Dean Slavnich, editor of Engine Technology International and co-chairman of the International Engine of the Year Awards, says: “The most interesting aspect of this year’s awards is the degree to which new electric powertrains from manufacturers such as Nissan and Mitsibushi are in a head to head battle with new and increasingly clever small capacity internal combustion engines, such as Fiat’s 875cc two-cylinder ‘TwinAir’ engine and VW’s now well-established TSi ‘TwinCharger’ unit. The results of this year’s competition will be fascinating.”
In the higher-capacity engine categories, BMW, Mercedes and Audi, have put in another dominant performance. BMW in particular is represented in eight of the category shortlists, often with more than one engine shortlisted in a given category.
However, in the high-capacity and performance categories there are some new contenders in the form of Ferrari’s 570 hp, 4.5L V8 engine as featured in the 458 Italia, and McLaren’s eagerly anticipated 3.8L V8 that powers the 600 hp MP4-12C supercar.
The 13th International Engine of the Year Award will be presented at Engine Expo 2011 in Stuttgart, Germany on May 18. The event, one of the annual highlights of the automotive industry calendar, will see a total of twelve awards given to those manufacturers who have been judged to have achieved excellence in powertrain engineering.
For more information on the Engine of the Year Awards, visit www.ukipme.com/engineoftheyear.