The automotive enthusiast loves a ‘straight six’ – so does a cricket fan. The preference of the automobile manufacturer for the inline six-cylinder engine is gradually diminishing, as they give in to the packaging and safety requirements that a V6 meets much more easily. However, a select few still persist with the layout – BMW is one such manufacturer.
The overall winner of the Engine of the Year awards 2008 was BMW’s 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline six that does duty in the 135i, 335i and X6. BMW also picked up awards in four other categories. Most winners were a repeat performance of last year, with the exception of the Porsche 3.6l turbo and the Subaru 2.5l turbo, both new winners in their respective categories. The results are as given below:
International Engine of the Year
BMW 3.0-litre Twin-Turbo (135i, 335i, X6)
Best New Engine
BMW 2.0-litre Diesel Twin-Turbo (123d)
Green Engine of the Year
Toyota 1.5-litre Hybrid Synergy Drive (Prius)
Best Performance Engine
Porsche 3.6-litre turbo (911 Turbo, 911 GT2)
Sub 1.0-litre
Toyota 1-litre (Aygo, Yaris, Peugeot 107, Citroën C1, Subaru Justy)
1.0-litre to 1.4-litre
Volkswagen 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger (Golf, Touran, Tiguan, Jetta)
1.4-litre to 1.8-litre
BMW-PSA 1.6-litre Turbo (MINI Cooper S, Clubman, Peugeot 207, 308)
1.8-litre to 2.0-litre
Volkswagen/Audi 2-litre Turbo (A3, A4 Cabrio, A6, TT, Eos, Jetta, Golf GTi, Seat Altea, Leon, Skoda Octavia)
2.0-litre to 2.5-litre
Subaru 2.5-litre Turbo (Forester, Impreza, Outback, Legacy)
2.5-litre to 3.0-litre
BMW 3-litre Twin-Turbo (135, 335, X6)
3.0-litre to 4.0-litre
BMW 4.0-litre V8 (M3)
Above 4.0-litre
BMW 5.0-litre V10 (M5, M6)
