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Turbo

Car culture term

Turbo
Photo: Tommi Nummelin / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

What is Turbo?

A turbocharger uses exhaust gas to spin a compressor, forcing more air into the engine. The result is significantly more power from the same displacement.

Turbo (turbocharger) is a forced induction device that uses exhaust gas to drive a compressor wheel, increasing the air pressure entering the engine. More air allows more fuel to be burned, producing significantly more power than a naturally aspirated engine of the same displacement. Turbocharging emerged for aircraft engines in WWII and has been used in production cars since the 1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire.

Modern turbocharged engines are common across the auto industry, from economy cars (Ford Ecoboost) through sport sedans (BMW M3 with twin-turbo I6) to supercars (Ferrari 296 GTB twin-turbo V6). Turbocharging allows smaller displacement engines to produce more power with better fuel economy at light load. The trade-off is complexity (more parts, more potential failure points) and turbo lag (delay between throttle input and boost response, mitigated in modern designs through twin-scroll turbos and turbo geometry advances).

Tuner culture has used turbocharging extensively. Common turbocharged tuner engines include the Mitsubishi 4G63T (Lancer Evolution), Toyota 2JZ-GTE (Supra Turbo), Nissan SR20DET (Silvia/180SX), Subaru EJ207 (WRX STI), and Volkswagen 1.8T and 2.0T (Golf GTI, Audi RS3). Aftermarket turbo upgrades on these platforms can produce dramatic power increases.

Related terms

SuperchargerNaturally aspiratedBOV

Frequently asked questions

How does a turbo work?
Exhaust gas spins a turbine, which drives a connected compressor wheel through a shared shaft. The compressor draws in ambient air and pushes it into the engine intake at higher than atmospheric pressure. More air plus more fuel equals more power. The system is self-driven by exhaust energy, so it does not consume engine power directly.
What is turbo lag?
The delay between pressing the throttle and the turbo producing boost. The turbocharger needs to spin up to operating speed before producing meaningful boost pressure. Modern turbo designs (twin-scroll, variable geometry, electric assist) have significantly reduced turbo lag compared to older designs.
How much power can a turbo add?
Significant. A typical turbocharger adds 30-100% horsepower over the same engine naturally aspirated, depending on size, boost level, and supporting modifications. Heavy-boost builds with built engines can multiply naturally aspirated output by 3-5x or more.
Are turbocharged engines reliable?
Modern factory turbo engines are generally reliable when maintained. Common turbo-specific maintenance includes regular oil changes (turbos generate heat that breaks down oil), occasional turbo replacement (typically 100,000+ miles in factory applications), and intercooler and intake system maintenance. Aftermarket high-boost setups have higher maintenance requirements.
What is the difference between single turbo and twin turbo?
Single turbo uses one turbocharger for the engine. Twin turbo uses two (often one per cylinder bank on V engines, or two arranged in parallel or sequential setups on inline engines). Twin turbo can reduce turbo lag (each turbo is smaller and spins up faster) but adds complexity. Both configurations are common in modern performance cars.

Turbo on the blog

How much horsepower does the Mazdaspeed3 have? 263, and it never changed
How much horsepower does the Mazdaspeed3 have? 263, and it never changed

Every Mazdaspeed3 made 263 hp and 280 lb-ft from a 2.3-liter turbo four, from 2007 through 2013. Here is how Mazda kept that torque in check through the front wheels, what magazine tests clocked, and why the 2010 car wore a grin.

Every Koenigsegg model in order, from six CC8S cars to the CCGT1
Every Koenigsegg model in order, from six CC8S cars to the CCGT1

Koenigsegg's road cars run from the six-car CC8S of 2002 to the CCGT1 of 2026. Here is every model in order, with production counts and engines from Koenigsegg itself, covering the CCX, Agera, One:1, Regera, Jesko, Gemera, CC850, and Sadair's Spear.

McLaren's next supercar is the 809-hp McL 820, and the letters now come first
McLaren's next supercar is the 809-hp McL 820, and the letters now come first

McLaren confirmed on October 30 that its next series supercar will be called the McL 820. The number is its output in metric horsepower, about 809 hp. It arrives in 2027 as the 750S bows out, and so far the only thing McLaren has shown is a kiwi statue.

Tony Stark's 'Avengers' NSX Roadster is for sale, and it's actually a 1991 NSX underneath
Tony Stark's 'Avengers' NSX Roadster is for sale, and it's actually a 1991 NSX underneath

The one-off Acura NSX Roadster from 2012's The Avengers is on Cars & Bids with no reserve, and the full winning bid goes to charity. Under the concept-car body is a 1991 NSX with more than 252,000 miles, and it can't be driven on public roads.

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