More and more automotive producers are ditching natural aspiration for forced induction in a quest to make their petrol engines more efficient and when this involves "normal" cars we are happy to write about it. However, when Porsche talks about replacing natural aspiration with turbocharging on other models than the range-topping ones, we are not so thrilled.
The Porsche technician recently spoke to AutoVisie, explaining that the company is planning to expand turbocharging beyond the "Turbo"-branded, range-topping models that used it until now, with one potential application being an efficient four-cylinder turbo. While the idea of reducing the fuel consumption and emissions of a sports car sound great, the fact that you loose the linear power delivery and exquisite sound offered by natural aspiration is something that really damages the spirit of such a car.
“Turbos are purely for improving the performance and are still only used on the top models. But the combination between smaller engines and turbocharging is a very promising way to lower the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Because of these two factors we will be offering turbo engines in models below the top series in the future. A four-cylinder boxer engine with a turbo is conceivable. But as before, the name 911 Turbo will only be for the model with the highest level of performance used,” the technician told the aforementioned source.
Let's hope that the company will also continue to offer high-power naturally-aspirated alternatives alongside its future turbo powerplants and let the customers decide if these should disappear.
“Turbos are purely for improving the performance and are still only used on the top models. But the combination between smaller engines and turbocharging is a very promising way to lower the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Because of these two factors we will be offering turbo engines in models below the top series in the future. A four-cylinder boxer engine with a turbo is conceivable. But as before, the name 911 Turbo will only be for the model with the highest level of performance used,” the technician told the aforementioned source.
Let's hope that the company will also continue to offer high-power naturally-aspirated alternatives alongside its future turbo powerplants and let the customers decide if these should disappear.