The Mazda Renesis Rotary engine, which powers the RX-8, won the International Engine of the Year Award of 2003, while BMW added a further three engine trophies to its display cabinet.
The Mazda Renesis Rotary engine, which powers the RX-8, won the International Engine of the Year Award of 2003, while BMW added a further three engine trophies to its display cabinet.
A panel consists of 50 judges, representing 22 countries, including CAR magazine’s technical editor Jake Venter. Of the 50 judges, 44 voted for the Mazda rotary. It was also named the best new engine and best 2,5-litre to 3,0-litre engine.
In the international engine of the year division, the Mazda engine scored 316 points, ahead of the Volkswagen Diesel 5,0-litre V10 which powers the Touareg and Phaeton (244 points), BMW 3,2-litre in the M3 (224 points), Honda 1,3-litre IMA in the Civic Hybrid (157 points), Honda 2,0-litre in the S2000 (107 points), BMW 2,5-litre in the 325i, 525i and Z4 (77 points), Mini supercharged 1,6-litre powering the Cooper S (76 points) and Honda 1,0-litre IMA in the Insight 49 points).
In naming the rotary engine, the panel said the design was smooth and had a great willingness to rev. “Gloriously unconventional, super smooth, compact, light and different, the Mazda Rotary is something rare, a true piece of automotive art. Also a triumph of conviction and perseverance for the motivated team at Mazda,” said judge Peter Nunn.
“It is powerful, silky in its performance, has very good low-end torque and, mostly, is different,” said judge Arturo de Andres from Autovia.
“Top marks to Mazda for its sheer bravery in pursuing the Wankel format and making it work,” said judge Farah AlKhalisi of 4Car.
BMW won three trophies, topping the 1,4-litre to 1,8-litre, 2,0-litre to 2,5-litre, and 3,0-litre to 4,0-litre classes, while Volkswagen’s monster 5,0-litre V10 diesel engine took the Above 4,0-litre Award. Mercedes-Benz’s AMG 55 unit was hailed as the Best Performance Engine.
BMW 4,4-litre V8 Valvetronic (745i) won the international engine of the year for 2002.
Full results:
International Engine of the Year 2003:
1 Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8) 316
2 Volkswagen Diesel 5-litre V10 (Touareg/Phaeton) 244
3 BMW 3,2-litre (M3) 224
4 Honda 1,3-litre IMA (Civic Hybrid) 157
5 Honda 2,0-litre (S2000) 107
6 BMW 2,5-litre (325i, 525i, Z4) 77
7 Mini Supercharged 1,6-litre (Cooper S) 76
8 Honda 1,0-litre IMA (Insight) 49.
Best New Engine 2003
1 Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8) 186
2 Audi 4,2-litre V8 (RS6) 114
3 BMW 6,0-litre V12 (760i) 91
4 BMW Diesel 3,0-litre (330d,530d) 89
5 Mercedes-Benz 5,5-litre (S600, CL600) 80
6 Maybach 5,5-litre 67
Best Fuel Economy
1 Honda 1,3-litre IMA (Civic Hybrid) 189
2 Toyota 1,5-litre (Prius) 136
3 Honda 1,0-litre IMA (Insight) 90
