Jay Leno is giving a behind-the-scenes look at how the EcoJet came about. On Leno's web site, a four minute film shows Leno and Ed Wellburn, GM vice president of global design, discussing the design process of the jet-powered car. A gallery of photos taken during the car's construction document the development from scale model to SEMA-ready.
On the video, Leno shares an interesting fact about the EcoJet's Lexan rear window. Lexan, he says, is made by General Electric, owner of NBC which owns The Tonight Show With Jay Leno, on which Kevin Bacon has appeared. Leno says he asked GE for some of the clear, bulletproof material and they gave it to him for the EcoJet.
It's a fascinating look at concept-car development we don't normally get to see, made possible by the car's owner being Leno instead of GM.
[Source: www.jaylenosgarage.com]
Thanks to Peter for the tip!
Saleen makes new value-oriented Racecraft brand official
Officially Official: 2009 BMW 7 Series
Officially Official: 2009 Ford Focus RS
I want my FPV: Super sedans hit the desert in new TV spot
Happy Independence Day from Autoblog
Track Test: 2008 Roush 427R Trak Pak Mustang
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Porsche Cayman S
First Drive: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Mazda MX-5 Miata Retractable Hard Top
In The Autoblog Garage: BMW 128i Convertible
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Giggles of Doom @ Nov 3rd 2006 10:59AM
Obviously the Eco part does not stand for economic.
car specifications @ Nov 3rd 2006 3:35PM
It looks like an monster!
Temple @ Nov 3rd 2006 4:07PM
My God, Leno's site is littered with GM ads, not very tastefully either. Between the banner, the side bar, the top menu bar, the bottom links, and the video its a bit too much.
Joshua @ Nov 3rd 2006 5:54PM
WTF? This is NOT an environmentally friendly car. Gas turbines are extremely fuel inefficient, plus they are terrible polluters compared to modern automotive engines. The only tenuous claim they have to being enviro friendly is the choice to run it on bio diesel. Big freaken deal.
theone @ Nov 5th 2006 8:40PM
Man...Ya'll are just jealous you don't have it and he does.....stop complaining!
Howard @ Nov 5th 2006 8:45PM
#4 obviously doesn't know anything about gas turbines, which operate on a continuous process that is inherently more fuel efficient than shoving a piston up and down. The emissions, per unit of fuel burnt, can be engineered to be considerably better as well - hence the "Eco" moniker. (Can your piston engine run on hydrogen or propane as well?) On your next international flight, see if you can find someone with a gas tank big enough to put you on a piston engine airplane. Lighten up - it's a concept car built for a millionaire.
Bruce @ Nov 5th 2006 9:05PM
Besides being able to run on hydrogen or propane, it can run on any alcohol as long as the "octane" (proof
level, as in 80 proof for example)is high enough.
This means the fuel is a renewable resource.
No more concerns about other countries choking off our fuel supply.
No more worries about world supplies dwindling and
ultimatly causing a collapse of civilization.
This car solves those problems and can be pollution free.
Daniel Favre-Felix @ Nov 5th 2006 9:48PM
Hi Leno,
Were in BIG CITY can we meet You,Batman & Ecojet?
I am driving an Element.Will that make you feel stupid.
Matt Hernandez @ Nov 5th 2006 10:17PM
This is nothing new.
It was done in the sixties by Chrysler.
See WWW.turbinecar.com
Alex @ Nov 5th 2006 10:24PM
Pretty cool, just add an ejection seat and HUD and you have yourself an F-16 Lol #4 read a book on Turbine engines you might learn a thing or two
GREG REINHARDT @ Nov 5th 2006 10:25PM
WHAT I WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT IS THE DUSENBURG TORPEDO THAT LENO HAS ON ORDER AND IT'S 12 CLY ROTORARY ENGINE THAT IS 18"X 24" -- WEIGHS 100 LBS DEVELOPES 300 HP AND GETS 70 MPG.
WE NEED THIS ENGINE IN ALL NEW CARS -- THEN THERE WOULD BE NO NEED TO IMPORT OIL
Thomas @ Nov 5th 2006 10:32PM
Looks more like straight veggy oil instead of Bio Diesel. Considering the optionns of fuel though make it a great design. B-100 (no fossile fuel) would be a great option.
Cudo's to Jay - for a great project. I want one myself!
Tom @ Nov 5th 2006 10:43PM
Yeah, I guess Number four never heard of the flying car. I wonder what ever happened to that crazy Canadian and his flying contraption. Anyway, his flying car deal went over three hundred miles per hour for standard vehicles, and over four hundred miles per hour for the police cruiser and got superb fuel efficiency. Supposedly it ran on an Ethanol mixture and got like 75+ miles per gallon. It's SUPPOSED to be out by 2010. But the Government probably pulled the plug on him. As is the case with every other vehicle that will help the environment and end America's dependency on foreign oils. Oh well. Bush administration wins again...yippy.
-Tom
Ron Johnson @ Nov 5th 2006 10:46PM
Didn't ole Elvis drive a car simular to this in one of his movies. This is not hard to do, just expensive. Its been done before many times, only this time its getting press because Leno is a major TV Star.
The Truth @ Nov 5th 2006 10:51PM
Cool car! 650 HP and smaller than piston engines. Runs on any liquid that burns. Right on Jay!
stampy62 @ Nov 5th 2006 11:02PM
It looks like Leno has conspired with Homer J. Simpson to bring the "Canyon Arrow" to life. LOL.
Robert Contreras @ Nov 5th 2006 11:08PM
Hey Jay,
Great concept car. I wish u the best of Luck. You seemed to overcome a problem that I still have by having your turbine burn very heavy oils. I have a boat with twin turbine t53-L-13B engines with a combined Hp of about 3,ooo. When I originally purchased the boat I was assured it would run on diesel fuel instead of kerosene, and this was not true.
The EGT went 25% higher and the start fuel nozzles were constantly clogging, along with a lot of other problems.
Would it be possible for u to forward my E-mail address to your turbine engine person to advise me on how to adjust my engines to run like your car? I would really appreciate any advice you could offer. It really sucks having to have to keep a fuel truck filled with kero just to be able to enjoy cruising around the water at an average speed of 125 MPH.
marv ostberg @ Nov 5th 2006 11:14PM
does anyone know the real truth about "who killed the electric car"? my suspicion is that the movie had an axe to grind but was short on the real facts. yes, i would be happy with a car that gets maybe 100 miles on a charge and go up to 60 mph for local use as long as it had safety features like a regular car.
BJB @ Nov 6th 2006 12:01AM
looks like the batmobile, and of course Jay is getting hte first one, and why the Kevin bacon? six links and a Kevin Bacon?
C. Titus @ Nov 6th 2006 12:17AM
Wow, this is a blast. We are witnessing History in the making. I had the honor of driving the car around Nor Cal for 10 days. All I can say is "Cool Ride". I also had the EcoJet at Red Line Oil in Benicia,Ca for some testing for a couple of days. I would like to get a copy of the pictures from #18. I remember a guy taking some shots of me with the window down. Hey #18, could you contact Jay and he can forward me the shots. Thanks alot. Christopher