Motor Authority - blog Tag: turbocharged

Since mid-2008 we've been bringing you reports that the 2011 BMW M5 could be powered by a high-performance turbocharged V-8 instead of the high-revving 5.0-liter V-10 mill in the current model. Today, a new report has emerged alleging confirmation of that plan direct from BMW.

Speaking with BMW engineers, Edmunds says it has received positive confirmation from "BMW insiders" that a turbocharged V-8 would be the powerplant for the 2011 BMW M5. Those insiders didn't give any details beyond that, but the TwinPower 4.4-liter V-8 from the current X5 M and X6 M is the obvious choice for an M-model V-8.

Rated at 555 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of...

Since mid-2008 we've been bringing you reports that the 2011 BMW M5 could be powered by a high-performance turbocharged V-8 instead of the high-revving 5.0-liter V-10 mill in the current model. Today, a new report has emerged alleging confirmation of that plan direct from BMW. Speaking with BMW engineers, Edmunds says it has received positive confirmation from "BMW insiders" that a turbocharged V-8 would be the powerplant for the 2011 BMW M5. Those insiders didn't give any details beyond that, but the TwinPower 4.4-liter V-8 from the current X5 M and X6 M is the obvious choice for an M-model V-8. Rated at 555 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque, the twin-turbo V-8 would be a 48-horsepower bump over the current model and could actually allow for more compact packaging thanks to the positioning of the two turbos and their manifolds between the cylinder blocks. Another possible inclusion on the next-gen M5 is a Formula 1-style Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) hybrid drive, helping to boost power as high as 600 horsepower in total. Unlike typical hybrid systems, the KERS-type hybrid is used to apply an extra boost of power when desired, usually at the push of a button. So far no confirmation of any production-car applications of the KERS system have come out of BMW, however, so it may yet be a generation off, especially with BMW's exit from Formula 1 at the end of this season. Marking a similar train of thought, Audi is also thought to be working on a move from its Lamborghini-sourced V-10 engine toward more turbocharged V-8 power. The first applications of the change would likely arise in the RS6, though eventually even the R8 would have to follow. [Edmunds] Read More

As fuel economy rules tighten, sales stagnate or grow slowly and carmakers seeks ways to deliver more for less, some re-shuffling of products is inevitable. At Audi, that means cutting V-6 engines and (mostly) replacing them with turbo four-cylinders, including in the 2010 Audi TT.

The 3.2-liter V-6 is completely gone from the TT range, in S tronic and manual quattro trims, Coupe and Roadster alike. Instead, the 2010 TT offers only a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, sent through a dual-clutch transmission. Those with a hankering for more power in a TT package can upgrade to the TTS...

As fuel economy rules tighten, sales stagnate or grow slowly and carmakers seeks ways to deliver more for less, some re-shuffling of products is inevitable. At Audi, that means cutting V-6 engines and (mostly) replacing them with turbo four-cylinders, including in the 2010 Audi TT. The 3.2-liter V-6 is completely gone from the TT range, in S tronic and manual quattro trims, Coupe and Roadster alike. Instead, the 2010 TT offers only a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 200 horsepower and 207 pound-feet of torque, sent through a dual-clutch transmission. Those with a hankering for more power in a TT package can upgrade to the TTS Coupe or Roadster which retains its turbo four-cylinder engine rated at 265 horsepower. Other Audi cars also see the V-6 removed from some trim levels, including the now-defunct A4 3.2 quattro Tiptronic and A5 3.2 quattro manual. The A5 Coupe gains the 2.0T quattro trim we brought you word of back in July. The Audi A3 TDI joins the range this November, while the A3 3.2 S tronic quattro says goodbye for 2010. For the TT, that's about the sum total of changes, since the exterior and interior stay largely the same, and with the 2.0T engine the only option, fuel economy of 21 mpg in town and 29 mpg on the highway is near-brilliant, even considering its slightly slow (compared to the competition) 5.9-second (Coupe) and 6.2-second (Roadster) 0-60 mph times. Catch up on the pricing and other changes in the Audi lineup with our rundown of the 2010 A4, A5 and Q5 or check out the hot, new and more affordable supercharged V-6 2010 Audi S4 here. Read More

Abt Sportsline is more than just a tuning shop--the firm supplies and sponsors one of the biggest teams in Germany’s DTM race series. So when it steps up with aerodynamic and power upgrades for some of the best cars in the world, Abt doesn’t just add show, it adds go. The Audi TT is a favorite at Abt, so it’s not surprising that engineers have worked over the latest TT-RS model.

From the factory, the Audi TT-RS produces 340 horsepower at 5,400 rpm and 328 pound-feet at 1,600 rpm. Abt’s new Stage One ECU performance upgrade increases power to 420 horsepower, which is enough to rocket the tiny coupe (or convertible)...

