Turbocharging your Ka

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or the princely sum of just over £1,500, you can ask tuning specialist, van Aaken Developments, to turbocharge your Ka.

For your money, van Aaken will increase the power and torque of the Endura-E by forty and thirty five per cent respectively by using the Garatt T15 turbocharger (the same T15 as used in several VAG TDI applications). As the name suggests, this is one of the smallest turbochargers in the Garatt line up - but this offers the advantage of a relatively “soft blow” with minimal spool-up time. After modification, the output of the engine is increased to a claimed 84 PS and 142 Nm - worthwhile improvements. van Aaken make no internal modifications to the engine, and since the boost pressure is restricted to 0·35 bar, it does not use an intercooler. Since the compression ratio of the engine is kept at the same, the difference in fuel economy should not be so marked when driven gently: indeed, at a low speed cruise, it is entirely possible that fuel consumption will be reduced, since a turbocharger is using energy that would otherwise be wasted.

There are provisions, of course. At the time of writing, van Aaken can only turbocharge a non-air conditioned Ka because of space constraints, and because you’re starting from a low output, the difference in headline figures looks rather unimpressive. After turbocharging, the Ka will be quicker, for sure, but it won’t be a giant killer on the straight bits. A standard Fiesta Zetec-S will still be quicker (although if you were head to head with him, you would at least make the other guy work harder to be in front).

If you want more power, for over twice the cost of the van Aaken conversion, Severn Valley Motorsport offer a turbocharger Endura-E conversion reputed to produce just over 100 PS. Some claims put the output to over 120 PS, although Severn Valley Motorsport have not exactly been forthcoming with replies to my e-mail.

If you want more power, the best route is to replace the Endura-E with something larger. Severn Valley Motorsport will slot in Ford’s turbocharged CVH engine, which in standard format produces 130-odd PS, but is reputed to be easily tweaked to be producing around 200 PS, if not more. However, I must quantify my reservations. I’m not a fan of the CVH engine. Not only is it known for going off-tune very easily, but it lacks low down torque, and is rather breathless at the top end of the rev band.

One of the problems of swapping engines and turbocharging the Ka is overheating, as this picture so elegantly displays!