Ferrari’s turbo V8 scoops BestEngine award for second time
At the other end, Ford’s Ecoboost wins small-engine class for sixth year
FERRARI’S 3.9-litre biturbo V8 has been crowned as overall winner of the International Engine of the Year award for the second consecutive year.
At the awards ceremony at the 2017 Stuttgart Engine Expo, the 488 GTB powerplant – rated for 492kW and 760Nm – became one of only four engines in the 19 year history of the awards to have won back-to-back titles.
The panel of 58 automotive journalists, representing 31 countries (including South African Nicol Louw of Car Magazine), awarded it a resounding 251 points, 35 points ahead of the second placed three-litre Porsche 911 Carrera flat-six turbo – and it also won Performance Engine of the Year as well as the 3 to 4-litre category.
Ferrari also achieved a second consecutive class win – and its third since 2013 – in the biggest, over-four litre category, for the naturally aspirated 6.3-litre F12Berlinetta V12, but even that ‘double double’ pales besides Ford’s phenomenal 999cc three-cylinder Ecoboost, which won the smallest, sub-one litre category for a sixth consecutive year.
Honda was back with a bang after not even making the shortlist for 11 years, winning the tough New Engine of the Year contest with the 3.5-litre V6 biturbo hybrid of its NSX supercar, and Tesla won two categories – Green Engine and the new-thisyear Pure Electric segment – with the same Model S powerplant.
BMW’s i8 hybrid powertrain couldn’t match the Tesla in the Green Engine category, but the three-cylinder 1.5 that forms the petrol half of the i8 equation scooped the 1.4 to 1.8-litre segment, while PSA Peugeot Citroen’s 1.2-litre turbopetrol three came out on top of the 1 to 1.4-litre category for the third time. WINNERS International Engine of the Year Ferrari 3.9-litre biturbo V8 - 488 GTB Over four litres Ferrari 6.3-litre V12 linetta - F12Ber- 3-4 litres Ferrari 3.9-litre biturbo V8 - 488 GTB 2.5-3 litres Porsche 3-litre flat-six turbo - 911 Carrera 2-2.5 litres Audi 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo - RS3, TT RS 1.8-2 litres Porsche 2-litre flat-four turbo - 718 Boxster, 718 Cayman 1.4-1.8 litres BMW 1.5-litre three-cylinder - i8 1-1.4 litres PSA Peugeot Citroen 1.2-litre three-cylinder - Peugeot 208, Citroen C3 Less than 1 litre Ford 999cc three-cylinder turbo - Fiesta, Focus EcoSport Performance Engine Ferrari 3.9-litre biturbo V8 - 488 GTB New Engine Honda 3.5-litre V6 hybrid - NSX Green Engine Tesla pure electric powertrain - Model S Pure Electric Powertrain Tesla pure electric powertrain - Model S