OUR 10 FAVOURITE AFFORDABLE ENGINES
There are good engines and there are bad engines . . . some deliver more than you’d ever expect, while others should have never left the drawing board. Indeed, some of the truly great ones available today elevate the vehicles they’re installed in. And gue
1. BMW B58B30M0
One could argue a papa bear-sized V8 is simply too much. If a babybear four-banger is insufficient, all that’s left to do is split the difference. BMW’s buttery B58B30M0 engine is a jewel. With six cylinders in a row, it’s perfectly smooth whether you’re lugging it in toohigh a gear or winding the thing out on a racetrack. Offered in the sublime M240i, this engine is rated at waaaaay-more-thanadequate 335 hp with 369 poundfeet of torque.
2. Ford 5.0-litre Coyote V8
One of our favourite two-by-fours is Dearborn’s five-point-oh. Silky smooth with an intoxicating rumble, this broad-shouldered engine would not be out of place in a Ferrari. That’s how impressive it feels. Newly invigorated, it delivers a 460-horse stampede with 420 lb.-ft. of peak torque in the 2018 Mustang.
3. Honda K20C1
Intoxicating is Honda’s delicious K20C1 found in the new Civic Type R. Boosted to the point of bursting with nearly 23 PSI crammed into its four cylinders, this 2.0-litre engine is smooth, snarly and absolutely savage. Delivering 306 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, it won us all over in recent testing.
4. Mercedes-AMG M133
Next up, the heroic MercedesAMG M133. This engine may only displace 2.0-litres, but that doesn’t stop it from delivering a Herculean 375 horses with 350 units of twist in the CLA 45. That’s enough sausage gravy to jazz this fourdoor coupe to 100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds. Sure, this car’s price is a few hundred bucks above our other options, but it’s close enough . . . SO DEAL WITH IT!
5. FCA 6.4-litre Hemi
Making a lot of noise is FCA’s splendid 6.4-litre Hemi, that’s 392 cubic inches for those of you that still grasp old-school figures. Available in a wide variety of products, this wailing V8 is rated at 485 hp and 475 lb.-ft. of torque in the Dodge Challenger, a healthy step up from the smaller 5.7-litre Hemi.
6. GM LT-1 V8
Then there’s a proper engine! GM’s Gen-V LT-1 small block V8 is absolutely jim-dandy; it’s a real hoot in the Chevy Camaro SS for instance, where it cranks out 455 horses. Compact and reasonably efficient, this engine pulls like a mule from idle to red line all while making glorious noises.
7. Ford 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6
Another intoxicatingly good — and affordable — engine is Ford’s 2.7-litre EcoBoost V6. Refined and torquey, this mighty little motor is used to great effect in the Ford F-150, Edge and Fusion as well as the MKX and Continental. In Lincoln trim, it delivers up to 335 hp.
8. Volvo B4204T9
By using both a turbo and supercharger, Volvo has managed to make a 2.0-litre four-cylinder feel like an EV off the line and pull with V8 authority at higher speeds. The Swedish firm’s twin-charged B4204T9 is rated at 302 ponies and 295 lb.-ft. of torque in the S60 R-Design. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with those figures, or the fact that this vehicle is reasonably priced. Sounds like a win-win!
9. FCA L630
If you really want twist, you’ve got to go with an oil-burner. And a fine choice is the 3.0-litre EcoDiesel, offered most notably in the Ram 1500 pickup. It may be supplied by Italian industrial concern VM Motori, but it’s refined and amazingly efficient in such a portly way, returning up to 8.4L/100 km highway. As for output, how does 240 hp and 420 lb.-ft. sound?
10. Volkswagen EA888
One that’s tickled our proverbial fancy year in and year out is Volkswagen’s venerable 2.0-litre turbofour. In EA888 form, it’s silky smooth, torquey and even sounds nice. Simply put, it’s a joy to wring out, especially in something like a Golf R where it churns out 292 horsepower and 280 lb.ft. of torque.