The turbo vs atmospheric engine battle has been heightened over the past few years with the new pollution standards implemented around the world.
Both the atmospheric engine and the turbo engine can deliver power and excitement for every driver.
Do you know which type of engine you should choose for yourself? In this article we give you some tips on which one you should choose.
What is an atmospheric engine?
The atmospheric engine, also known as aspirated engine or naturally aspirated engine, is a type of internal combustion engine that uses air intake in a natural way.
Inside the cylinder air is mixed with fuel and is given the explosion.
Categories of atmospheric engine
This type of engine is divided into 3 categories:
- Gasoline atmospheric engine.
- Gas atmospheric engine.
- Atmospheric diesel engine.
The movement of the pistons is what sucks the air into the combustion chamber inside the cylinder.
This suction movement depends on the valves opening and closing
What is a turbo charged engine?
A turbo charged engine is an engine that uses air supercharging systems to generate more airflow and more power.
Turbocharged engine construction
The turbo engine is made up of 4 essential components:
- Engine.
- Intercooler,
- Turbocharger (or just turbo).
- Turbine.
These components allow a higher velocity in the air flow entering the engine.
This mixture of air and petrol leads to higher engine speeds and greater efficiency in engine operation.
What are the differences between an atmospheric and a turbocharged engine?
The main difference between the atmospheric engine and the turbocharged engine is the size-power ratio.
While atmospheric diesel engines featured 2L capacity engines producing 110 hp of power, today’s turbo charged diesel engines have a 1.6L capacity engine producing the same 110 hp.
The other differences between these two types of engines are:
Maintenance
While turbo charged engines need more careful and costly maintenance, aspirated engines are simpler to maintain due to fewer components, lower engine speed and lower temperatures running .
Performance
A turbocharged engine offers higher performance in most situations, but the atmospheric engine has its advantages at high revs.
At low revs turbo assists the engine’s development to increase revs, but at high revs, the naturally aspirated engine has more power and can increase its speed easily.
Consumption
When it comes to consumption, there is no clear winner. This factor depends on the use that each user gives to the vehicle.
If both engine types are used in city circuits that imply low revs, the engine with turbo consumes less fuel due to its reduced engine size.
On the other hand, if both engines are used in high-revving situations, such as motorways, the turbo engine consumes more fuel.
Reliability
Because the atmospheric engine has fewer components, it helps long-term reliability. The more components a vehicle has, the more likely it is to break down.
Driving
Turbocharged engines are known for their smoothness as they increase revs, while atmospheric car engines are more aggressive engines.
Turbo vs atmospheric engine: which one to choose?
If you intend to use your vehicle as a city car for doing day-to-day tasks (working, shopping, etc), you should opt for a car with a turbo, as it consumes less and is more comfortable for daily driving.
The atmospheric engine is a great choice if you want a car with more character and more sportiness. Despite its high fuel consumption it will certainly bring more smiles when you want to enjoy the vehicle.
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