Why do they call it an electric turbocharger? Isn't a turbocharger by definition exhaust driven?

I think they're referring to what BMW runs on their turbo diesels. They have exhaust driven turbos and one that is powered/driven by electricity. Can you say instant boost with zero lag???

i will buy this BRZ when it comes out... and then upgrade to the Turbo BRZ when that is available. simple :)

I am now.

Definitely waiting for a turbo version.

Not sure what all this extra maintenance costs people are talking about either. Use synthetic oil, which I would do anyways, and change the plugs more often. Talking about maybe $200 extra over 100k miles.

If something breaks which turbo subarus do quite often it is expensive.

Turbos also mean more stress on engine parts, besides themselves being a 2000k+ part that probably needs to be ordered from Japan.

Sure, when everything works fine, turbos aren't much more expensive to run, but turbo'd engines and their added components/complexity typically don't last as long.

So people are worried about the reliability of a turbo rather than added maintenance costs. That is a different argument.

I trust subaru to build a solid reliable turbo motor. Very few turbo cars fail under normal driving. People mod them or abuse them and that causes problems but the same can be said for na engines.

I believe the turbo that Subaru is supposedly developing is electric *assist* not fully electric. So an electric motor would assist with spool, but the exhaust would be the main source of energy driving the impeller.

I'm in this camp. I will buy the one they have now, and if they want to sell me another, they can make a turbo version.

You paid $2500 for a T25???!!:bonk:

No its not a different argument. Reliability and normal maintenance cost add up to the same thing over the long run. Im also saying this from the experience of owning a turbo subaru. And I never abused my STI.. when i traded it in after my 2nd issue with rod bearings they gave me an amazing trade in because the car was so well kept.

How many people with WRX or STIs actually do regular compression tests to make sure their engines are running as strong as when they were factory new? I'd guess not many, maybe 1%? People make a lot of assumptions about turbo reliability and maintenance and just because you change oil with synthetic and haven't had a major failure doesn't mean the turbo doesn't have it's own cost on your motor.

Exactly... I was the only person I knew of my friends who really took good care of their STI or WRX. My other friends just ran theirs into the ground. I feel bad for whoever bought their cars more than mine. Unfortunately I got a lemon... I went through a center diff, a first set of rod bearings, a turbo, and a 2nd set of rod bearings (bad warranty fix on the 1st one IMO) within 40k miles of the car being new. Complexity always adds variables that end up possibly biting you in the pocket book. Easily 13k worth of warranty work.. I didn't want to be on the recieving end of that trainwreck when it came out of warranty.