Why are most Japanese cars naturally aspirated?
1 Answers
Most Japanese cars are naturally aspirated because: If engine displacement is blindly reduced, it will only result in insufficient vehicle power. Therefore, turbocharging technology emerged. For example, a 1.5T engine can achieve fuel consumption similar to a naturally aspirated engine of the same displacement while providing 30% more power - why wouldn't that be desirable? As we all know, Japan has a very small land area, commonly referred to as an island nation. However, the Japanese people are quite wise. Both the citizens and government are acutely aware of the country's limited resources. After World War II, as a defeated nation facing massive reparations and a completely paralyzed domestic situation, the Japanese government introduced a new vehicle category - K-Car - to help recover. The Japanese government also stipulated that K-Cars must not exceed 660cc displacement (0.66L in familiar units). Even what Chinese consumers consider small displacement (1.3L, 1.4L etc.) is much larger than this. The power output of a mere 0.66L engine can be imagined as extremely weak. The solution? Turbocharging! Thus Japan gradually embraced turbocharging, reaching its peak in the 1980s-90s when almost every car had a turbo option - even the Alto had a turbocharged version.
