There used to be a time when bolting a turbocharger into a bog-standard engine was more than adequate. As the horsepower wars escalated, twin-turbochargers appeared in high-performance models.
Truth be told, even the most daring of tuners would stay away from adding a third turbo. BMW was the one of the first manufacturers to make it a hat-trick with its new 3.0-liter M-Performance tri-turbo diesels – and it was quite a surprise.
Now, according to a report from British publication Autocar, Porsche is going down the same road. Unlike BMW, though, it’s not for a diesel version of the Panamera or the Cayenne, but for the gasoline-powered flagship version of the latest 911.
The report claims that a series of patents of the new 911 Turbo that were uncovered show a smaller turbocharger positioned closer to the 3.8-liter flat-six for instant response and increased torque at low revs, plus two more that are similar to the Variable Turbine Geometry turbochargers employed by the 997.
Of course, no one has complained that the current 500HP 911 Turbo was lacking in the performance department. Moreover, Porsche’s engineers could have easily upped power by with some very minor tweaks.
Such are the times however, that even a brand like Porsche needs to lower its models’ fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. So, even though the 991-based Turbo will have an output of around 520HP, just 10HP shy of the current Turbo S, the primary reason for introducing a third turbocharger will probably be to make the engine more fuel efficient and greener.
PHOTO GALLERY
