Until relatively recently, turbochargers were a pretty niche technology. Automakers such as Audi, Porsche, Saab, Subaru and Volvo still used them in some of their vehicles, but they weren’t remotely as common as they are today. Take the Porsche 911, for example. As recently as a couple of years ago, you had to spring for the incredibly expensive 911 Turbo to get a turbocharged engine. Today, though, even the base 911 Carrera is turbocharged, and you have to cough up enough money for a 911 GT3 to get a naturally aspirated engine.
Today, it feels like you have to go out of your way to find a vehicle that isn’t turbocharged. Want a base-model Honda Accord? It’s a turbo. Toyota Tacoma? Turbocharged. Most Ford F-150s? Turbocharged. Most performance cars? Turbocharged. And in a lot of applications, that’s probably a good thing. They’re typically more fuel efficient, which means you spend less on gas and also pollute less. Plus, having more low-end torque makes turbocharged engines better for most daily driving.
We’re also seeing some incredible performance numbers out of small turbocharged engines. Mercedes, for example, makes the M139, a 2.0-liter turbo-four that makes more than 400 hp. And in the Chevrolet Colorado, its 2.7-liter four-cylinder can make 430 lb-ft of torque. Anyone who wants to complain about turbocharging certainly can’t complain about the numbers. And yet, complain we will. Even if you acknowledge the fact that they’re better on paper, the actual experience often isn’t the same. Especially when you get a rattly, unrefined engine with a muted exhaust note.
If there was one car that I wish was still naturally aspirated, though, I’d have to go with the Porsche 718 twins. I’ve driven both the Boxster and Cayman, and while they were fantastic on the track, the turbocharged four-cylinder just feels and sounds wrong. Especially considering how much you’re spending on just a base Cayman.
What about you? What’s the one turbocharged car that you wish was still naturally aspirated?