4 Volkswagen 1,2-litre TDi (Audi A2, VW Lupo 3L) 80
5 PSA Peugeot/Citroën/Ford Diesel 1,4-litre (Citroën C3,
Xsara; Ford Fiesta, Fusion, Mazda 2, Peugeot 307 54
6 Volkswagen 1,9-litre TDi (Seat Leon, Toledo, VW Golf,
Bora; Audi A3, A4, A6, Seat Ibiza, Cordoba, Alhambra,
Skoda Superb, VW Golf, Bora, Passat, Touran, Sharan 49
Best Performance Engine
1 Mercedes-AMG 55 V8 (E55, SL55, S55, CL55) 138
2 Audi 4,2-litre V8 (RS6) 98
3 BMW 3,2-litre (M3) 91
4 Ferrari 5,7-litre V12 (575M Maranello) 85
5 Porsche 3,6-litre (911 GT3) 82
6 Honda 2,0-litre (S2000) 77
Sub 1,0-litre
1 Honda 1,0-litre IMA (Insight) 318
2 Smart 698cc (City Coupe/Roadster) 173
3 Toyota 1,0-litre (Yaris/Echo/Vitz) 162
4 Smart Diesel 799cc (Smart) 112
5 Nissan 1,0-litre (Micra/March) 77
6 Opel/Vauxhall 1-litre (Agila, Corsa) 71
1,0-litre to 1,4-litre
1 Honda 1,3-litre IMA (Civic Hybrid) 248
2 PSA Peugeot/Citroën/Ford Diesel 1.4-litre (Citroën C3,
Xsara; Ford Fiesta, Fusion, Mazda 2, Peugeot 307 133
3 Volkswagen 1,4-litre FSI (Audi A2, VW Lupo, Polo) 116
4 Toyota Diesel 1,4-litre (Yaris/Echo/Vitz) 107
5 Honda 1,4-litre (1,3-litre) (Jazz) 107
6 Volkswagen 1,2-litre TDi (Audi A2, VW Lupo 3L) 64
1,4-litre to 1,8-litre
1 Mini Supercharged 1,6-litre (Cooper S) 168
2 Toyota Hybrid 1,5-litre (Prius) 143
3 Toyota 1,8-litre VVTL-i 190 (Celica, Corolla) 94
4 Ford 1,8-litre TDCi (Focus) 87
5 BMW 1,8-litre Valvetronic (316ti) 86
6 Mercedes-Benz 1,8-litre GDI supercharged (CLK) 84
1,8-litre to 2,0-litre
1 Honda 2,0-litre (S2000) 157
2 BMW 2,0-litre Valvetronic (318i) 98
3 Subaru 2,0-litre Turbo (Impreza, Legacy/Lancaster/Outback; Forester 95
4 BMW Diesel 2,0-litre (320d) 83
5 Fiat Diesel 1,9-litre JTD (Alfa Romeo 147, 156) 78
6 Alfa Romeo 2,0-litre JTS (156) 63
2,0-litre to 2,5-litre
1 BMW 2,5-litre (325i, 525i, Z4) 152
2 PSA Peugeot/Citroën 2,2-litre HDi (Citroën C5, C8, Peugeot 406, 607, 807) 125
3 Honda 2,4-litre (Accord/Element) 79
4 Volkswagen 2,5-litre V6 TDi (Audi A4, Allroad, A8,
Skoda Superb, VW Passat 78
5 Saab 2,3-litre Turbo (high-pressure) (9-5) 60
6 Volvo 2,5-litre Turbo (S60R) 58
2,5-litre to 3,0-litre
1 Mazda RENESIS Rotary (RX-8) 239
2 BMW Diesel 3,0-litre (330d) 730d 191
3 BMW 3,0-litre (Z4, 330i, 530i, X5, 730i) 138
4 Mercedes-Benz Diesel 2,7-litre (C-Class, E-Class, ML) 71
5 Honda 3,0-litre V6 (Accord) 70
6 Porsche 2,7-litre (Boxster) 67
3,0-litre to 4,0-litre
1 BMW 3,2-litre (M3) 202
2 Porsche 3,6-litre (911 GT3) 109
3 Porsche 3,6-litre Turbo (911 Turbo) 107
4 Nissan 3,5-litre V6 (350Z/350GT, Infiniti FX35) 96
5 BMW Diesel 3,9-litre V8 (740d) 95
6 Ferrari 3,6-litre V8 (360 Modena/Spider) 78
Above 4,0-litre
1 Volkswagen Diesel 5,0-litre V10 (Touareg/Phaeton) 181
2 BMW 6,0-litre V12 (760i) 122
3 Ferrari 5,7-litre V12 (575M Maranello) 98
4 BMW 4,4-litre V8 Valvetronic (745i) 91
5 Mercedes-Benz 5,5-litre (S600, CL600) 79
6 Audi 4,2-litre V8 (RS6) 72.
