VW: Jet-powered Beetle

This New Beetle reminds somehow of "Back to the Future"

ow here's a loophole... (Those of you who thought "Torch My Ride" inappropriate content for TreeHugger may choose to look away here.) Could this jet-powered VW Beetle really qualify for use of the commuter lane as a "hydrid?". The engineer behind the idea, Ron Patrick, used his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford to build a jet engine into the back of a VW Beetle. Preservation of the factory motor up front allows the car to retain "street legal" status (at least until its next inspection is due, when it will presumably have to join the stream of end-of-life vehicles rather prematurely.) Ron muses: "Hmmm, the car has two engines making the car a hybrid so maybe we can drive in the commuter lanes along with the Toyota Priuses." (Before we chastise Doctor Patrick too severely, let's give him credit for developing a slightly more eco friendly jet-powered Vespa, photo below. This TreeHugger, for one, enjoys the absurdity and hopes it will give a kick in the pants to the powers that be to introduce a unified concept for renewable and ecologically friendly powersources.)

Related news: Foursprung, P4MR, VW, New Beetle

Source: Treehugger

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