15th year of awards program

2009 marks the 15th year of Wards Automotive Magazine’s 10 Best Engines list. Not only is this the North American auto industry’s only award of its kind, it is, according to Wards, “considered by many to be the ‘Oscars” for automotive engines.”

This year, six of the magazine’s editors nominated a total of 32 different engines and the list consisted of last year’s winners plus all-new engines as well as those that had received significant improvement over a previous design. In order to qualify, each engine must be available in a regular-production U.S.-specification model scheduled to be on-sale no later than the end of the first quarter of 2009. Vehicles the engines are available in are given a price ceiling of $54,000 in a price cap formula that is indexed to the average cost of a new vehicle.

So without further ado, the winners are (in alphabetical manufacturer’s order)

Audi 2.0 liter TFSI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (A4 Avant)
Freshly revamped with 211 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque for the new A4, this marks a fourth consecutive 10 Best for Audi’s turbocharged 4.

BMW 3.0 liter turbocharged DOHC I-6 (135i Coupe)
The twin-turbocharged, direct-injected gasoline I-6 returns for a third year with 300 hp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque.

BMW 3.0 liter turbodiesel (335d)
A sequential twin-turbocharger system delivers impressive fuel economy as well as 265 hp and a stump-pulling 425 lb.-ft. of torque.

Chrysler 5.7 liter Hemi OHV V-8 (Dodge Ram/Challenger R/T)
The Hemi returns with more refinement, power (376 hp) and variable-valvetrain and induction technology.

Ford 2.5 liter DOHC I-4 HEV (Escape Hybrid)
A redesigned Atkinson cycle 4-cylinder engine with intake variable cam timing (iVCT) enables spark and cam timing to be varied according to engine load for optimal fuel efficiency.

General Motors 3.6 liter DOHC V-6 (Cadillac CTS)
Equipped with direct-gasoline injection, the second appearance for this advanced V-6 was tested in the CTS (it also appears in GM’s CUVs) and delivers 304 hp using regular grade gasoline.

Honda 3.5 liter SOHC V-6 (Accord Coupe)
This Honda V-6 with 271 hp and 254 lb.-ft. of torque is individually tailored for the Accord coupe and sedan. 4 doors will give you the version with cylinder deactivation technology for fuel economy while in the coupe, sans deactivation, it’s designed to deliver a fatter torque curve.

Hyundai 4.6 liter DOHC V-8 (Genesis)
The automaker’s first V-8 produces 375 hp and 333 lb.-ft. of torque. It features a die-cast block, 2-stage intake manifold and continuously variable valve timing for both intake and exhaust.

Toyota 3.5 liter DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350)
Toyota wins a fourth consecutive award with this V-6 that employs a combination direct and port-injection fuel system that helps this engine produce 306 hp and 277 lb.-ft. of torque.

Volkswagen 2.0 liter SOHC I-4 Turbodiesel (Jetta TDI)
VW’s newest turbodiesel is certified in all 50 states and produces 140 hp and 236 lb.-ft. of torque. Boasting EPA figures of 30 city/41 highway, this compression ignition engine makes for a much more entertaining alternative to most hybrids.

2009 BMW 335d

New Generation Diesels

It has been almost 11 months since BMW previewed the first diesel models to be offered in the U.S. in almost 20 years at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Pricing for the 335d will begin at $44,725, while the X5 diesel variant will start at $52,025. Both prices reflect a fairly substantial premium over their gasoline-powered stable mates. In the case of the 335d, this represents an 8.5% increase over the base price ($40,925) of a comparable gasoline version; while the same 3.0 liter turbocharged direct injection diesel application in the X5 commands a $4,100 premium over the gasoline-powered X5.

So what do you get for your extra dollars? To begin with, there is a drop in horsepower from 300 in the gasoline engine to 265 in the diesel. But horsepower isn’t really a diesel’s strong suit. The big difference is in fuel economy, where the diesel promises up to a 30% improvement, as well as in engine torque. While the gasoline engine manages an impressive 300 lb.-ft. at 1400 rpm, the diesel produces a whopping 425 lb.-ft. The only drawback to diesel lovers is that both versions will initially be available only with a six-speed automatic transmission. According to BMW, the torque of the diesel engine is too substantial to be mated to a manual transmission at this time.

 2009 BMW X5 xDrive 35d

Tax Credits

Performance aside, the higher cost of both vehicles can be partially offset by help from Uncle Sam. Both qualify for the IRS Alternative Motor Vehicle Credit with the 335d qualifying for a maximum tax credit of $900, while the X5 xDrive 35d qualified for a maximum credit of $1,550.

The Bottom Line

Despite the high cost of diesel fuel, here at LotPro.com it’s nice to see manufacturers getting back into the diesel market. After driving a VW Passat TDI wagon in Europe this summer (with a 4-speed manual transmission), we can promise you that torque and fuel economy are every bit as fun as horsepower.

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