Car enthusiasts often fall in love with the thrill of a modified turbocharged engine, and when paired with a hatchback body style, the recipe becomes even more enticing. However, many enthusiasts are hesitant to convert a naturally aspirated engine to a turbocharged one due to concerns about the cost and lack of financial returns. It is worth noting that tuning cars is not always about financial gain. Instead, it’s about the passion of creating something new and exciting. For those interested in turbocharging their naturally aspirated engine, it’s always better to learn from those who have already done the work and research. In this article, we will explore a Honda L15 Brio that has been turbocharged to produce an impressive 400whp. This car is a perfect example of how a relatively small engine can be turbocharged to provide exceptional power.
This Brio is owned by Jonathan Jameson and featured on Larry Cheng’s YouTube Channel. It was originally fitted with a 1.2 litre 4 cylinder which produced 89hp. However, the brio had an engine swap of an L15 or a 1.5-litre 4-cylinder engine, courtesy of YAG Autotechnik in Jawa Barat, Indonesia. With several improvements and an Owen Developments 54mm Turbo, it now produces 300whp on pump gas and 400 whp on E85! For a powertrain to handle this ginormous figure, it also has the Honda Fit (or Honda Jazz as it is known in India) 5-speed manual transmission swapped into it.
There are many aspects to doing a serious build like this. First things first, it is important to make the L15 capable of handling a turbocharger as it is a naturally aspirated engine. This is done with the use of forged Carillo pistons, Brian Cower rods and springs and then the 54mm monstrosity is placed in the engine bay! To put the power on the ground efficiently, a custom limited-slip differential and a twin plate clutch are also added for stability purposes as without it, the car won’t go in a straight line whatsoever!
In addition, there are improvements to the chassis which include a roll cage. Also, running this car with stock tyres wasn’t an option so they’re upgraded to 225 section Hankook front and rear tyres with Spoon twin block 4 pot brakes and Enkei RPF1 Wheels. For the wider tyres to not look awkward, this Brio also has a custom widebody kit and in terms of stylistic improvements, it’s got a Boston Green E36 BMW shade as well as carbon front lip and grill from the GE8 Jazz, rear wing and the manually opening carbon front hood to top it all off.
To drive, it’s an absolute hoon! The sound and the handling are unlike any FWD Hatchback. You should note that torque steer, as observed on the glory runs, is minimal meaning, it is safe to assume that the custom differential is doing its job.
There are certainly a few questions about this build. The L15 which is paired with a 5-speed manual from Honda Jazz with a race clutch messes with the synchros when you give it the beans. Can a more reliable setup exist for the Brio to deliver this power more smoothly? If it exists, we suspect a 6-speed manual used in a 2021 Honda City or Elevate would prove more robust. Also, we would like to advise you that this build would be better done with a Dual Over Headcam L15 which would be a better engine for making 400 whp. Also, perhaps an AWD or an RWD would be recommended for better power delivery and more fun. We are pretty happy that a Frankenstein build like this exists and we can’t wait for someone in India to do to their Brio!
