Chevrolet Turbo Titan III: The Future of Trucking, 1965 Style (2 Photos)

This semi-truck featured a gas turbine engine, massive front air intakes, and twin steering dials instead of a conventional steering wheel. Built in 1965, the Chevrolet Turbo Titan III was a fully operational concept truck.





The Turbo Titan III near the Unisphere at the New York World's Fair. GM Heritage Archive.

Beneath its Space Age exterior lay a practical question: could a gas turbine serve as a viable engine for commercial road transport? The turbine delivered power directly to the transmission and wheels—meaning the truck was driven by rotating wheels on the highway, not jet thrust.

Its cab was molded from fiberglass-reinforced polyester, while the headlights retracted into the body when not in use. Inside, it featured bucket seats, an array of instruments, and a steering console equipped with twin control dials.



The steering console, front end, and air intake with headlights. GM Heritage Archive.

The Turbo Titan III never reached mass production. In its historical overviews, GM noted the common drawbacks of automotive gas turbines: high manufacturing costs, blistering exhaust temperatures, and poor fuel efficiency at low speeds. By the mid-1960s, the company itself acknowledged that such an engine was still far too costly for commercial production.