Turbocharged changes to vehicles restrictions?

There is strong speculation the Victorian, New South Wales and Queensland governments will tomorrow announce they will bring into line learner and P-plate "high powered" vehicle restrictions.

An official announcement is expected early Friday morning by the respective government ministers.

Under the new rules exemptions would be granted to forced induction vehicles with a power-to-weight ratio of 100kW-per-tonne and large family-orientated vehicles with up to 125kW-per-tonne. The exemptions will not be applied in a blanket manner, however -- owners will still be required to apply to their respective licencing authorities.

Current restrictions vary from state-to-state but share many similarities including a ban on cars powered by forced induction (turbo or superchargers) unless it is a diesel. High-performance six cylinder and engines with eight or more cylinders are also off-limits for provisional drivers.

The news is positive for the likes of Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, Saab and Volvo who use forced induction on small capacity petrol engines primarily to reduce fuel economy. The new VW Golf range is powered exclusively by turbocharged engines starting with a 1.4-litre unit that produces 90kW.

The practice of downsizing engines and using forced induction is expected to become commonplace in the coming years as economy and emission restrictions tighten.

We'll update as soon as the official announcement comes through, so check back soon.