Among the several hundreds of awards each year regarding the entire automotive industry, there is only one series that doesn’t annoy true automotive enthusiasts.
This is the Engine of the Year awards, a series of success stories that truly and objectively rate the best things one may find under the bonnet of a car.
In 2011, like many years before, BMW dominated this competition winning in most of the categories at hand to the Engine of the Year judges.
Working our way up the list, the first winning party was the BMW developed 1.6 liter we find throughout Mini’s range.
The turbocharged four pot was a departure from the BMW and PSA developed small engine and it was quite the successful one since it took the category of 1.4 liter to 1.8 liter for everything it’s got. Ergo the first 2011 Engine of the Year Award to go to the Bavarians.
The second award winner came in the 1.8 liter to 2.0 liter category, the place where BMW’s 2 liter diesel engine won.
This engine sees action throughout the BMW range starting with the 1 Series and working its way up to the 520d and since it bears stuff like Valvetronic and variable twin turbocharger technology on the top it comes to no surprise.
Therefore another 2011 Engine of the Year award went to BMW, the only thing is that the diesel won on top of the 2.0 liter N20 petrol engine everybody was hoping for.
In the three liter category, a place where the Bavarians have been winning Engine of the Year awards longer than most of us can remember, the trophy went to the BMW 3.0 liter direct injected Twin Turbo engine and an non-awarded second place went to the 3.0 liter diesel engine that’s also from BMW.
Possibly the critical award, given the age of the engine and the list of new contenders is the 3 to 4 liter where the Engine of the Year jury considered the BMW 4.0 liter V8 as the winner again. Overtaking opposition such as the 3.8 liter flat six of the Porsche 911 GT3RS and the 3.7 liter V6 of the Nissan GT-R the Bavarians can be proud.
This particular award winner can only be found in the E92 BMW M3 and it is a constant reminder of why we love the Munchen based Germans. Weighing in at just 202 kg it is less than the 3 liter straight six it replaces from previous generations of the BMW M3, yet it is much more powerful.
Developing 420 horsepower at an amazing 8.250 rpm is part of the appeal but the Engine of the Year Award people were also impressed with how easy it can cruise at 1500 rpm as well.
With all listed engines summed up, BMW went home with four prizes in four categories for 4 different engines, the only company that comes close is Fiat who won 3 prizes in 3 categories for the same engine.
