Ward's Top Engines for 2005

Joey D · Dec 11, 2005

Source: www.autoblog.com

Wards has been issuing its Top 10 Engines list for a dozen years now, and this years list, like others, is filled with internal combustion goodness. In alphabetical order:

Audi 2L FSI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A3)
Audi 4.2L DOHC V-8 (Audi S4)
BMW 3L DOHC I-6 (330i)
DCX 5.7L Hemi Magnum OHV V-8 (Dodge Charger R/T)
Ford 4.6L SOHC V-8 (Mustang GT)
GM 2L supercharged DOHC I-4 (Chevrolet Cobalt SS)
GM 2.8L turbocharged DOHC V-6 (Saab 9-3 Aero)
Mazda 2.3L DISI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Mazdaspeed 6)
Nissan 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Infiniti G35 6MT)
Toyota 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)

Vonie · Dec 11, 2005

Supprised to see no Hondas this year.

Glad to see that the Mazda 2.3L made it.

Joey D · Dec 11, 2005

What surprises me is that Ford's 4.6L is on there and the LS2 is not. Also I'm with you no Hondas? I figured there hybrid would be on there at least.

amp88 · Dec 11, 2005

Bmw M5/m6 V10?

MagpieRacer · Dec 11, 2005

Fiesta 1.2?

skip0110 · Dec 11, 2005

BlazinXtreme
What surprises me is that Ford's 4.6L is on there and the LS2 is not.

The whole GM smallblock line should be on there, as well as the supercharged RWD Northstar.

4.6 L Ford is still lacking cylinder deactivation.

Tornado · Dec 11, 2005

I'm suprised the 4.6 is on there as well, as the Lincoln 3.9 DOHC V8 is a better engine than the Ford SOHC 4.6, as is the current crop of GM V8's and, lest we forget, the Infiniti 4.5 DOHC V8.

Danny · Dec 11, 2005

BlazinXtreme
Source: www.autoblog.com

Wards has been issuing its Top 10 Engines list for a dozen years now, and this years list, like others, is filled with internal combustion goodness. In alphabetical order:

Audi 2L FSI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A3)
Audi 4.2L DOHC V-8 (Audi S4)
BMW 3L DOHC I-6 (330i)
DCX 5.7L Hemi Magnum OHV V-8 (Dodge Charger R/T)
Ford 4.6L SOHC V-8 (Mustang GT)
GM 2L supercharged DOHC I-4 (Chevrolet Cobalt SS)
GM 2.8L turbocharged DOHC V-6 (Saab 9-3 Aero)
Mazda 2.3L DISI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Mazdaspeed 6)
Nissan 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Infiniti G35 6MT)
Toyota 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)

Nothing below 2 litres? That's above the average family car engine size in the UK, I believe!
And the Hyundai/Kia 3.5L V6 is a peach.

Edit: Forgot the new AMG 6.3L engines. Nice!

skip0110 · Dec 11, 2005

ultrabeat
Nothing below 2 litres? That's above the average family car engine size in the UK, I believe!
And the Hyundai/Kia 3.5L V6 is a peach.

Edit: Forgot the new AMG 6.3L engines. Nice!

The best engines are not always the most popular ones

That Korean 3.5 is nice, but Honda's 3.0 L is nicer, and Toyota's 3.5 is even better. I would say the (new) GM corporate 3.6 VVT is up there too. Is it related to the 2.8 turbo six in the Saab (listed)?

Ev0 · Dec 11, 2005

amp88
Bmw M5/m6 V10?

The engine has to be available in a car that markets for under $52,000.

Vonie · Dec 12, 2005

ultrabeat
Nothing below 2 litres?

The VAG 2.0L listed is 1984cc.

niky · Dec 12, 2005

If this were the most interesting engines for 2005, then the Ford SOHC V8 shouldn't even be there... :indiff:

Nothing new from Honda, go figure... their current crop of engines aren't as interesting as they used to be... although they are very good.

How many years straight has Nissan's V6 architecture been on that list? This must make it the tenth or twelfth in a row? :lol:

Vonie · Dec 12, 2005

Nothing new from Honda?
How about the new Civic hybrid motor, or the new base Civic motor?
Also the TSX & RSX motors got reworked recently.

Emohawk · Dec 12, 2005

Speaking of perennial listers, how many times has a BMW I6 been on there?
Hmm, this is very embarrassing for me. I don't know what the code is for that Toyota V6. :guilty:

Ultrabeat: <2 L engines may be common in the rest of the world, but they're pretty uncommon in the United States; where Ward's is based (I think).
OR <2 L engines have no prestige, therefore: they aren't as well engineered and aren't all that good...
Well, I can think of several exceptions to that off the top of my head, but it's probably pretty true for anything under 1.5 L.

