Wards announces 10 best engines for 2011

US four, Euro three, Japan two, Korea one in annual best-engine gongs

Respected purveyor of best-engine gongs, Wards, has just listed what it considers to be the world’s 10 best engines for 2011 – and efficiency rules the day.

Of the 10 cars listed, seven employed the latest, direct-injection fuel delivery technology to squeeze the most out of the fuel type – petrol or diesel – in terms of economy, emissions and performance.

This year’s list included four US brands, three Euros, two Japanese and one Korean. The mix included five forced-induction engines (one of which was supercharged) and one hybrid, with a range of applications from high performance to small-capacity, super-frugal designs.

2011 was the 18th year of Ward’s 10 Best Engines. The assessments embrace a wide range of engine criteria, including power and torque, refinement, sound quality and compatibility with application. As such, they are a good indicator of the direction engine design is following. Significantly, the judges do not use testing instruments.

Audi’s supercharged 3.0-litre V6, as fitted to S4, A6, A7 and Q7 models – and Porsche and Volkswagen hybrids – took out its third consecutive 10-best award with its ability to “quicken any pulse with a blip of the throttle.”

BMW’s 3.0-litre in-line turbo six, as fitted to the 335i Coupe, rated with its combining of traditional, sweet-sounding inline six-cylinder smoothness with remarkable efficiency, Wards gonged the engine because of its combination of ultra-strong performance and remarkable economy.

The Bavarian brand also featured in the top ten list with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo seen in applications as broad as the Z4 roadster and the 528i sedan. Treading where BMWs sixes once held sway, the high-tech turbo four performs and operates with exceptional smoothness, pretty much the same as the larger six-cylinder engines that preceded it.

Chrysler gained Wards attention with its 3.6-litre V6 as used across a broad range of Pentastar products including the Chrysler 300S, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler group minivans and the Dodge Durango SUV. The engine was noted by Wards for its refinement, economy and power output.

Ford’s EcoBoost 2.0-litre four-cylinder (as seen in the Ford Falcon) made the list too, rating highly with its six-cylinder style power delivery and impressive fuel economy.

V8s ain’t dead either, at least as far as Wards is concerned, with Ford’s 5.0-litre Boss 302, which embraces all-alloy construction and variable camshaft timing to mix traditional muscle with the efficiency expected of a modern engine.

GM gained got a spot too, with its 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder that delivers “exhilarating acceleration and astonishing refinement” for its size.

Korean manufacturer Hyundai, with its impressive 1.6-litre Gamma four-cylinder engine (pictured), convinced Wards that “the auto maker can deliver world-class small engines as well as the previously awarded Tau V8.

Mazda’s latest Skyactiv technology helped the Japanese company make the list, where it rated highly due to its “efficient and highly engaging” nature.

Nissan’s Infiniti hybrid rated with a system that is able to decouple the reciprocating engine and run in electric mode at speeds higher than 113km/h. Giving an average fuel reading of 7.8L/100km in Wards testing, the Nissan trumped “German luxury hybrid sedans that cost much more.”

The gongs were handed out after the judges drove 36 vehicles in regular commuting conditions around Detroit during October and November.

Eligibility criteria demanded that the cars be available on sale in the US no later than the first quarter of 2012 with a base price below US$55,000.

The awards will be presented on January 11 at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

Read the latest news and reviews on your mobile, iPhone or PDA at carsales' mobile site...