# Difference between Twin-Turbo and Bi-Turbo

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/difference-between-twin-turbo-and-bi-turbo/52266>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Tags:** camry, toyota\
**Created:** [July 22, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difference-between-twin-turbo-and-bi-turbo/52266 "2010-07-22T05:17:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![paperclip-9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@paperclip-9](https://community.cartalk.com/u/paperclip-9)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difference-between-twin-turbo-and-bi-turbo/52266/1 "2010-07-22T05:17:42Z")

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Is there a difference between a twin-turbo and a bi-turbo?

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**Author:** ![twotone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@twotone](https://community.cartalk.com/u/twotone)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 5:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difference-between-twin-turbo-and-bi-turbo/52266/2 "2010-07-22T05:23:01Z")

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Depending upon the manufacturer, it may be two terms for the same thing. For some, “twin-turbo” means two turbos – one for each bank of cylinders(V6, V8, etc.). “Bi-turbo” means it likes both men and women. OK, just kidding. Bi-turbo typically means two turbos in series – one spools up at low RPM and the second kicks in at higher RPM. The intended effect is to reduce low RPM turbo lag.

Twotone

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**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difference-between-twin-turbo-and-bi-turbo/52266/3 "2010-07-22T14:03:59Z")

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Bi-turbo was most used by Maserati for a car that had a V6, with the turbos in a ‘twin-turbo’ configuration, one per bank blowing together (in parallel). They used a carburetor in a ‘blow through’ setup, resulting in terrible running and a reputation that almost killed the company.

[![](http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/18valve/18-valve-24a.gif) ](http://www.maserati-alfieri.co.uk/18valve/18-valve-24a.gif)

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**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\
**Post date:** [July 22, 2010, 4:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/difference-between-twin-turbo-and-bi-turbo/52266/4 "2010-07-22T16:53:27Z")

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If I remember correctly, BMW currently refers to their single-turbocharger engines as “biturbo.” I can’t explain why.

The Maseratti bi-turbo from years ago had two turbochargers, one for each bank of the V6 engine.

That was then, this is now.