Forced-induction is making it much easier to eke out more power out of smaller-displacement engines, and Volvo’s latest powertrain shows what the Swedish automaker can do with turbochargers and a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine.
Volvo calls it the High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept, utilizing not one, but three turbochargers and a high-pressure fuel pump on its 2.0L four-banger to produce “no less than” 450 horsepower. Essentially, an electric turbocharger feeds compressed air to two additional turbochargers in the name of completely eliminating lag.
“Above all, its compact size improves weight distribution between the front and rear axle and lowers the centre of gravity, two factors that have a significant effect on handling whether it is a race car or a street car,” Mattias Evensson, race engineer director at Volvo’s Polestar tuning division.
The announcement of Volvo’s High Performance Drive-E Powertrain Concept comes after the automaker announced it will eventually move to a lineup powered exclusively by four-cylinder engines.
