Countdown to International Engine of the Year Awards Underway
Not long to wait now—in just under a month's time, the International Engine of the Year 2007 awards will name the best powertrain in production.
Organized in the UK but with votes coming on from auto journalists and commentators around the globe, the Engine of the Year goes public in an award ceremony in Stuttgart on May 9.
EoY, which began in low key fashion in 1999 has really come on now as the industry's prestigious 'Powertrain Oscars' and will, as per tradition, be divided up into different categories (over 4.0-liters, 3.0-4.0-liters. 2.5-3.0-liters etc.). There are also prizes for Best New Engine, Best Fuel Economy and Best Performance Engine.
We can tell you that there are eight engines up for the big one, International Engine of the Year 2007, but we're absolutely forbidden to tell you what those engines are.
What we can say, however, is that BMW seems to have made a habit of winning quite a lot recently. The thunderous 5.0-liter V-10 in the M5 and M6 won the coveted EoY in 2005 and 2006. BMW has also won twice in the past, in 2001 (M3) and 2002 (4.4-liter Valvetronic V-8). But the Bavarians haven't had it all their own way, with Toyota (Yaris, Prius,), Honda (Insight hybrid) and Mazda (RENESIS rotary) also having had their names pulled out of the big envelope on EoY day over the years.
So who do you think should win this year, and for what engine? Sound off in “Comments.
Comments
Steve
I'd love to see the LS7 win it... But let's be honest, what're the chances of that?
chuck goolsbee
Could be the Year of Diesel.
Audi's all-conquering TDI.
The Mercedes Blu-tec.
--chuck
Eddy Alvarez
yeah, i'd love the ls7 but its not ok for the world to like it is it :-\
Reilly Brennan
BMW's twin-turbo inline six is really great and one of my favorites.
Christopher Champion
I agree with Reilly, the 3.0 litre twin-turbo is an amazing engine and very unique too. Maybe the 3-cylinder TDI in the Polo BlueMotion will be in the running...?
mo
I would go with the LS7 (if I am to vote), a V8 that gives the power of some V10 or V12. damn it sounds so good.
sam
noo..veyron W16 wins...
Karl
Wine and cheese engine of the year: Ferrari 4.3L V8 (F430)
Fried chicken and beer engine of the year: LS7
Granola and b/o engine of the year: Honda 2.2CTDi (not sold in US)
chris
Does Nissans 3.7 V6 qualify for this contest? Has it been out long enough? I love the LS7, but its pushrods might not be swank enough to get votes.
Ray T.
Mercedes/AMG 63 -- even though it's really only 6.2 liters...
Steve
Just as long as the Bimmer V10 doesn't win again. It may be a high-tech, 500 hp, "F1-inspired" V10, but the sound it makes seems more like it was inspired by a light breeze than a F1 car.
Peripatetic
As wonderful as all these engines are, this is 2007, where are my friggin' flying cars? Porsche (the man, not the company) was building engines with 4 overhead cams and 4 valves per cylinder back in the 1920's. So 80 years later, we're playing with the same stuff (or even pushrods) and giving them awards? Tell me the auto industry doesn't need a swift kick in the ass.
Mark
How about Nissan's VQ35HR?
Johnny Rocket
I'm with the LS7 crowd. It is an amazing engine, but I am keen on the new BMW M3 V-8.
Joe Lee
The 2007 Audi RS4 V8. Direct injection. Torquey yet high winding. Revs to 8250 rpm. 420 hp and 317 lb-ft from 4164 cc. Over 20 mpg at highway speeds. Trust me, it makes my RS4 feel and sound fantastic.
Vikijs
I don`t know what engine will win this years award, but I am 99,9% sure, that the next years award will go to bmw M3 4.0 V8
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