SlipZtrEm · Dec 12, 2005

Here's another person who's confused as to why Ford's V8 is on there when the LS2 isn't. There's another peachy 3.5L V6 that wasn't mentioned: Mercedes'. Though I'm not sure if it compares to the Nissan and Toyota engines (power it's down on, but I don't know what else Ward's bases their ratings on).

No rotary or Scooby flat-engines? Or DCX' 6.1L version of the Hemi?

Actually, most ironic part of that list is that the only domestic to have two engines listed (GM) has the two smallest capacities on the list.

niky · Dec 12, 2005

I think it's a combination of power, smoothness, economy and technology. That's why Nissan's V6 is always on there, because it's one of the smoothest V6s around... I once turned one on in the showroom while my companion was standing by the tailpipe... half-a-minute later, he came up to the door and asked if I could turn it on so he could hear the engine note. He was genuinely shocked that I already had.

Omnis · Dec 12, 2005

how the hell does a SOHC Ford engine make the top 10? that's like blasphemous.

Raghavan · Dec 12, 2005

WTF is up with the Ford V8?

humbo · Dec 14, 2005

I think the 6.1 Hemi wasn't listed because it doesn't have cylinder deactivation, so it can give you loads of power, but it can't cruise as economically as the 5.7 can.

As for <2.0 engines, with the VAG 2.0TFSI, is there really any need? It's nearly as fuel efficient as you can get with a petrol engine, and it still gives 200hp.

YSSMAN · Dec 14, 2005

Interesting that the small block Chevy was left out, again. You really cant deny how good of a powerplant it is... Anything from the heavy duty Vortec 5300 to the ultimate small block, the LS7, it is a proven formula that has been working for more than 50 years...

Also interesting: Where were the Jaguar V8s, now that they are floating around both in Jaguars, Aston Martins, and Land Rovers...?

Jay · Dec 14, 2005

Im glad the Direct injection 2.3 Mazda 6 MPS engine is in there but I expected it alittle higher. Is there any other direct injection petrol engine on the market at the moment that anyone knows of?

YSSMAN · Dec 14, 2005

VIPERGTSR01
Im glad the Direct injection 2.3 Mazda 6 MPS engine is in there but I expected it alittle higher. Is there any other direct injection petrol engine on the market at the moment that anyone knows of?

VW and Audi both use the FSI 2.0T, and Audi has been using the FSI 3.2L V6 for some time as well... Last I herd, the BMW 4.5, now 5.0L was direct-injected... Also, Isuzu was supposed to do the same to one of their trucks... They are out there, but so far, not too common (espically in the 'States)...

Jay · Dec 14, 2005

I had a feeling some Euro cars would use Direct injection.

Kutscher80 · Dec 14, 2005

Hi!

When I am not wrong, Mitsubishi had invented that technology.

They call it "GDI" in Germany. The Pajero with V6 had it, and the Charisma.

AND

The new EVO IX has a direct injection and MIVEC Turbo.

Greetings

Matt

Danny · Dec 14, 2005

If this were a European list, Audi's 1.8t (turbo) would no doubt feature highly.

But alas...

YSSMAN · Dec 15, 2005

I am willing to bet that most American companies wont go to direct injection systems for quite some time... Quite frankly, I would agree with the situation, as it would be too expensive to put in the cars, and to fix if anything went wrong...

Long live the Small Block OHV V8!

JCE · Dec 15, 2005

skip0110
4.6 L Ford is still lacking cylinder deactivation.

Looking at my 2006 Ford Source book the 4.6 has a Fail-safe Cooling system that operates the engine in 4cyl mode when a loss of coolant is detect or when the coolant system isn't acting correctly. Wouldn't that be cylinder deactivation?

And frankly there shouln't be any Ford or GM V8's on that list except the LS7...period.

ROAD_DOGG33J · Dec 15, 2005

JCE3000GT
Looking at my 2006 Ford Source book the 4.6 has a Fail-safe Cooling system that operates the engine in 4cyl mode when a loss of coolant is detect or when the coolant system isn't acting correctly. Wouldn't that be cylinder deactivation?

And frankly there shouln't be any Ford or GM V8's on that list except the LS7...period.

Not really, since it can't be used in normal driving

Emohawk · Dec 16, 2005

JCE3000GT
And frankly there shouln't be any Ford or GM V8's on that list except the LS7...period.

I think the Northstar is pretty impressive, and so do they. I'm pretty sure it's been on some past lists.

ultrabeat
If this were a European list, Audi's 1.8t (turbo) would no doubt feature highly.

But alas...

Almost positive the VAG's 1.8 was in previous year's lists. It's not really anything new anymore.

Wolfe · Dec 16, 2005

Emohawk
I think the Northstar is pretty impressive, and so do they. I'm pretty sure it's been on some past lists.

It was, in 1995 and 1996.

Emohawk
Almost positive the VAG's 1.8 was in previous year's lists. It's not really anything new anymore.

It was, in 1997, 1998, 2001, 2002, and 2003.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward's_10_Best_Engines

Ward's Top Engines for 2005

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