So You Want To Go Faster?

If you’re anything like me, your average car enthusiast and adrenaline junkie, you eventually get the urge to go faster. We all do it. You buy the car you’ve been looking for, spend a few months getting familiar with it, and before long, that car that once felt fast and exciting just doesn’t hit the same anymore. So, where do we go from here? It’s time to build it.

There are plenty of ways to make your car quicker. Performance intakes, exhaust systems, camshafts, and a whole list of other upgrades can all help. But today, I want to talk about power adders. There are three that pretty much every car enthusiast has heard of: turbochargers, superchargers, and nitrous. But what exactly do they do, how do they work, and which one makes the most sense for you?

Turbochargers
Let’s start with turbos. In the simplest terms, a turbo is basically an exhaust-powered air pump that lets your engine burn more air and fuel, which means more power.

A turbo uses the engine’s exhaust gases to spin a turbine wheel. That turbine is connected to a compressor wheel, which forces pressurized air into the engine’s intake. More air going into the engine means you can add more fuel, creating a bigger combustion event and, you guessed it, more horsepower.

Turbos have become extremely popular in modern cars because they can make a lot of power without needing a huge engine. That’s a big reason you see smaller four and six cylinder engines making power that would have required a much larger engine just a few decades ago.

Superchargers

Superchargers work toward the same goal as a turbo, get more air into the engine so you can burn more fuel and make more power. The big difference is how they get their power.

Instead of using exhaust gases like a turbo, a supercharger is usually driven directly by the engine with a belt. The engine spins the supercharger, which compresses the incoming air and forces it into the intake. The engine can then add more fuel to match all that extra oxygen, resulting in more power.

The big advantage of a supercharger is instant power. Hit the throttle and the supercharger is already working. The downside is that because the engine has to spin the supercharger, it takes some power from the engine to make more power.

There are three main types of superchargers: Roots, twin-screw, and centrifugal.

• Roots Supercharger: The Roots supercharger is probably the one most people picture when they hear the word “blower.” It’s usually mounted right on top of the engine and uses two rotating lobes to move large amounts of air into the intake. Roots blowers are known for making big low-end torque and instant throttle response. They’re also responsible for that classic supercharger whine you hear on a lot of muscle cars and hot rods.
• Twin Screw Supercharger: A twin-screw supercharger uses two interlocking, screw-shaped rotors to compress the air as it moves through the supercharger. This makes it more efficient than a traditional Roots-style design. Twin-screw superchargers are great for making power across a wide RPM range. They give you plenty of low-end torque while still making strong power as the RPM climbs.
• Centrifugal Supercharger: A centrifugal supercharger looks a lot like a small turbocharger and works somewhat differently from the other two. Instead of sitting on top of the engine, it’s usually mounted off to the side and driven by a belt. Centrifugal superchargers tend to make more boost as engine RPM increases, which means they’re especially good at making big horsepower at higher RPM.

So Which Supercharger Is Best?
There’s really no single answer. Roots blowers are great if you want instant low-end power and that classic blower feel. Twin-screw superchargers give you a great combination of torque and efficiency. And centrifugal superchargers are a great option if you’re looking to make big horsepower as the RPM climbs. At the end of the day, they all have the same job: get more air into the engine and make more power.

Now for the Scary One… Nitrous
Now let’s talk about the one that seems to scare people the most, nitrous. Nitrous oxide, commonly called nitrous or N₂O, is a way to give your engine a temporary shot of extra power. When nitrous is injected into the engine, the high temperatures inside the combustion chamber break it down and release additional oxygen. That extra oxygen allows the engine to burn more fuel, creating a much bigger combustion event. Nitrous also has a cooling effect as it enters the engine. As the liquid nitrous expands, it dramatically lowers the temperature of the incoming air. Cooler air is denser, which means even more oxygen can make its way into the engine.

Unlike a turbo or supercharger, nitrous isn’t working all the time. You typically hit a button or activate the system when you want the extra power. And while nitrous can make some serious horsepower for relatively little money, it’s not something you can just throw on an engine and hope for the best. Fuel delivery, ignition timing, and proper tuning are extremely important if you want to keep the engine in one piece.

So, Which One Is Right for You?
So now you’ve got three options. Which one should you pick?

A turbo makes the most sense if you’re chasing big horsepower and want plenty of room to keep turning things up. They’re incredibly capable and can be great street setups, but they also tend to require more parts, more plumbing, and more work to get everything right.

A supercharger is a great choice if you want instant power and a car that feels stronger every time you hit the throttle. They’re especially fun on muscle cars, trucks, and larger-displacement engines where that immediate torque really makes a difference.

And then there’s nitrous. If you want a big shot of horsepower without completely rebuilding the car, it’s tough to beat the bang-for-the-buck of nitrous. You get your extra power when you want it, without having to run a turbo or supercharger every time you drive the car.

So, in simple terms: turbo for big power, supercharger for instant power, and nitrous for affordable, on-demand power.

And whichever one you choose, remember: just because your car can go fast doesn’t mean it’s ready to. We’ll talk about what it takes to make sure your car can safely handle all that extra power next time.