So I was discussing this with my mates a couple of days ago.
We all know that in current times turbocharging is the new trend since it's become to a point where it's so effective you can pretty much turbocharge everything, get more power and torque and save fuel (when the turbine isn't spinning...). Legislations and laws pretty much make the NA engine extinct since you nowadays it's very hard to make it pass the emission tests.
But what do you guys think, when will the point arrive where we will no longer be able to get NA engines in our cars? When will these things become a story of the past? Have we already exceeded that point?
The reason for me asking this is because I've realised that pretty much all german manufacturers (with exceptions) have stopped producing them:
- Mercedes-Benz has dropped the 350 V6, it's currently only available with 4matic (only E class coupe I think?) but this will probably be dropped aswell very soon. As far as I'm concerned it was the last one they build.
- Audi has dropped its last NA engine (besides the R8, that is), the 2.8 FSI with the facelift of the A6 C7 in autumn 2014. Also note how it only produced 210 hp (speaking of it passing the regulations) whereas you could get more out of a M50B28 twenty years ago, and that engine didn't have direct fuel injection.
- BMW has no naturally aspirated engine left, also what you think of as a straight six are "only" four cylinders nowadays (x28i).
- Opel still has some naturally aspirated engines like the 1.6, but that's probably due to the fact that they don't build V8s and therefore it's easier for them to get the general companies fleets emissions down (same goes for french manufacturers).
- Porsche likes turbos, but cars like the 911 pretty much live from the NA engine. Interesting to see how this will go on in the future, since VAG can be used to get the fleets emissions down here aswell. Also, think of that four cylinder turbo Cayman coming soon.
- And Volkswagen has dropped all its naturally aspirated engines aswell besides the 1.0 3 cylinder in the Up!.
Speaking of which, this whole downsizing process and its goal of keeping the emissions down brought me to another part:
Ten or twenty years ago, you could just go to an Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Volkswagen dealership, get yourself a mid-sized V6/VR6/I6 that lasts half a million kilometers with good care and you're done.
Nowadays, you get engines like the 1.4 TSI which as far as I'm concernes is crap (sorry Narf and Perc!), since you have to be very careful with it, otherwise the chance of it breaking down before it reaches 100.000 km is quite big. Also, I've never seen a car with that engine that reached more than 200.000 km. Some are probably out there, but they are exceptions and won't nearly last as long as proper NA engines can. I don't want to pick on VAG here, it's just an example.I don't really think that turbocharged engines other manufacturers will do better in the future. BMW pretty much says their current (leased) cars are done after 150.000 km.
Now, since the reason of downsizing is to bring the emissions of a car down. But when more new cars/engines have to be produced to get the same mileage as with an NA engine, isn't this completely contraproductive in terms of overall emissions? Just think what needs to be done to produce a car... I hope you get my point.
Also, how is it on the North American market? I know that especially Californias emission regulations are pretty much the strictest you can find, but is the trend of the NA engine becoming extinct over there a thing aswell?
Would love to hear your thoughts on this.
We all know that in current times turbocharging is the new trend since it's become to a point where it's so effective you can pretty much turbocharge everything, get more power and torque and save fuel (when the turbine isn't spinning...). Legislations and laws pretty much make the NA engine extinct since you nowadays it's very hard to make it pass the emission tests.
But what do you guys think, when will the point arrive where we will no longer be able to get NA engines in our cars? When will these things become a story of the past? Have we already exceeded that point?
The reason for me asking this is because I've realised that pretty much all german manufacturers (with exceptions) have stopped producing them:
- Mercedes-Benz has dropped the 350 V6, it's currently only available with 4matic (only E class coupe I think?) but this will probably be dropped aswell very soon. As far as I'm concerned it was the last one they build.
- Audi has dropped its last NA engine (besides the R8, that is), the 2.8 FSI with the facelift of the A6 C7 in autumn 2014. Also note how it only produced 210 hp (speaking of it passing the regulations) whereas you could get more out of a M50B28 twenty years ago, and that engine didn't have direct fuel injection.
- BMW has no naturally aspirated engine left, also what you think of as a straight six are "only" four cylinders nowadays (x28i).
- Opel still has some naturally aspirated engines like the 1.6, but that's probably due to the fact that they don't build V8s and therefore it's easier for them to get the general companies fleets emissions down (same goes for french manufacturers).
- Porsche likes turbos, but cars like the 911 pretty much live from the NA engine. Interesting to see how this will go on in the future, since VAG can be used to get the fleets emissions down here aswell. Also, think of that four cylinder turbo Cayman coming soon.
- And Volkswagen has dropped all its naturally aspirated engines aswell besides the 1.0 3 cylinder in the Up!.
Speaking of which, this whole downsizing process and its goal of keeping the emissions down brought me to another part:
Ten or twenty years ago, you could just go to an Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz or Volkswagen dealership, get yourself a mid-sized V6/VR6/I6 that lasts half a million kilometers with good care and you're done.
Nowadays, you get engines like the 1.4 TSI which as far as I'm concernes is crap (sorry Narf and Perc!), since you have to be very careful with it, otherwise the chance of it breaking down before it reaches 100.000 km is quite big. Also, I've never seen a car with that engine that reached more than 200.000 km. Some are probably out there, but they are exceptions and won't nearly last as long as proper NA engines can. I don't want to pick on VAG here, it's just an example.I don't really think that turbocharged engines other manufacturers will do better in the future. BMW pretty much says their current (leased) cars are done after 150.000 km.
Now, since the reason of downsizing is to bring the emissions of a car down. But when more new cars/engines have to be produced to get the same mileage as with an NA engine, isn't this completely contraproductive in terms of overall emissions? Just think what needs to be done to produce a car... I hope you get my point.
Also, how is it on the North American market? I know that especially Californias emission regulations are pretty much the strictest you can find, but is the trend of the NA engine becoming extinct over there a thing aswell?
Would love to hear your thoughts on this.