In this paper, an experimental study is carried out under the operating conditions of low speed and rapid acceleration in order to investigate and improve the response characteristics of a turbocharged diesel engine with radial turbine driven by exhaust gas. A rapid acceleration for investigating the response performance is applied to the fuel-pump rack of the engine from 0-10% to 0-40% in steps of 10%, and accelerating time of 1, 2 and 3 seconds is applied to the engine. Further experiment for improving the low speed torque and acceleration performance is also performed by means of injecting air into the inlet manifold at compressor exit during the period of low speed and application of a rapid acceleration. The effects of air injection on the response performance are represented at subjected engine speed with the changes of response performance factors such as air injection pressure, air injection period, accelerating rate, accelerating time and load. From the experimental results obtained throughout this study, it is shown that air injection into the inlet manifold at compressor exit is closely related to the improvement of low speed and acceleration performance of a turbocharged diesel engine.