Abt Sportsline is more than just a tuning shop--the firm supplies and sponsors one of the biggest teams in Germany’s DTM race series. So when it steps up with aerodynamic and power upgrades for some of the best cars in the world, Abt doesn’t just add show, it adds go. The Audi TT is a favorite at Abt, so it’s not surprising that engineers have worked over the latest TT-RS model. From the factory, the Audi TT-RS produces 340 horsepower at 5,400 rpm and 328 pound-feet at 1,600 rpm. Abt’s new Stage One ECU performance upgrade increases power to 420 horsepower, which is enough to rocket the tiny coupe (or convertible) from 0-62 mph in just 4.3 seconds and see it easily reach an electronically governed top speed of 175mph--not bad for an engine displacing just 2.5-liters. Also included in the upgraded is a new intercooler. Additionally, Abt will soon be offering some other modifications for the car that will further improve performance and dynamics. Expect to see the usual bodykit, exhaust and suspension modifications. Read More

A new era in Ford diesel technology arrives with the unveiling of the company’s latest 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine. Set to debut in the 2011 F-Series Super Duty pickup truck, the new diesel engine is expected to deliver significant improvements in torque, horsepower and fuel economy while adding more fueling flexibility and helping Ford meet stringent new emissions requirements.

So far Ford isn't releasing much in the way of numbers for either power or efficiency of the new engine other than to say that it is both more powerful and more efficient than the engine it replaces. What we do know is that the engine...

A new era in Ford diesel technology arrives with the unveiling of the company’s latest 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine. Set to debut in the 2011 F-Series Super Duty pickup truck, the new diesel engine is expected to deliver significant improvements in torque, horsepower and fuel economy while adding more fueling flexibility and helping Ford meet stringent new emissions requirements. So far Ford isn't releasing much in the way of numbers for either power or efficiency of the new engine other than to say that it is both more powerful and more efficient than the engine it replaces. What we do know is that the engine features several automotive-industry first for a modern production diesel engine. These include an ‘inboard exhaust’ architecture and a unique ‘single-sequential’ turbocharger with a double-sided compressor wheel mounted on a single shaft. This turbocharger design allows the single unit to deliver the benefits of a twin-turbocharger system in a smaller, more efficient package, combining the benefits of a small turbocharger (faster response) and a large turbocharger (ability to compress and force more air into the engine for more power) in one unit. The engine also gets a high-pressure Bosch fuel system that injects diesel at up to 30,000 psi and aluminium cylinder heads for reduced weight. One of the obvious visual differences in the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine is the layout of the pipes. The exhaust manifolds, for example, reside in the valley of the engine instead of outboard, while the intake is outboard of the engine. The cylinder heads are essentially flipped around in comparison with previous V-8 engine architectures. Advantages include a smaller exhaust system and improved cooling. Read More

On the far corners of GM's Milford proving grounds, you see lots of streaks broken. Rubber streaks, left behind by test Corvettes and Camaros running off in ways you don't want to imagine. And as he shuttles a new 2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo in the wake of greatness, our GM test driver explains his last black mark on the track--a braking loss at 147 mph.

