Originally Posted By: GMBoy
Originally Posted By: NateDN10
Originally Posted By: rjundi
Honestly I wonder if the motor needs premium in hot temps. Owners likely will find out past warranty.
GM does not have strong experience in turbo charging vehicles, yet. They had a tuning issue with their 2.8L V6 turbo.
FWIW, that 2.8L was Saab's design.
GM has extensive experience with Turbos dating back to the early 1980's with Buick's 3.8 V6. What they did with turbo charging with the 1986/87 Grand National was amazing and I am reminded of it every time I drive mine.
GM also had the 1.8L and 2.0L turbos in the J-cars in the 80's and they ran a bat outta you know where. Then you got the Duramax Diesel turbo and that's pretty much rounded out.
I will say the 1980/81 Trans Am turbo was a dog, but more turbo experience but in the performance slump of the 1980s.
When you add all the supercharged 3.8L's I'd say GM has a strong record of forced induction.
All the turbo charging experience they have was for niche vehicles with low volume sales with exception of diesel engines. However diesel turbo is not a gasoline turbo.
The Cruze is mass consumer sales.
They are not Subaru, Saab, Volvo, VW who all have been doing this for years and are well experienced for a significant portion of their vehicle line.
The problem with the 2.8L V6 was tuning map was not well suited for regular fuel not the turbo design itself. No one sure if Cadillac or Saab hold the bag on that problem. Engine tuning is vehicle specific and typically the auto maker.
The Grand National is a neat engine that likely will never get produced again. Being that it was large displacement coupled to a lower pressure turbo with more primitive control.
Modern turbo's like the Cruze are very tiny motors with a delicate balance trying to remove lag, optimize fuel and keep a low compression ratio. Few car makers out there in the US have extensive experience with this combination.
Lastly all the engineers at GM who designed the items you cite are long since retired, furlowed or upper management.