BMW 3-litre engine scoops International Engine of the Year title for second consecutive year

The powerful BMW unit was one of seven engines to triumph in the 2008 Awards that use turbocharging to achieve high power output from smaller displacement engines that use less fuel and produce less CO2.

Indeed, another BMW class-winner was its 2-litre Diesel Twin-Turbo unit, which thanks to its ability to sip just 5.2L/100km yet deliver 204bhp, scooped the ‘Best New Engine of the Year’. And the co-engineered BMW-PSA 1.6-litre Turbo engine with a strong 175bhp also won the keenly contested 1.4-litre to 1.8-litre category.

Peter Langen, BMW’s director of powertrain who also witnessed his engines top the 3- to 4-litre and Above 4-litre categories, commented: “BMW rightly views these awards as the highest industry recognition of its outstanding achievements in engine technology and manufacturing. It is an honour for our 3-litre twin- turbo engine to have secured the highest accolade for the second year running, and we are truly delighted that so many of our other engines have been judged as class-leading.”

The Awards, which are judged by 65 motoring journalists from 32 countries from four continents, also rewarded a variety of other manufacturers for engine excellence across a number of different categories. The Volkswagen/Audi Group, Toyota, Porsche and Subaru were all worthy category winners.

* The tenth annual International Engine of the Year Award ceremony took place at Engine Expo 2008 in Stuttgart, Germany, on May 7th. The event, one of the annual highlights of the automotive industry calendar, saw a total of 12 Awards given to those manufacturers who have been judged to have achieved excellence in their powertrain engineering.

International Engine of the Year Awards 2008: Winners

Best New Engine of 2008
BMW 2-litre Diesel Twin-Turbo (123d)

Green Engine of the Year
Toyota 1.5-litre Hybrid Synergy Drive (Prius)

Best Performance Engine
Porsche 3.6-litre Turbo (911 Turbo, 911 GT2)

Sub 1-litre
Toyota 1-litre (Aygo, Yaris, Peugeot 107, Citroën C1, Subaru Justy)
1-litre to 1.4-litre
Volkswagen 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger (Golf, Touran, Tiguan, Jetta)

1.4-litre to 1.8-litre
BMW-PSA 1.6-litre Turbo (MINI Cooper S, Clubman, Peugeot 207, 308)

1.8-litre to 2-litre
Volkswagen/Audi 2-litre Turbo (A3, A4 Cabrio, A6, TT, Eos, Jetta, Golf GTi, Seat Altea, Leon, Skoda Octavia)

2-litre to 2.5-litre
Subaru 2.5-litre Turbo (Forester, Impreza, Outback, Legacy)

2.5-litre to 3-litre
BMW 3-litre Twin-Turbo (135, 335, X6)

3-litre to 4-litre
BMW 4-litre V8 (M3)

Above 4-litre
BMW 5-litre V10 (M5, M6)

And…

International Engine of the Year 2008
BMW 3-litre Twin-Turbo (135, 335, X6)

Source: BMW