The change in the market in North America – led by Ford – is particularly remarkable; in 2008, there were no turbocharged petrol engines made in North America, all previous turbo-fitted engines having been imported.
The first North American built turbocharged petrol engine was fitted to the Lincoln MKS which used the first North American EcoBoost engine. This engine has since been fitted to the Ford Flex, Explorer and most significantly the F-series pick-up trucks.
“GM has been somewhat behind Ford in terms of the fitment of turbochargers, but it is slowly going down the same route,” said Ian Henry. “It has already started on this journey – the 2012 Cadillac XTS had a turbo option on the 3.6 litre V6 engine. GM is however also working on improving the fuel efficiency of its naturally aspirated engines and has claimed that it can achieve similar fuel efficiencies gains to those available with turbochargers through other means.”
“The impetus at Chrysler will come from Fiat’s MultiAir programme,” adds Henry.
The CAFE rules announced in 2012 will force GM and Chrysler to accelerate their use of fuel saving technologies such as turbochargers and a large part of the increased volumes which will be seen in the next few years and into the 2020s come from the widening take-up across these VMs, Ford having led the way.
According to just-auto’s QUBE data, North America currently has a turbo fitment rate below 20% but by the late 2020s, if not before, its fitment rate will be much closer to that of Europe, at close to 75%.