Why doesn't every car have a turbo?

General Discussion
81

Lexus has turbocharged engines in three different models; GS 200t, IS 200t and NX 200t.

Lexus GS200t.jpg4096×2304 668 KB

82

Well, I drive a Yaris with a non-turbocharged 1.5 liter engine and before that, a Geo Metro with a 1 liter non turbocharged engine, so I guess my answer would be “yes”.

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83

A Camry is a pretty good sized car nowadays . . . MUCH heavier than some Geo Metro or Yaris

Even with variable valve timing and direct injection, I don’t think a naturally aspirated 1.6 will be acceptable in a Camry

Not for me

so my answer is a resounding NO

84

It’s a passing lane, sorry. There is no such thing as an acceleration lane,

It’s used for passing. Not accelerating.

In case you don’t know, accelerating means a constantly increasing speed.

85

I agree, I would never buy a turbo car unless forced. Unfortunately, I see that future approaching quickly.

I recently (2 yrs ago) bought a Subaru with the plain O4 engine, and find it has more than enough power under all conditions. I can see no reason that the turbo 4 would be required. Or needed.

86

Yes, like any generality, mostly true is good enough.

87

I think he meant “merging lane” which is for accelerating to freeway speed. Interstate 10 between San Antonio and Seguin TX has some really short on ramps and almost no marked merging lanes, and you can’t get up to freeway speed on the access road because the turn from the access road to the on ramp is nearly a 90 degree turn. I just use the entire width of the lane to apex the turn, like a race car driver on a race track to get a decent starting speed on the on ramp.

This part of I-10 in particular is what I’m talking about.

Looking at the rubber marks on the pavement, it looks like I’m not the only driver who apexes that turn. This is a “shovel ready project” if I’ve ever seen one.

2 Likes
88

There is an acceleration lane per the DOT. Shown in the link below and labeled “acceleration lane”

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/htm/2009/part3/fig3b_09_1_longdesc.htm

It clearly shows that portion of the highway for accelerating up to highway speeds to merge. A pet peeve of mine, too @Whitey.

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89

Driving 1mph faster then the car to the right may be may technically be passing but it’s definately just being an *ss. Some people have this need to just control other people. If it takes you more then just a few seconds to pass a car then you’re causing a dangerous situation.

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90

Acceleration is any change in velocity, not speed. Notice the term velocity and not speed and the term change and not increase. Velocity is a vector with direction and magnitude. You accelerate to slow down as well as speed up. Both are changes in velocity. You also accelerate to change direction because changing direction is also a change in velocity.
Speed on the other hand is a scalar quantity.

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91

Only the GS200t is a midsize and that is what I was talking about. It is new in 2016.

92

PEDANT ALERT!

Technically, you’re right, of course, but in common use ‘accelerate’ means to increase speed, decelerate means to decrease speed. And nobody cares about the distinction between ‘speed’ and ‘velocity’.

93

No different than the difference between mass and weight.
You feel g-forces while going around a curve even though your speed is constant because changing directions is acceleration.

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95

So if a car is going 70mph on the freeway, and you pass them, and you do NOT blow past them as if they were at a dead stop, then you’re causing a dangerous situation . . . ?!

It’s all relative

and I don’t think blanket statements are always a good thing

But I"m not sure if you were making a blanket statement or not

97

I know the difference between an acceleration lane (aka entrance ramp) and the passing lane (aka fast lane).

Thanks anyway.

98

BLE, of course. I was simplifying.

99

No you weren’t. You were completely wrong about what I was describing.

The passing lane is in no way relevant to what I was describing.

100

I think we are getting closer with top selling vehicles like Honda Civic, Cruze, ford vehicles(ecoBoost) and all hot selling VW using turbo engines.

Turbo is no longer a slingshot but more a way of using smaller displacement with lots of torque available early.

I own a 2005 turbo Subaru Legacy with 200k miles since new and had no problems with it. So I feel that realibility is there.