They may not be as sexy as the sheetmetal that surround them but engines can contribute to 30 percent or more of the cost of a new vehicle while defining its market niche

18th year of awards program

2012 marks the 18th year of WardsAuto World magazine’s 10 Best Engines list. Not only is this the only award of its kind in the North American auto industry it is, according to WardsAuto, “considered by many to be the ‘Oscars’ for automotive engines.”

We’ll let that comment slide for now.

This year, the list of ten best mirrors the continuing strides the auto industry is making to meet new emissions and fuel economy requirements. "With so many engines featuring gasoline direct-injection and forced induction, we're pleased to have a list that is rich in technology," says Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of WardsAuto World magazine. "Additionally, every engine reinforces the idea that even fuel-efficient vehicles must be fun to drive."

This year also ties for the biggest turnover in the history of the competition (winners from the previous year’s list are automatically entered the following year) as six of the ten winners represented are new to the list.

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 2012. Vehicles the engines are available in must have a base price below $55,000.

The winners (in alphabetical manufacturer’s order)

Audi 3.0-liter TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi A6)
Back for 2012 (it won in 2011) with 310 hp and 325 lb.-ft. of torque for the A6, this powerplant is mated to an 8-speed automatic with Tiptronic and DSP.

BMW 2.0-liter N20 Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (BMW Z4/528i)
BMW marks the return of a 4-cylinder engine to its U.S. lineup that combines high pressure direct-injection and the company’s valvetronic intake control with a single twin-scroll turbocharger with an output of 240 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft. of torque.

BMW 3.0-liter N55 Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (BMW 335i coupe)
Returning in 2012 (it won in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2011), BMW has swapped two compressors for a single twin-scroll turbocharger with a resulting savings in weight, throttle response and even fuel efficiency (15% over its predecessor).

Chrysler 3.6-liter Pentastar DOHC V-6 (Chrysler 300/Jeep Wrangler)
Also returning in 2012, this new-for-2011 engine was featured in no less than 9 2011 Chrysler vehicles ranging from the Chrysler 200 to the all-new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Ford 2.0-liter EcoBoost DOHC I-4 (Ford Edge)
Direct gasoline injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing provide a balance between fuel efficiency and responsive power as this engine delivers 240 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 270 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,000 rpm.

Ford 5.0-liter DOHC V-8 (Ford Mustang Boss 302)
The original 5.0 was launched in 1979. For 2011, it returned in all-aluminum form with 412 horses and twin independent variable camshaft timing. Its back for 2012 and in the Boss 302 produces 444 horsepower and 380 lb.-ft. of torque.

General Motors 2.4-liter Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Buick Regal GS)
With the highest specific output of any GM production engine at 135 horsepower per liter, the 270 horsepower engine from GM is also the most power-dense engine certified by the Society of Automotive Engineers.

Hyundai 1.6-liter Gamma DOHC I-4 (Hyundai Accent/Kia Soul)
Following in the footsteps of Hyundai’s Tau V8, the Gamma 4-cylinder can be paired with either a six-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Producing 138 horsepower and 123 lb.-ft. of torque, the engine sports a best-in-class 40 mpg highway.

Mazda 2.0-liter Skyactiv DOHC I-4 (Mazda Mazda3)
The first North American application of Mazda’s SKYACTIV technology delivers 155 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 148 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,100 rpm. Powering the refreshed 2012 Mazda3, it delivers 40 miles per gallon on the highway.

Infiniti 3.5-liter DOHC V-6 HEV (Infiniti M35h)
In its application in the M35 hybrid, Infiniti’s 3.5-liter all-aluminum engine produces 302 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. Coupled to the 67 horsepower electric motor, this results in a total of 369 horsepower and 457 lb.-ft. of torque that’s delivered to the rear wheels through a seven-speed automatic transmission.

WardsAuto will present the awards on January 11th during a ceremony at the North American International Auto Show.