Volkswagen’s 1,4-litre super- and turbocharged TSI powerplant has won the International Engine of the Year Award for the second consecutive year, while Fiat Auto’s Multiair technology has been judged “the single most innovative engine technology to appear in the past 12 months”.
The “Twincharger’s” back-to-back victory sees VW emulate a feat twice achieved by BMW in the 12-year history of the International Engine of the Year Awards (BMW’s 5-litre V10 won in 2005 and 2006, and its 3,0-litre twin turbo petrol powerplant was victorious in 2007 and 2008).
The TSI powerlant, which produces 85 kW per litre of displacement, does duty in the local Golf, Jetta, Eos, Scirroco and Tiguan ranges. It won its 1-litre to 1,4-litre individual category despite competition from the MultiAir, the new 1,3-litre hybrid powertrain in the Honda Insight and VW’s own 1,2-litre TSI.
In the sub-litre category, the three-cylinder 1,0 litre of the Toyota Yaris, Citroen C1 and Peugeot 107, won its category for the fourth year in a row, an accomplishment emulated by the BMW/PSA Peugeot Citroën 1,6-litre turbo petrol engine in the 1,4- to 1,8-litre category. The latter not only powers the S versions of the Cooper, Cooper Convertible and Clubman, but also models in Peugeot’s 207, 308 and 3008 ranges.
In the 1,8-to 2,0-litre category, the BMW X1 23d’s new four-cylinder diesel engine with variable twin turbocharger technology triumphed, while the 2,5-litre five-cylinder unit in the Audi TT RS took top honours in the 2,0- to 2,5-litre category.
For a second consecutive year, both BMW twin-turbo engines have finished at the top of the 2,5- to 3,0-litre category, but it was the petrol 3,0-litre DI inline six from the 135i, 335i, 535i, X5 35i, X6 35i, and Z4 that got the most votes. The S65 4,0-litre V8 powerplant from the M3 finished at the top of its class once again in the 3,0- to 4,0-litre category.
Mercedes-AMG’s 6,2-litre V8, as employed in the C63 AMG, S63 AMG, SL63 AMG, CL63 AMG, E63 AMG, CLS63 AMG and ML63 AMG, took home the awards for best engine above 4,0-litres, as well as Performance Engine of the Year.
The 1,8-litre Atkinson cycle and four-cylinder engine in Toyota’s Prius took the title of Green Engine of the Year, and as mentioned before, Fiat’s Multiair 1,4-litre engine – as featured in the Alfa Romeo Mito and Giulietta – grabbed Best New Engine of the Year through the use of electrohydraulic system that independently controls each cylinder’s inlet air charge. The system is able to increase power and torque while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
