Wards announces "Ten Best Engines" list for 2007

[Philly]

Clicky for original and pics.

It's that time of year for all the end of year awards and top ten lists to surface, but Ward's always brings something different to the table. Rather than pick out the best car or truck that was new this year, the automotive trade journal picks the ten best engines, and this year it focused on motors that manage to balance the competing demands of more power and more fuel economy.

Click the name of any engine below to view, or tour the Ten Best Engines list in our gallery.

* Audi AG: FSI 2.0L turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A3)
* BMW AG: 3.0L turbocharged DOHC I-6 (335i Coupe)
* Daimler AG: 3.0L DOHC V-6 Turbodiesel (Mercedes E320 CDI)
* Ford Motor Co.: 4.6L SOHC V-8 (Mustang Shelby GT/Bullitt)
* General Motors Corp.: 3.6L DOHC V-6 (Cadillac CTS)
* General Motors Corp.: 6.0L OHV V-8 Hybrid (GMC Yukon Hybrid)
* Honda Motor Co. Ltd.: 3.5L SOHC V-6 (Accord Coupe)
* Mazda Motor Corp.: 2.3L DISI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Mazdaspeed3)
* Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.: 3.7L DOHC V-6 (Infiniti G37)
* Toyota Motor Corp.: 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)

The real question is whether or not you think Ward's got its "Ten Best Engines" list right? What engines are missing, or more importantly, which ones don't deserve to be included? You can read our opinion after the jump and leave your own in the comments.

[Source: Ward's]

NEW YORK--Penton Media's Ward's AutoWorld® magazine has named the winners of its annual listing of North America's "Ten Best Engines." Amid high-profile national debate over automotive fuel-efficiency, these engines reflect the automobile industry's success at improving fuel economy without compromising performance. The awards will be presented at a January 16, 2008 ceremony in Detroit during the North American International Auto Show. Details on Ward's "Ten Best Engines" will be featured in Ward's AutoWorld magazine and on www.wardsauto.com in January 2008.

Selected by Ward's AutoWorld editors, the 2008 list is the magazine's 14th annual ranking; the list is North America's only awards program honoring powertrain excellence.

The 2008 winners are:

• Audi AG: FSI 2.0L turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A3)
• BMW AG: 3.0L turbocharged DOHC I-6 (335i Coupe)
• Daimler AG: 3.0L DOHC V-6 Turbodiesel (Mercedes E320 CDI)
• Ford Motor Co.: 4.6L SOHC V-8 (Mustang Shelby GT/Bullitt)
• General Motors Corp.: 3.6L DOHC V-6 (Cadillac CTS)
• General Motors Corp.: 6.0L OHV V-8 Hybrid (GMC Yukon Hybrid)
• Honda Motor Co. Ltd.: 3.5L SOHC V-6 (Accord Coupe)
• Mazda Motor Corp.: 2.3L DISI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Mazdaspeed3)
• Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.: 3.7L DOHC V-6 (Infiniti G37)
• Toyota Motor Corp.: 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)

"The auto industry is in an era that will force enormous powertrain engineering advances," said Bill Visnic, Ward's editor for technical and special projects. "New fuel-efficiency standards are on the horizon, an improvement the public seems to demand. The fact that more than half of this year's 'Ten Best Engines' winners are six cylinder engines mirrors the shift occurring in the market and on engineering drawing boards."

This year, six Ward's editors nominated 37 engines for the competition. Over two months, editors scored each engine against all others in a number of objective and subjective parameters. Each engine must be available in a regular-production, U.S.-specification model on sale no later than the first quarter of 2008 in a vehicle priced no more than $54,000, a price cap indexed to the average cost of a new vehicle.

Ward's Automotive Group, a Southfield, Mich.-based division of Penton Media, has been a world-leading provider of auto industry news, data and analysis for more than 80 years. Ward's AutoWorld is a monthly magazine serving more than 68,000 automotive professionals globally. WardsAuto.com is an online subscription service delivering virtually all the industry news, data and analysis Ward's produces. Other Ward's titles include: the weekly newsletter Ward's Automotive Reports, monthly magazine Ward's Dealer Business, and a wealth of reference annuals, online databases, and customized data reports.

That's a pretty diverse list. The German 3 on top, followed by the Americans and the rear brought up by the Japanese. I am a little surprised to see that Ford engine in the 4 spot. And it is good to see GM scoring two spots on the list. This has been a pretty good rewards season for the General. I am surprised to see all of the Japanese V-6s taking up the bottom.

Of course, I am most happy to see the unit driving my car to be at the top of the list.

 

[Omnis]

Are they in specific order? Also, is the MB engine the bluetec?

 

[95GTIVR6]

I think those are just the engines in alphabetical order by manufacturer.

But it is nice to see the 2.3 DISI engine from my MS3 made the list again. It has been a phenomenal piece of machinery for the time that I have had it. However, upgrades are hindered by our poor fuel pump with many people being limited to around 300 whp. I'll be keeping mine stock for a while.

Also, it is interesting that only 2 4-cyl made the list while it is mostly dominated by V's. No Inlines, hmm.

 

[ND4SPD]

Erm I'm not impressed with the SOHC 4.6L from the mustang, I'm surprised it's in there.

 

[Jim Prower]

Me neither. and No Porsche Flat Six, which, if I remember came close to winning the GTP's Favorite Engine contest.

