| No12: Turbocharger | | | | receives exhaust gases through the engine |
| Pull quote: "General figures would indicate that a | | | | exhaust manifold, allowing the turbine wheel to |
| turbocharged engine gives a further 35 percent | | | | turn around. With the turbine now turning, this |
| increase in power over a naturally-aspirated | | | | then drives the compressor, compressing ambient |
| engine" | | | | air and sending it straight to the air intake of the |
| It's something we've all heard of, some of us | | | | engine. With the air compressed, this allows for |
| used, and most find themselves unable to afford | | | | the engine to take in a far greater amount of air |
| the insurance ramifications. A turbocharger is | | | | than normal, thus meaning that with more air |
| widely known as an application beneath the | | | | added, more fuel can be used too. |
| bonnet that greatly increases a cars performance, | | | | It's said that most turbochargers take in 50 |
| but just how exactly does it work? | | | | percent more air over a standard engine. The |
| A bit of history first folks: In 1905 the first | | | | typical boost made by a turbo is in around 6 to 8 |
| Turbocharger ever made was invented by a | | | | pounds per square inch. General figures would |
| Swiss born engineer under the name of Alfred | | | | indicate that a turbocharged engine gives a |
| Buchi. Buchi applied the turbocharger initially to | | | | further 35 percent increase in power over a |
| diesel ships in the early 1920's, which then | | | | naturally-aspirated engine, which in lehmans terms |
| eventually made its debut to the automotive | | | | means greatly improved performance! |
| industry shortly after. | | | | Turbochargers in recent years have become a |
| For those who don't know, engines operate on an | | | | feature associated only to larger high |
| air/fuel mixture basis, breathing air in and using | | | | performance cars, however in 2006 Volkswagen |
| fuel to create energy; in turn running the engine | | | | stepped to fore by unveiling the all new Golf |
| and its internal parts that operate the driveshaft | | | | 1.4TSI engine. Despite being small capacity with a |
| and wheels. | | | | mere 1400cc's, these impressive new engines can |
| A turbocharger operates by drawing in an | | | | blast out in excess of 165bhp, however not only |
| increased amount of air, at a much faster rate | | | | is the TSI engine turbocharged, but supercharged |
| allowing a quicker air/fuel mixture ratio. A turbo | | | | too! The engine has been fitted to the new Golf |
| powered car may be recognisable by a badge | | | | GT and Sport, boasting performance of 0-100kph |
| placed to the rear boot, for example a TDI | | | | in less than 8 seconds. And for the cost conscious |
| (Turbo Diesel Injection) or newly introduced TSI | | | | among you, its extremely fuel friendly too, doing |
| (Twincharger Supercharged Injection) from VW. | | | | well in advance of 38MPG! The innovative TSI |
| Now over to the tech spec side of things, | | | | engine technology is now available in the Golf GT |
| non-mechanically minded people look away! Inside | | | | and Sport along with the Golf Plus, Touran SE and |
| the turbocharger are a compressor and turbine | | | | Jetta. |
| linked together by a shared axis. The turbine inlet | | | | |