Key facts
- Turbocharging technology, once prominent in the 1980s, is now standard in almost half of cars sold in the U.S.
- The primary driver for the resurgence of turbocharging is to meet modern efficiency standards.
- Early automotive adoption of turbochargers occurred in the 1960s, with Oldsmobile and Chevrolet.
- Porsche and Saab were instrumental in bringing turbocharging to wider acceptance in the 1970s.
- Performance vehicles like the Audi Quattro, Lotus Esprit, and Bentley Mulsanne Turbo featured turbocharging in the 1980s.
- Turbocharged engines were also a key feature in 1980s Group B rally cars.
Turbocharging, a technology that experienced a surge in popularity during the 1980s, has made a significant comeback in the automotive industry. Today, this once-hyped technology from four decades ago is now a standard feature in nearly half of all cars sold in the United States. The primary motivation behind this resurgence is the industry's drive to meet increasingly stringent fuel efficiency standards.
Historically, engines with turbochargers have existed since the 19th century, initially finding use in aviation to maintain power at high altitudes. Carmakers began adopting the technology in the early 1960s, with Oldsmobile and Chevrolet being among the first to market with turbocharged V8 engines. However, for a long time, turbocharging remained an exotic and less common feature.
It was manufacturers like Porsche and Saab that played a crucial role in moving turbocharging from the fringes to a more mainstream acceptance with their performance-oriented models in the 1970s. This paved the way for more widespread adoption. In 1980, Audi astonished the automotive world with its Quattro coupe, which featured a 2.1-liter five-cylinder turbocharged engine. Other notable performance cars of the era that utilized turbocharging included the Lotus Esprit and the Renault 5 Turbo, with Bentley also introducing its Mulsanne Turbo in 1982.
The 1980s also saw turbocharging become a defining characteristic of high-performance motorsport, particularly in Group B rallying, where engines were pushed to extract extreme power outputs. This era cemented 'turbo' as a symbol of enhanced performance and speed.