Toyota Rolls Out First Turbocharged Engine In Over 15 Years - What Took So Long?

It's been 17 years since Toyota offered a U.S.-market turbocharged engine. The last one was a memorable 320-hp twin-turbo mill powering the high-performance version of its third-generation Toyota Supra sports/GT coupe. Introduced in 1993, it was withdrawn from North America in 1998. Toyota also sold turbocharged 4-cyl. pickups in 1985-86 and a turbocharged MR2 sports car from 1991-95.

Toyota’s newest U.S. turbo is offered in the all-new ’15 Lexus NX 200t luxury compact CUV.

"The market for vehicles that combine a turbocharger with a small-displacement engine is increasing," says Izumi Watanabe of Toyota's Engine Product Design Div. "So Lexus decided to adopt its first-ever turbocharged engine. This turbo mechanism helps efficiency by reducing engine displacement. It also increases acceleration and helps express the brand’s 'fun to drive' attribute."

tesla - 10/24/2014 5:23:06 PM

-2 Boost

They were waiting for other manufacturers to spend money on developing the technology. Now they can take it apart and copy it.

CarCrazedinCali - 10/24/2014 6:44:56 PM

-2 Boost

was going to say the same thing

mpls - 10/25/2014 3:21:16 AM

+2 Boost

No, not with copying or buying bits from extrenal compnies like other car manufacturere but by developing in house.

http://www.torquenews.com/1083/2015-nx-200t-lexus-2-liter-turbo-engine-companys-most-important-decade

MDarringer - 10/25/2014 9:37:21 AM

-4 Boost

Toyota hasn't NEEDED a turbo in its line up. If dimwits here think Toyota is incapable of designing a turbo engine and that it has to wait for others to do it first so it can plagiarize the technology, then what you are hearing is anti-Japanese bigotry talking.

Turbos used to be for exciting products and Toyota has none given that they concentrate on bread and butter.

Now as turbo 4 cylinder engines are increasingly replacing V6s for example, it makes sense they would produce a turbo or two.

Toyota is prudent to a fault and to this point its products have done just fine without a turbo.

knowitall1985 - 10/25/2014 12:20:33 PM

+3 Boost

They didn't need one because they had Toyota to meet fleet CAFE standards.....4cyl turbo's suck....Give me a 6 anyday.....

W208 - 10/25/2014 9:09:30 PM

+2 Boost

2.0l turbos suck in general. The only one I've come to appreciate is Subaru's flat 4. 2.0l i4 turbos seem to scream at you like someone getting maced when you punch them, and are quite laggy. The higher discplacement i4s like the one in the MPS 3 and the Chysler 2.4t world engine, have loads more midrange with less lag....it's the closest thing to a 6cyl.

leej - 10/25/2014 12:48:30 PM

+6 Boost

Another flaming headline from the provocateur, lol.

HughJass - 10/29/2014 9:34:05 PM

+1 Boost

Don't think people buying a Camry care if there's a turbo under the hood, or even a V6.