Turbo what does it do

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We apologize, but this video has failed to load. Try refreshing your browser, or tap here to see other videos from our team. Can the Integra make Acura great again? Subaru unveils the Solterra, its first global all-electric vehicle. Naturally-aspirated diesel engines, by contrast, produce a lot of torque at low revs. Adding a turbo amplifies the effect which is why turbo diesels feel so strong if you floor the throttle at, say, 50mph in top gear.

Turbocharged cars also have quieter exhaust pipes. This is simply a function of the time it takes for the exhaust gases to reach the turbo and spin the turbine up to speed. A big turbine often exaggerates the effect. Modern turbos have many ways of reducing lag. Some engines even have several turbos of increasing size that operate at different revs and electric motors that spin the turbine before gases even reach it are increasingly common.

Turbos are another thing to go wrong, as well. They can and do — some engines are particularly prone to turbo issues.

Thick, white exhaust smoke and a loss of power are the clues. Superchargers also boost power by forcing more air into the engine, but the turbine is spun by the engine itself.

Sell your car Get offers from multiple dealers. Sell your car. How do turbos work, and how do they differ from superchargers? Lancia Delta World Rally Car How turbos work Why are turbos in so many cars Potential downsides to turbochargers What is a supercharger and how is it different to a turbo?

How do turbos work? Mercedes A — with a 2. Turbodiesels are the mainstay of the Range Rover Evoque engine line-up. Ford Puma has a 1. Volvo XC60 T8 has a turbo and a supercharger. Now, all modern diesel cars are fitted with a turbocharger, improving fuel economy and reducing emissions. Even on the smallest engines, turbochargers produce more torque, particularly lower down the rev range. This means cars benefit from strong, nippy performance, which is great around town and helps the engine to feel more refined at higher speeds on motorways and A roads.

At low speeds, small turbocharged engines can outpace cars fitted with larger, naturally-aspirated engines, because of the torque they produce.

As the air in a turbocharged engine is filtered through more pipes and components, the intake and exhaust noise is reduced and refined, making for a quieter and smoother engine noise — perhaps one of the most unexpected benefits of a turbocharged engine. Turbochargers add complexity to an engine, with a whole host of other components beneath the bonnet that can fail or develop faults.

These problems can be expensive to put right, and can have an impact on other components if they fail. This only really happens when the car is being driven aggressively, or from a closed throttle position. In high-performance cars, manufacturers prevent turbo lag by adding two turbochargers of differing geometry, rather than one big one with only a single turbine. Drivers going from a naturally-aspirated car to a turbocharged model may need to adjust their driving style to maintain good efficiency, particularly when first setting off.

In , Saab developed a new, more efficient turbo system, and this design, with a few tweaks and modifications, remains the most popular turbocharger configuration today. At Redex, our fuel system additives improve performance in turbocharged and naturally-aspirated diesel and petrol engines.