 

[Philly]

I think those are just the engines in alphabetical order by manufacturer.

Whoops. I knew that list didn't sound quite right.

Also, it is interesting that only 2 4-cyl made the list while it is mostly dominated by V's. No Inlines, hmm.

I see an inline 6 in the 335, but there are surprisingly few 4s up there.

And I do believe the E320 uses a BLUETEC.

 

[Wolfe]

Hmm. I was expecting to see the new M3's S65 on there, but the N54 is a good one too.

Like some of you, I've always wondered about their fascination with the Ford modular.

 

[Keef]

The only engines I see on there that have any advancements are the Bluetec, and both direct injection engines. Besides that they're just regular old engines. Hell, the Inifiniti's engine is just bigger than the last one.

 

[Joey D]

The "Audi AG: FSI 2.0L turbocharged DOHC I-4" isn't a bad engine, but I think the only reason it performs so well is because of the awesomeness that is the DSG transmission that is attached to it.

 

[Philly]

The "Audi AG: FSI 2.0L turbocharged DOHC I-4" isn't a bad engine, but I think the only reason it performs so well is because of the awesomeness that is the DSG transmission that is attached to it.

I don't know that much about how well it performs against other units, but I would like to see how it goes with a stick. I think the manual version is pretty quick.

 

[Joey D]

I didn't like the manual version when I test drove it, but then again I'm not a huge fan of standard transmission. The DSG though was amazing, I didn't think it was possible to love a gearbox but I somehow managed to fall head over heals for it.

 

[Philly]

It really is an amazing gearbox. I think a freind put it well when he said he didn't feel any loss pf power on upshifts. Although downshifts can be really lurchy if you don't use the pedal right. I've still got a little work to do on that.

 

[Wolfe]

Since it combines the direct revving and truly manual shifts that manual fans require and the lack of effort that automatic users enjoy, I really believe it could become the new "standard" transmission.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

So the GM hybrid, by far the least sophisticated of the hybrids on sale, gets the award? I saw the price cap which cut off the LS, but I haven't read anything on the battery significantly changing the trucks. I call hybrid/GM lip-service.

It's a good list, but it feels to similar. That cap also cut off the M engine from another award, and I'm not sure, but isn't the new M3 not eligible due to either price or release date, slightly? There are four engines between 3.5 and 3.7 litres, all V6's, and roughly similar outputs. Good news for entry level luxury sedan buyers, or the Accord, but are they all really stand-out enough to warrant these spots?

...then again, the more I think about it, because of that price cap, what other amazing engines are there out there? The Hemis? Does the Evo's new engine qualify?

 

[Philly]

It's a good list, but it feels to similar. That cap also cut off the M engine from another award, and I'm not sure, but isn't the new M3 not eligible due to either price or release date, slightly? There are four engines between 3.5 and 3.7 litres, all V6's, and roughly similar outputs. Good news for entry level luxury sedan buyers, or the Accord, but are they all really stand-out enough to warrant these spots?

This is a problem I had with the last COTY list. If the only thing they list is a bunch of cars in one class, how does that help anybody? If they list the Accord, Camry, Altima, Fusion, Malibu and Sebring as the top cars, how does it help somebody figure out what is best among those is best or what to look for in other classes? R&T does good because they have a list fo classes and pick the top one from each category.

 

[95GTIVR6]

I see an inline 6 in the 335, but there are surprisingly few 4s up there.

And I do believe the E320 uses a BLUETEC.

HAHA, oops!

I also realized that my family owns two of these engines. My mom just got an 2006 Audi A3 with the DSG 2.0 FSI engine. I will be honest, I was very skeptical of the DSG at first but after driving it a few times, I am very pleased with the responsiveness of the shifts. Very good but still not as fun as a regular manual.

 

[Philly]

HAHA, oops!

I also realized that my family owns two of these engines. My mom just got an 2006 Audi A3 with the DSG 2.0 FSI engine. I will be honest, I was very skeptical of the DSG at first but after driving it a few times, I am very pleased with the responsiveness of the shifts. Very good but still not as fun as a regular manual.

Do you have any troubles between any of the gears? Going between second and third both directions in my car seems to take a little longer than most other shifts.

 

[///M-Spec]

The only engines I see on there that have any advancements are the Bluetec, and both direct injection engines. Besides that they're just regular old engines. Hell, the Inifiniti's engine is just bigger than the last one.

FYI, the BMW is also direct injection. They call it Piezo Injection or High Precision Injection, but the injectors do go right into the combustion chamber.

Hmm. I was expecting to see the new M3's S65 on there, but the N54 is a good one too.

The S65 exceeds their $54k price limit. The LS7 is most likely not on that list for the same reason.


M

 

[YSSMAN]

You can pick up an LS7 out of a crate for less than $15K with shipping at your local Chevrolet dealer. I believe it to be the most-expensive engine GM offers as of right now, the LS2 and LS3 not too far behind. Although, the Northstar engines aren't cheap either...

 

[///M-Spec]

Each engine must be available in a regular-production, U.S.-specification model on sale no later than the first quarter of 2008 in a vehicle priced no more than $54,000, a price cap indexed to the average cost of a new vehicle.

2008 Corvette Z06 = $71,000

Am I the only person who read the first post?


M

 

[YSSMAN]

Ooops, I thought you were talking about the price of the engine (eeeh!).

Oddly enough, a hand built V8 and V12 out of an AMG car costs about $55-60K...