Power to weight ratio.

 

you guys also fail to realize that its fine if everyone you've talked to has had "minimal problems" with their turbos, but if you are selling a car a brand new car in the 21st century, it has got to damn near perfect. If 5% of those cars blow up within 100k, they are going to be screaming for your firstborn's blood.

 

For the sake of engine longevity, I think the amount of boost is very conservative on factory offerings. My 1986 Porsche came from the factory with 215 hp at 0.8 bar positive pressure. Many of those engines have gone 250K miles. Mine has run 1.1 bars since 1998 with the addition of a special head gasket and a second oil cooler, the latter being needed only for track driving. The '87-'89 versions produce 247 hp with a larger turbo. If properly engineered and maintained, turbocharged cars last a long time. The downside is that they are more complex. I have seen 944 turbos financially consume people, literally eating them alive. Much of that is attributable to the owner's ignorance. That's how I got mine for a small amount of money in 1996. It was eating its owner.

 

I'm just saying that things like head gaskets that gear heads might consider rotine maintence for a turbo charged car would be unacceptable to the typical consumer.

 

More and more vehicles are being built with some sort of forced induction. Here is a list right off the top of my head. I am sure there are more than I list.

Mercedes S and TC
Porsche TC
BMW TC
Saab TC
Subaru TC
Mitsubishi TC
Chevrolet S
Cadillac S
Ford S
Chrysler TC
Ferrari TC
Volvo TC
Volkswagen TC
Mini Cooper S
Acura TC
Audi TC
Jaguar S
Scion S