2011 International Engine of the Year Awards (photos)
Seventy-six automotive journalists from 36 countries were selected by UKIP Media to judge the 2011 International Engine of the Year Awards. Engines in 11 categories earned accolades from the judges, and one engine was selected as the overall winner.
Fiat's tiny turbocharged two cylinder won four awards in the International Engine of the Year contest, earning Best New Engine, Green Engine, Sub 1-liter Engine, and taking the overall International Engine of the Year for 2011 award.
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Fiat 500
Fiat uses the 875cc TwinAir in certain versions of its Fiat 500. In this application, the engine produces 85 horsepower but only emits 95g/km of CO2. Fiat is unlikely to offer this version of the 500 in the U.S., opting instead for its larger 1.4-liter Multiair engine.
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Ferrari 4.5-liter V-8
Ferrari's new V-8 took two categories in the International Engine contest. It won for Best Performance Engine and in the Above 4-liter category. This 4.5-liter V-8 uses direct injection and very high compression to produce 560 horsepower.
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Ferrari 458 Italia
This engine appears in Ferrari's new 458 Italia, getting the car to 62 mph in under 3.2 seconds.
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Volkswagen 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger
Volkswagen's engine won the 1-liter to 1.4-liter engine category. The power plant uses both a supercharger and a turbocharger to eliminate lag and force induction, pushing its power output up to 185 horsepower.
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Volkswagen Jetta
Volkswagen uses its 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger in the Jetta, the Golf, and the Tiguan, but not in U.S. models.
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BMW 1.6-liter turbo
BMW took the 1.4-liter to 1.8-liter category with its turbocharged and direct-injection 1.6-liter. BMW technologies such as Valvetronic, which use valve lift control for throttle control, helped the engine achieve its victory.
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Mini Cooper S Countryman
U.S. drivers will experience the BMW 1.6-liter turbo in the Mini Cooper S and its variants, in which it produces 181 horsepower.
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BMW 2-liter twin-turbo diesel
The only diesel engine to earn an award comes from BMW, and takes the 1.8-liter to 2-liter category. This engine uses two turbochargers, a small one to build up initial pressure, and a larger one for higher engine speeds.
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BMW 123d
BMW does not make its 2-liter twin-turbo diesel available in the U.S. In Europe, it powers the 123d, a 1-series hatchback, making 201 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque.
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Audi 2.5-liter turbo
The 2-liter to 2.5-liter category goes to Audi's 2.5-liter turbo. With direct injection and a turbocharger, this five-cylinder engine produces 315 horsepower, yet has achieved over 30 mpg in European fuel economy testing.
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Audi TT RS
Audi uses the 2.5-liter turbo in its Audi TT RS, getting it to 62 mph in 4.7 seconds. Audi is expected to bring the TT RS to the U.S. later this year.
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BMW 3-liter DI Twin-Turbo
The star of the 2.5-liter-to-3-liter category is BMW's direct-injection turbocharged 3-liter. A straight six-cylinder engine, it uses a variety of BMW technologies to achieve power and efficiency.
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BMW 740i
BMW uses its BMW 3-liter DI Twin-Turbo in a wide range of its vehicles, from the 1-series M coupe to the luxury 740i sedan.
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BMW 4-liter V-8
The 3-liter-to-4-liter category winner is BMW's 4-liter V-8. One of BMW's M series of engines, this power plant produces 420 horsepower. Judges noted its responsiveness and BMW's technology.
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BMW M3 Coupe
BMW uses the 4-liter V-8 in its M3, a suitable car for this big engine. In this application, it gets the M3 to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.
