Duesenberg
Torpedo Coupe
The
Duesenberg marque, a name associated with luxury and exclusive lifestyles of
the 1920's and 1930's, has been revived by a Minnesota, USA based company,
Maple Plain Corporation.
The company
bought the Duesenberg name in 1996, however it has taken 10 years to conceive
the Duesenberg Torpedo Coupe concept, a car which is to be built by their
sister company, Duesenberg Custom Coach.
Designed by
Jeff Teague, of Teague Design, the Dusenberg Torpedo Coupe takes its inspiration
from Duesenberg models of 1931 and 1932. This 70 year old influence is apparent
in the graceful arches and classic proportions.
Powering the
Dusenberg Torpedo Coupe, should the technology prove successful, is a radical
12 cylinder engine, referred to as the 'Cylindrical Energy Module', or CEM. The
design is an adaptation of a firefighting pump invented by Paul Eddie, a
Californian car designer.
Unlike static conventional engines, the CEM rotates
on its axis, sucking fuel in, and providing self lubrication, no oil pump
required. It is also capable of running on either petrol or diesel.
Furthermore, this novel powerplant creates just 1/6th of the heat a comparable
conventional engine would. This means that air-cooling is sufficient, removing
the need for a radiator, water pump, coolant and all the hoses associated with
liquid cooled engines.
However if
the technology proves to difficult, or costly, to implement into a production
car, the Torpedo Coupe will be powered by a Mercedes-Benz V12.
The next
stage of development for the Duesenberg Torpedo Coupe is the production of a
working prototype, a goal Duesenberg Custom Coach hopes to achieve by the 2007
Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
Should the
Torpedo Coupe make production, Duesenberg Custom Coach hopes to make between 25
and 50 units per year.
