Enthusiasts talk about naturally or normally aspirated engines with almost the same reverence reserved for manual transmissions, rear-wheel drive, and high-revving V8s. But what does the term actually mean? Despite sounding complicated, the basic idea is surprisingly simple.
A naturally aspirated engine draws air into its cylinders using atmospheric pressure and the engine's own intake stroke, without a turbocharger or supercharger forcing additional air inside. That seemingly small difference has a major effect on how an engine produces power, how it responds to the throttle, and even how it sounds.
