Oldsmobile pioneered the use of turbochargers in production cars with the introduction of the 1962 F-85 Jetfire Sport Coupe in April of that year. It beat Chevrolet's turbocharged Corvair Monza Spyder to market by about a month.

The F-85 had been introduced as a trim and attractive compact Oldsmobile in 1961, powered by an overhead valve, 3.5-litre aluminum V-8 that developed 155 horsepower. For 1962 an optional 185-horsepower version of the same engine was offered, although still naturally aspirated.

But the bigger news for 1962 was the addition of an even hotter version, the turbocharged "Turbo-Rocket" engine, which brought the horsepower up to 215, or the then-vaunted one horsepower per cubic inch. The engineers had done their homework in an attempt to make the turbo installation durable and trouble-free. To counteract detonation, or pinging, with the high 10.25:1 compression ratio, a fluid injection system was fitted. This device, commonly known as water injection, used a mixture of half water and half methyl alcohol carried in an underhood reservoir. The fluid was injected into the intake manifold when maximum power was called for, and the rate of use varied with the heaviness of the driver's foot. Under easy driving one might get up to 3200 km (2000 miles) out of a litre; a hot rodder could use it all in 360 km (200 miles).



http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/bv/oldsf85_jetfire.htm



I found this to be a really interesting read.


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