It ended without drama, but it made us all the more anxious to take the wheel of the latest SRX, a turbocharged version of the new crossover Cadillac puts in showrooms in October. While stock SRX crossovers get a direct-injected 3.0-liter V-6 with 265 horsepower, the 2010 SRX Turbo sidles up to... On the far corners of GM's Milford proving grounds, you see lots of streaks broken. Rubber streaks, left behind by test Corvettes and Camaros running off in ways you don't want to imagine. And as he shuttles a new 2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo in the wake of greatness, our GM test driver explains his last black mark on the track--a braking loss at 147 mph. It ended without drama, but it made us all the more anxious to take the wheel of the latest SRX, a turbocharged version of the new crossover Cadillac puts in showrooms in October. While stock SRX crossovers get a direct-injected 3.0-liter V-6 with 265 horsepower, the 2010 SRX Turbo sidles up to the stop sign on the GM proving grounds with a full 300 horsepower, 221 pound-feet of torque, and a slightly smaller displacement of 2.8 liters. All said and done, and coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission, the stock 2010 SRX hits 60 mph from a standstill in about 8.5 seconds and consumes unleaded gas at a rate of 18/25 mpg. The turbo version? Cadillac estimates 0-60 mph times drop to the mid-7-second range with the new engine. What we notice first, around the tight turns that corkscrew into rural Michigan woods, is the engine's lack of a distinct turbo whistle or wastegate noise. Boosted engines customarily whistle while they work, but this turbo V-6 damps out the distinction from the non-turbo V-6. It's just faster--and with a much flatter torque curve, it's a steady pull forward that will feel familiar to those of you who've driven the VW/Audi turbocharged engines. The 2010 SRX offers only six-speed automatics, but with the turbo version, there are some driver-selectable tweaks to be made. The CTS' paddle shifters are nowhere to be found, but the SRX Turbo automatic offers a Sport mode that holds gears longer and tightens steering and shift points, and an Eco mode that remaps the throttle and cues quicker upshifts to conserve fuel. In Eco mode, engineers report a 1-mpg increase in fuel economy, though since the EPA averages the Eco mode with steady-state driving, the Turbo's fuel economy ratings are still rated at 16/23 mpg. That's still competitive with the Audi Q5, Benz GLK and BMW X3, none of which comes close to the SRX Turbo's power output. The SRX Turbo also tows 3,500 pounds. The drivetrain is the only difference from other normally-aspirated, all-wheel-drive SRXs. The Turbo version shares the Haldex all-wheel-drive system, "FE3" suspension settings and Continuous Damping Control (CDC) with the most expensive non-turbo SRXs. CDC is like the driver-selectable system in the Audi Q5; it's not perfect and gives the steering and ride some "digital" quality, but there's no doubting its smooth, composed ride and clean, responsive steering at speed.In fact, the 2010 SRX has some of the best steering and ride feel in this class, more like a sports sedan than a kludgy crossover like, oh, say, the Lexus RX350. Our objections with any of the 2010 Cadillac SRX crossovers are few. If you don't care for its highly stylized shape and wide-ranging use of metallic plastic inside, you're out of luck--and you're in a minority. Pricing is appropriately rich, for better or worse. The SRX Turbo runs just under $50,000, essentially $3000 more than a well-optioned, non-turbo SRX. At least there are precious few boxes to tick on the order form; once you've selected the all-wheel-drive SRX, you opt for the turbo engine, then add on chrome wheels, heated seats and an entertainment system if you like. A $55,000 sticker price is within easy reach. And still, the 2010 Cadillac SRX is among our favorites in this class. It's a glitzy good-looker, ranking with the more sophisticated Audi Q5 in this department. It feels better than the other Germans, and handles with more authority than the XC60. Is it truly the tops in its class? Stay tuned for a deeper dive into the SRX as Motor Authority pits it against the Q5 and other challengers. ----------------------------- Cruise the High Gear Media network! Click over to TheCarConnection for experts reviews of every new vehicle; MotorAuthority for luxury and performance-car news, reviews, and spy shots; GreenCarReports for news and reviews of the latest earth-friendly cars; and CelebsandCars to see how the stars roll.2010 Cadillac SRX Turbo in MichiganSneak peek: 2010 Cadillac SRX at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show Read More

It's a classic recipe: take one high-performance sports car, add power to taste. How powerful you like it depends largely on your budget, but this time Switzer has made one for people not only with large bank accounts, but also with a huge appetite for speed. Starting with a stock Porsche 911 997 twin-turbo, the tuners end up with a car capable of sub-3-second 0-60mph runs and consistent 10.5-second quarter miles.

That's nothing to sneeze at, and it's all the more impressive considering how much wasn't changed from the standard car. For instance, it still runs on standard 93 octane pump gas. It still uses the stock intake manifold and... It's a classic recipe: take one high-performance sports car, add power to taste. How powerful you like it depends largely on your budget, but this time Switzer has made one for people not only with large bank accounts, but also with a huge appetite for speed. Starting with a stock Porsche 911 997 twin-turbo, the tuners end up with a car capable of sub-3-second 0-60mph runs and consistent 10.5-second quarter miles. That's nothing to sneeze at, and it's all the more impressive considering how much wasn't changed from the standard car. For instance, it still runs on standard 93 octane pump gas. It still uses the stock intake manifold and throttle body, and it's an easier install process than the Switzer 911 GT2 Sledgehammer package it's based on. Delivering the power through a more street-friendly AWD system doesn't hurt things either, but once the twin Garret GT30 turbochargers - with custom billet compressor wheels - are strapped on and gases are piped through Switzer's custom exhaust and headers, the engine generates a full 800hp, giving the P800 package its numerical significance. Other upgrades include a carbon clutch, electronic boost control, Monster brand intercoolers, and custom ECU software. The P800 package is now available through Switzer Performance dealers, but you'll have to contact them yourself to find out how much it costs. To see and hear the car in action, check out the video of a testing dyno run below.800hp Switzer Performance P800 Porsche 997TTSwitzer Performance L5 800 package Porsche 911 hits the dyno Read More