In recent years, the Spanish automotive market has seen a clear dominance of turbocharged or supercharged vehicles. Most new models are equipped with these types of powertrains, which marks a significant difference from the situation several decades ago.
Previously, a significant portion of passenger cars in Spain came with naturally aspirated engines. These engines operate by allowing air to enter the cylinders naturally, solely under external atmospheric pressure. Unlike turbocharged units, no additional equipment is used to force air into the engine, making the design simpler and cheaper to maintain.
Naturally aspirated engines draw in air directly: as the piston moves down, a vacuum is created, allowing air to enter the combustion chamber. This design ensures reliability and longevity, while also reducing repair and maintenance costs. However, this type of engine has its own limitations.
Among the disadvantages of naturally aspirated engines are their lower performance compared to turbocharged counterparts with the same power output. Achieving similar characteristics requires a larger displacement and increased power, which leads to higher fuel consumption and emissions. In today’s climate of increasingly strict environmental standards, this has become a serious obstacle to the widespread use of such engines.
As a result, car manufacturers are increasingly turning to turbocharging, which enhances efficiency and reduces emissions. This explains why it is now extremely rare to find new naturally aspirated vehicles on the Spanish market.
Nevertheless, among diesel engines there are still models renowned for their high reliability. Some experts highlight specific models that have proven to be virtually indestructible. These include the Peugeot W10 TD 2.0 90 CV, BMW M4720, FIAT 1.9 JTD, as well as the BMW M57 D30, known under various names.
Thus, the structure of the passenger car market in Spain continues to evolve under the influence of technological and environmental factors. Turbocharged engines are becoming the standard, while naturally aspirated engines are gradually being phased out in favor of more modern solutions.
