.
Axial Vector Engine [AVE]
Related:
New Duesenburg Torpedo Coupe Could Launch in 2007 [internal]