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The first to utilize variable turbine geometry turbo, Jason of Engineering Explained details why Porsche changed the game.
Since its introduction in 1964, the revered Porsche 911 is still considered the benchmark amongst two-door coupes. Virtually the last remaining marque to build a rear-engine production car, Porsche has all but perfected the recipe. In a world where sports cars battle for second place, behind the 911, it has continued to introduce new technology that takes the outdated rear-engine, rear-wheel drive format to new heights.
This time, in the form of forced induction. Porsche has begun to perfect what's known as a variable turbine geometry turbo. Now we're sure you're thinking, "that's a random mash up of words that mean nothing." Without Porsche and automotive supplier, Borg Warner, you'd be right.
Known across the industry simply as "variable geometry turbochargers", the Porsche and Borg Warner partnership have elected to add the "turbine" in the middle in an effort to separate themselves from the rest of the VGT market. But more than name only, Jason Fenske of Engineering Explained details Porsche's new turbocharging process, and why the German automaker has (once again) perfected another performance modification.
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Debuting in production cars in 2006, by none other than Porsche, Jason explains VGTs are quite simply the best solution to turbocharging and maintain consistent performance across the power band.
With the majority of turbos utilized by automakers being twin-scroll, Jason continues to elaborate how the process takes time (i.e. spooling up) and is not nearly as responsive as a naturally-aspirated, or supercharged engine.
For quite some time, many thought the solution was to merely build a bigger turbo to counteract the lack of torque at higher RPMs.
Although big turbos achieve this outcome, the time it takes to spool up may not be until the end of the power band, at which point you may no longer be accelerating and miss out on a major performance boost — no pun intended.
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Porsche's solution you ask?
Well that came in the form of Borg Warner's variable turbine geometry turbo, as we mentioned previously.
Adjustable vanes in the turbo will open and close depending on throttle response thus, creating the perfect amount of power, regardless of RPMs.
This will lead to high back pressure — a negative of boosting — however, this helps lessen restriction when spooling the turbine, resulting in higher flow of air and power.
In addition to increased back pressure, other drawbacks of VGTs are boost creep as a result of the high temperature gas burns at, a possibility of corroding the turbo due to said heat, and finally, thermal expansion as a result of — you guessed it: heat.
However, far outweighed by the benefit, VGTs appear to be the future of forced induction.
After all, if the 911 is using them, so will every other automaker trying to dethrone the rear-engined sports carmaker.
Jacob is a writer and gearhead splitting time between Southern California and Phoenix, Arizona. When he's not wrenching on his and his wife's questionable fleet of cars; he's learning DIY repair, researching car culture and history, or casually browsing used cars. Jacob cut his teeth writing for the now defunct, Oppositelock, before the website was blown up.