Water engine ‘sells for $25m’

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33450, 4 February 1974, Page 18

Water engine ‘sells for $25m’

'New Zealand Prus Association > WELLINGTON, February 3. A Nelson mechanic who says he has developed a car engine which uses water as fuel was reported today to have sold his invention to an Australian research group for 825.6 million.

It was reported today in the "Sunday News” that Mr M. Vincent, aged 30. had sold the rights to his waterpowered rotary engine to the Club of Rome, a Melbourne scientific research group, said to be supported by several large manufacturers. However, the Club of Rome was later identified as an international group of scientists and conservationists. working to save the environment. The “Sunday News” report i ould not immediately be confirmed from Melbourne, '■.here Mr Vincent is reported to be. Mr Vincent was said to rave left Nelson with a ••rated prototype of his engine to sign a development agreement.

There have been several; reports in the last two months about Mr Vincent’s' invention of a water-powered car engine, and after a tele-1 vision film showed him driving his car, the Ministry of; Transport sent automotive engineers to appraise the in-: vention. “He never gave us a chance to see it,” the chief automotive engineer (Mr F. D. McWha) said in Wellington this evening. “He hasn’t disclosed to us the principle of his engine, and he didn't < want any help.” i Mr McWha said he under- ' stood that Mr Vincent had i not patented his invention, 1 and had not allowed anyone to see it for fear his secret I would be stolen.