Turbo or NA, which do you prefer and why?
Poll: Turbo or NA, which do you prefer and why?
Total Members Polled: 487
Discussion
I was one of the people who clicked 'Normally Aspirated'.
I have to say though that my wife's new BMW with the turbo 4 is actually pretty good. Possibly because it's hooked up to an 8-speed auto gearbox, but with everything in 'Sport' mode it revs freely and effectively, and makes for quite a decent drive as long as I look past the fact that it's front wheel drive and torque steers like mad on anything other than a completely dry road.
I have to say though that my wife's new BMW with the turbo 4 is actually pretty good. Possibly because it's hooked up to an 8-speed auto gearbox, but with everything in 'Sport' mode it revs freely and effectively, and makes for quite a decent drive as long as I look past the fact that it's front wheel drive and torque steers like mad on anything other than a completely dry road.
I value other things far more than a car’s engine, providing the engine is responsive enough to balance the car in corners. Those things I value more include a car’s controls (feedback, linearity, responsiveness), driving position, balance, and handling. In each of those categories I have preferences. I also must have rear drive, that’s not up for debate at all. Those things aside, I ticked n/a when this thread started and stand by that now. My daily is a turbo and my track car is n/a, so I experience both regularly. I like both , am not too bothered, but would always choose n/a if given a choice.
I'm fairly easy - I really liked the N52 N/A engine in my old 330 but I'm a big fan of the B58 turbo in my M140, especially mated to the ZF8 auto gearbox. It doesn't feel all that turbo charged compared to other cars I looked at, no doubt helped by the fact that it's a 3 litre engine so the turbo doesn't need to add too much.
As previously mentioned, there are good and bad examples of both.
As previously mentioned, there are good and bad examples of both.
I was a little bit nervous going for a 370Z because I didn't especially like the N/A engines power delivery in my Z4M/E92 M3/E90 330i. Although the 370Z has been remapped so it doesn't feel flat low down like the Bmw's did.
I like both turbo and N/A and I said in my post back in April 2016 that I prefer turbo as a daily and N/A for a weekend car. I still stand by that having run a turbo as a daily for the last couple of years.
I like both turbo and N/A and I said in my post back in April 2016 that I prefer turbo as a daily and N/A for a weekend car. I still stand by that having run a turbo as a daily for the last couple of years.
cerb4.5lee said:
I was a little bit nervous going for a 370Z because I didn't especially like the N/A engines power delivery in my Z4M/E92 M3/E90 330i. Although the 370Z has been remapped so it doesn't feel flat low down like the Bmw's did.
That's just a feature of a tuned engine such as found in the Z4M and E92 M3; that's what they're supposed to do, being M cars. Full racing engines often go one stage further and actually cough and splutter below about 4-5k. I'm surprised you found this the case with the E90 330ci though, I always found that engine to have loads of torque throughout the rev range.RobM77 said:
I'm surprised you found this the case with the E90 330ci though, I always found that engine to have loads of torque throughout the rev range.
I think that it was because it was an auto and that didn't really help its cause/suit the engines characteristics for me. The gearbox was really dim witted leading to it feeling worse than it probably was. The Z4/M3 were both manuals though.
You used to be able to get peaky turbo engines, I've had two that revved to over 8000rpm and sang to the redline. Best of both worlds, mid range torque and rev happy top end craziness and they weren't 6 figure exotica either.
It's a shame modern emissions crap now means most turbo petrol engines have more in common with diesel engines these days, lots of low down shove but out of breath by 5-6k rpm = dull.
It's a shame modern emissions crap now means most turbo petrol engines have more in common with diesel engines these days, lots of low down shove but out of breath by 5-6k rpm = dull.
Guvernator said:
It's a shame modern emissions crap now means most turbo petrol engines have more in common with diesel engines these days, lots of low down shove but out of breath by 5-6k rpm = dull.
That pretty much describes the BMW B48 turbo 2 litre 4 cylinder engine in my Cooper S. Torque comes in at a very diesel like 1200rpm, it is fairly happy to rev but it doesn't have much at all at the top end of the revs. 
I found my two turbodiesels more effortless in real world driving than my recent NA BMWs. A more narrow powerband but the torque between 1700-3000 rpm made it easier to make progress and change gear more smoothly at lower RPMs.
I just don't find myself revving the current car (BMW E36 328i) hard enough to access the powerband (4000rpm+) and when I do generally run out of space or exceed the speed limits before I can really wring it out. More often I find myself changing up at low revs.
Even more of an issue with the likes of a VTEC Honda or Toyota VVTLi where the power band is well into illegal speeds in most of the gears. Seems less usable on the road to me.
I just don't find myself revving the current car (BMW E36 328i) hard enough to access the powerband (4000rpm+) and when I do generally run out of space or exceed the speed limits before I can really wring it out. More often I find myself changing up at low revs.
Even more of an issue with the likes of a VTEC Honda or Toyota VVTLi where the power band is well into illegal speeds in most of the gears. Seems less usable on the road to me.
Escort3500 said:
SturdyHSV said:
Big NA for me, no replacement for displacement 
All day long. Turbos sound very wheezy by comparison. NA all the way, and for my driving : 80% in town and 20% on country roads they're not far off on MPG either (about 6 Mpg) - SLK does 22-23 (sometimes the heady heights of 25
) the Golf did about 28-30. Both need Super unleaded...Guvernator said:
You used to be able to get peaky turbo engines, I've had two that revved to over 8000rpm and sang to the redline. Best of both worlds, mid range torque and rev happy top end craziness and they weren't 6 figure exotica either.
It's a shame modern emissions crap now means most turbo petrol engines have more in common with diesel engines these days, lots of low down shove but out of breath by 5-6k rpm = dull.
Also, how much of that is because most people want that low down shove of a diesel but in petrol format?It's a shame modern emissions crap now means most turbo petrol engines have more in common with diesel engines these days, lots of low down shove but out of breath by 5-6k rpm = dull.
For daily driving it can be quite nice though, that low down shove.
Court_S said:
Also, how much of that is because most people want that low down shove of a diesel but in petrol format?
For daily driving it can be quite nice though, that low down shove.
Absolutely for day to day it's brill, for your weekend toy, not so much. Some people complain that modern performance engines can be dull. Sure make your 1.2 litre shopping trolley diesel like, it's the best thing for it but give your performance models a bit more zing, there is no reason for them to be diesel like at all.For daily driving it can be quite nice though, that low down shove.
Truly can’t decide, both are fabulous in their own ways.
Our NA BMW in-line 6 is so sweet for its transparency and linearity.
Our Turbo 4 Mitsubishi has synaptic throttle response on boost, feels so much more endowed than the NA 6 on boost but is utterly feeble off boost in comparison. That said, it revs just as manically as the NA unit snagging the limiter with true energy
Our NA BMW in-line 6 is so sweet for its transparency and linearity.
Our Turbo 4 Mitsubishi has synaptic throttle response on boost, feels so much more endowed than the NA 6 on boost but is utterly feeble off boost in comparison. That said, it revs just as manically as the NA unit snagging the limiter with true energy
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