Though the first turbocharged car was an Oldsmobile, which debuted in 1962, the first mass-produced car to use a turbo was actually the BMW 2002 introduced in 1973. Since then, nothing has been the same as there is no better feeling than hearing a turbo kicking in, seeing the RPMs spike up, and witnessing the car effortlessly accelerate.
Turbocharged cars are undeniably some of the most fun cars on the road. However, it is even better when you are not aware that the engine has a turbo and you find out while driving. Some of the cars in this list will certainly surprise you as from the exterior they do not look anything special, but in reality, they packing some incredible power.
10 Volvo S60
Volvo is known around the world for making the sturdiest and safest cars on the market. However, the Swedish company is also known for turbocharging the engines of peculiar models. The Volvo S60 is a bonafide rocket as it is powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinder engine that generates 306 horsepower and can push the car to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
The second generation of this car which was in production from 2010 to 2018 was one of the fastest sedans on the market.
9 Ford Cosworth Escort RS
It is a well-known fact that when Cosworth works on an engine the car will automatically become incredibly fast. This Escort RS is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four cylinder engine that generates 224 horsepower and can push the car to a top speed of 150 mph.
This is the first mass-produced car ever to generate downforce both at the front and the rear. The car has become one of the most iconic vehicles ever made by Ford. This Cosworth is a very rare item as, from 1992 until 1996, only 7000 units have been made.
8 GMC Syclone
The GMC Syclone is American engineering at its finest: a sturdy pickup truck with the engine of a supercar. The Syclone was powered by a turbocharged 4.3-liter V6 that generated 280 horsepower. The engine was so powerful that the pickup truck was able to go from 0 to 62 mph in just 4 seconds.
When it came out in 1991, the GMC was the fastest pickup in the whole world. The Syclone was so quick that Car and Driver raced it against a Ferrari 348ts in 1991 and beat it. The Syclone was in production only until 1992 and less than 3000 units have been made.
7 Cadillac CT4
Cadillac has made an absolute home run with the CT4 as not only does it look amazing but all the versions of this car are incredibly fast. All of the trims have a turbo, but without a shadow of a doubt, the most fun one to drive is the CT4 Blackwing.
This version is powered by a twin-turbo 3.6-liter V6 that produces 472 horsepower and can push the Cadillac to a top speed of 189 mph. The CT4 is so incredibly fast that it could compete with any AMG as it is able to go from 0 to 62 mph in just 3.8 seconds. This car is a low-key beast.
6 Jaguar XJR
English brands just know how to combine a classy design with a fantastic engine. The XJR is an incredible car powered by a supercharged 4.0-liter V6 that produces 370 horsepower able to push the car to an electronically limited top speed of 155 mph.
The car was in production between 1998 and 2003 and only 3000 units were produced featuring that engine. It had a sports suspension and breaks, and at the same time, it offered the comfort and luxury of a high-end sedan.
5 Alfa Romeo Giulia
The Quadrifoglio version of the Giulia can certainly be considered one of the greatest Alfa Romeos ever made. However, buyers do not need to spend an insane amount of money to get a Giulia with an incredible engine as the base sport version is still incredibly fun to drive.
It is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four cylinder engine that produces 276 horsepower. The Giulia has a top speed of 150 mph and can go from 0 to 62 mph in just 5 seconds. This Alfa Romeo was chosen by the company to re-enter the American market after almost three decades of absence.
4 Mazda RX-7
The third generation of the RX-7 is hands-down the greatest Mazda ever made. And although it was in production for only 3 years in the United States, it is considered one of the best Japanese sports cars of the '90s.
The Mazda was powered by a twin-turbocharged 1.3-liter twin-rotor engine that generated 261 horsepower, pushing the car to a top speed of 156 mph. The supreme handling and power made this car a cultural icon.
3 Pontiac Firebird Trans-AM
Most people might not know that in 1989 Pontiac created a Trans-AM with a turbo. The most well-known version was powered by the beefy 5.7-liter V8. However, the most fun one to drive was the one powered by a turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 that produced 250 horsepower, 15 more than the V8.
However, experts believe that the true output of this Firebird was well over 300 horsepower. When it came out in 1989, it was the fastest and quickest American production car. The car was able to go from 0 to 62 mph in just 4 seconds and reach a top speed of 155 mph. Only 1500 units were made with a turbo.
2 Buick Grand National
The GNX was one of the baddest American cars ever made. The car was powered by a beefy turbocharged 3.8-liter V6 that Buick said generated 235 horsepower. However, it is believed that the actual output is closer to 300 horsepower. This car was so quick that it could go from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.9 seconds, which meant that it was faster than the Corvette when it debuted in 1986.
The original number of cars that were going to be manufactured was 200, but the company ended up making 547 units. The incredible engine combined with the amazing boxy look makes the Grand National a mean beast.
1 Ferrari 208GTB (Italian Version)
The whole world got the Ferrari 208GTB powered by a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V8, except the Italian market. In Italy, in the early 1980s, there was a law that gave huge tax cuts to smaller capacity engines. The savings were significant, especially when buying a sports car.
Therefore, Ferrari decided to produce a 'downsized' turbocharged 2.0-liter V8 that produced 220 horsepower. In order to make its 'smaller' engine as fun to drive as the 3.0-liter one, Ferrari fitted the car with the same turbocharger used by the Ferrari 126 C2—the Formula 1 car used by Gilles Villeneuve. The 208GTB had a top speed of 155 mph.