For decades, most powerful vehicles ran big, heavy engines that had to drink aggressively, even when they weren’t really working. Big engines are a car-buff staple and loved by gearheads the world over-- but economic mayhem and haywire gas prices have left automakers looking for a new, more fuel-efficient way to give their products some serious jam.

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Of course, there’s no replacement for displacement—but lately, turbocharging is putting up a better argument than ever. Today’s turbo technology is the best it’s ever been, and automakers are launching more smaller-displacement, turbocharged engines in their lineups. Add in systems like Variable Valve Timing (VVT) and Direct Injection (DI), and the benefits of a turbocharged engine are further enhanced.

Just what is a turbocharger anyways? Very simply, it’s an exhaust-gas driven turbine that forces pressurized air into its engine, ‘boosting’ it. By matching this pressurized air with additional fuel, the turbocharger enables a virtual increase in displacement and performance in an on-demand manner.

End of the day, using a turbo system to ‘boost’ a small engine gives drivers the on-demand performance of a bigger powerplant alongside the potential for smaller-engine fuel bills. It’s all up to one’s right foot.

With a small-displacement turbo engine on duty, drivers only pay the fuel penalty on the power they use-- rather than feeding a bigger powerplant all the time. With comparative fuel savings of some 20 percent or more possible, it’s no wonder turbo four and six-cylinder engines stand to make V6 and V8 engines obsolete, respectively. In fact, in some high-end market segments, turbo V8 engines have already sent 10 and 12-cylinder powerplants packing.

Volvo has been offering turbocharged engines in their vehicles for many, many years. The Swedish automaker’s Boosting Systems Technical Expert, Hakan Bjornsson, explains the benefits.

2011 Volvo S60 (Photo: Justin Pritchard/Auto123.com)