Renault Étoile Filante
| Renault Etoile Filante | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Renault |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Land speed record car |
| Body style | No-door monoposto streamliner car |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Gas turbine Turboméca Turmo; 270 bhp (201 kW); 28,000 rpm |
| Dimensions | |
| Length | 4,840 mm (190.6 in) |
| Width | 1,815 mm (71.5 in) |
| Height | 999 mm (39.3 in) |
| Curb weight | 950 kg (2,094 lb) |
The Renault Étoile Filante (Shooting Star) was Renault's first and only attempts at both a land speed record car for a gas turbine-powered car.
In 1954 the French aeronautical turbines manufacturer Turboméca proposed Renault making a gas turbine technology engineered car for exalting the benefits of it and for trying to break the a speed record.
The car was tested in the wind tunnel between 1954 and 1955. In 1956, Jean Hébert and a Renault Team went off to Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. The car reached an average speed of 191.0 mph (307.4 km/h)[1] and reached the world record for turbine engined cars. This was also to promote sales from Renault's newest car in the United States, the Dauphine. The Etoile Filante later appeared at motor shows all over the world. However, in the early sixties, the end of the gas turbine era stopped Renault from making a second car. And its record was neglected.
In the mid 90's, it was decided that the car should be restored with a view to it running again. The car was completely dismantled in the workshops of Renault at the Billancourt factory in Paris, the chassis was resprayed and the engine repaired. In front of an expectant crowd, the car was fired up and moved under its own power for the first time since 1956. It's now conserved as a part of Renault's Historical Cars Collection.
References
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