Top 10 Best Engines of 2014

Since 1999, Engine Technology International Magazine has awarded the International Engine of the Year Award and this year’s winners have been announced.

The 2014 International Engine of the Year Awards jury is comprised of 82 members from 34 countries and in total, 12 winners were announced across various categories. Each category is broken down by engine size, ranging from sub 1-liter engines up to above 4-liter. Special awards are also handed out for the best Green Engine, New Engine, Performance Engine and International Engine of the Year.

Read on to find out which engines made the cut.

The Volkswagen 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger engine continues its dominance of the 1-liter to 1.4-liter category, taking the title for the eighth consecutive year. The motor was refreshed in the past 12 months as part of the German automaker’s revised MQB architecture. The 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger engine features a mechanically-driven Eaton supercharger paired to a BorgWarner turbocharger to produce 189 hp.

Another regular winner of the International Engine of the Year Awards, the 1.6-liter turbo engine from BMW and PSA Peugeot Citroen is actually used to power the MINI Cooper S Countryman and Cooper S Paceman models. With 190 hp available, the four-cylinder engine can also be found powering the Peugeot RCZ R in other markets. In that form, it produces an impressive 266 hp. Like the VW engine, this 1.6-liter has claimed the award for the eighth time.

Powering the Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG and the CLA45 AMG is the winner of the 1.8-liter to 2-liter category. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is the most powerful production four-cylinder engine with 355 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. Even with all that performance, the powerplant achieves impressive fuel economy figures with the CLA45 AMG getting up to 26 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway.

The Audi 2.5-liter five-cylinder turbo found in the RS Q3 model claims the 2-liter to 2.5-liter category with its 306 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Audi’s powerplant edged out the second-place finisher by just 17 points, the Mazda 2.2-liter SkyActiv diesel engine. The 2.5-liter turbocharged five-cylinder was first launched in the Audi TT RS before finding its way to the RS3, but is currently only available in the RS Q3.

After getting dethroned last year by Porsche‘s 2.7-liter flat-six engine, BMW has taken the crown in the 2.5-liter to 3-liter category once again. The popular 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six engine helps the German automaker grab the trophy in the category nine times in the last 10 years and 13 times overall. In the U.S., the motor is found in various popular models such as the 335 and 435, both of which produce 300 hp and 300 lb-ft of torque.

Last year, McLaren joined the International Engine of the Year awards for the first time taking the 3-liter to 4-liter category with its 3.8-liter V8 engine. The company triumphs again in the same category with the powerplant that is seen across all its models, including the new 650S. In its latest form, it produces 641 hp, but you can also found it powering the P1 supercar albeit combined with an electric motor to create a hybrid powertrain.

Conquering the above 4-liter category is the Ferrari 4.5-liter V8 that powers all the 458 models including the 458 Speciale. This year, the 4.5-liter V8 reclaimed its crown from the Italian automaker’s own 6.3-liter found in the F12 Berlinetta. Much of its victory can be attributed to the 458 Speciale, which is Ferrari’s most powerful naturally-aspirated V8 car to date. As a result, the 458 Speciale makes 605 hp which is 35 more ponies than the standard 458 Italia.

Does the above image look boring to you? Well it is the Green Engine category. Of course in this case, the term engine is used rather loosely. Tesla‘s full-electric powertrain claims the category, taking the victory away from Fiat’s 875-cc two-cylinder CNG engine. Considering the popularity of the Tesla Model S and all the accolades it has garnered over the last year, it’s only fitting that the American electric automaker claims another award. Performance from the Model S electric powertrain ranges from 302 hp to 416 hp.

Finally, the winner of the International Engine of the Year award also captured the sub 1-liter category: The Ford 999-cc EcoBoost three-cylinder engine. Technically speaking it’s smaller than 1.0-liter in size, but we all know it as the American automaker’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine. The powerplant has taken the top powertrain prize for three consecutive years, a feat that no other engine has managed in the awards’ 16-year history. Around the world, the tiny EcoBoost engine can be found in the Ford Fiesta, B-Max, Focus, C-Max, Grand C-Max, EcoSport and Tourneo Concept models ranging anywhere from 99 hp to 123 hp.

“To deliver the complete package of eye-popping fuel economy, surprising performance and real refinement, we knew this little 1.0-liter engine would have to be a game changer,” said Bob Fascetti, vice president, Ford Powertrain Engineering. “Through our One Ford approach to development, EcoBoost continues to set the benchmark for power combined with fuel efficiency from a gasoline engine.”