Project 1221 issued the following release today, outlining what they perceive to be the benefits of using gas turbine technology, their stated aim for the MF1 programme: "The gas turbine engine is widely used as an aircraft powerplant, because of its unique capability to meet exacting requirements for performance, endurance and dependability.

"Some of the exceptional qualities of the gas turbine engine as an aircraft powerplant are: reliability, durability, compactness, high specific power output, reasonable cost, high thermal efficiency, freedom from vibration, ease of maintenance, operating flexibility. In automotive applications the main advantages of the gas turbine engine compared to a reciprocating engine of the same power are extreme simplicity, absolute absence of vibration, smaller dimensions, lower weight and the possibility to use virtually any kind of fuel. With only one spark plug and just a fraction of the moving parts of a conventional engine, maintenance and repair costs are minimal. A gas turbine engine does not even need periodical tune-ups. The gas turbine engine is self-cooled by its own aspiration air, therefore a cooling system does not even exist. At the same time, as the gas turbine engine operates with excess air, the fuel is burned completely and virtually no noxious fumes such as carbon monoxide are produced.

"Concerning operation, a gas turbine engine starts instantly, even in the coldest weather, needs no warm-up and is able to provide full power within seconds, while also providing instant heating to the passengers, if required.

"The main disadvantage of a gas turbine engine is a higher cost, compared to a reciprocating engine of the same size, due to the high revolving speeds and temperatures that are reached during operation. As a result very high standards of engineering and manufacture are required. This additional cost can be justified either by large-scale production or by high-end products. Fuel consumption, which was comparatively higher at the beginning of experimentation almost 60 years ago, no longer is an issue. Already 20 years ago, it was almost in line with the fuel consumption of reciprocating engines of equivalent power.

"Concerning reliability, it is worth noting that gas turbine engines have been designed in order to continuously operate at virtually 100% of their potential, during their entire programmed life span while ensuring complete safety in flight. In an automotive application maximum power is requested only occasionally and when this occurs it is only for extremely brief periods of time (seconds compared to hours). Therefore, it is easily deduced that gas turbine engines absolutely constitute the most reliable choice that can be made. Furthermore, with the exception of normal oil-changes, no other kind of engine maintenance is anticipated during the entire life of a gas turbine-powered vehicle, rendering it quite a unique ownership proposition.

"Thinking of the frequent and very costly mechanical care required by the average supercar (and not only), the obvious conclusion is that no reciprocating engine of comparable power could even come close to the reliability and practicality of a gas turbine engine. Last but not least, the capacity of a gas turbine engine to use almost any kind of fuel would render a turbine-powered vehicle fully usable everywhere in the world, even in places where the quality of available fuel may not be good. Therefore, where other cars and certainly all other supercars would have to stop, all the planned Project 1221 supercars will keep going virtually on anything, if need be even ...vodka (or substitute with your favourite spirit).

"In everyday real-world conditions the Williams turboshaft engines developed for Project 1221 will be running on common diesel fuel while those clients that happen to also use a private plane would be able to nonchalantly fuel-up with kerosene and jet fuel as well. Incidentally all these fuels, because of their lower volatility, offer a welcome safety advantage when compared to petrol (gasoline), the fuel of choice for the average supercar.

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