A turbocharger, or simply “turbo”, is a gas compressor that forces extra air into an internal combustion engine. This increases the amount of oxygen available to the engine, allowing it to burn more fuel and produce more power.
Turbochargers are typically mounted on top of the engine, between the cylinder head(s) and the exhaust manifold. This placement allows the turbocharger to quickly spin up to speed as soon as the engine is started, and also keeps it away from high temperatures.