Ward’s 10 Best Engines is an annual list of the ten “best” automotive engines in the United States. With 2013 coming to an end, it is imminent that Ward will announce its top ten list of the best engines for 2014. Last year the German automakers took the top three spots, with Audi’s 3.0L V6 Supercharged engine taking top honors.
Ward has just announced the top ten lists for 2014 and it is the year of the diesels with automakers illustrating the importance of fuel economy as well as advanced powertrains to complement the engines. The award, in its 20th year, emerged from a field of 44 powertrains evaluated by the experts from Wards in October and November this year. There were eight engines using direct fuel injection and six with forced induction in this year’s list. Three were diesels and one electric powertrain made it into the top ten as well.
Ward’s Automotive Ten Best Engines of 2014
· 3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi S5)
· 3.0L Turbodiesel DOHC I-6 (BMW 535d)
· 3.0L Turbodiesel DOHC V-6 (Ram 1500 EcoDiesel)
· 83-kW Electric Motor (Fiat 500e)
· 1.0L EcoBoost DOHC I-3 (Ford Fiesta)
· 2.0L Turbodiesel DOHC I-4 (Chevrolet Cruze Diesel)
· 6.2L OHV V-8 (Chevrolet Corvette Stingray)
· 3.5L SOHC V-6 (Honda Accord)
· 2.7L DOHC H-6 boxer (Porsche Cayman)
· 1.8L Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Volkswagen Jetta)
Yet again Audi’s superior 3.0L V6 Supercharged engine (pictured below) that powers the Audi S5 emerged on the top for the third consecutive year. Among the two from last year’s list, the Honda 3.5L V6, clinched the eight spot, making it the only Japanese engine in the top ten. BMW’s 3.0L Turbodiesel from the 535d marks the highest position diesel engine at no 2.
Fiat has also made it into the list for the first time with the inclusion of the unique 83-kW electric motor, making it the only electric car on the list. Ford’s much hyped 1.0L EcoBoost engine which made headlines all around the world, made it into the no 5 spot on the list. It is also the smallest engine displacement on the list but the panel judges were impressed by the brilliant engineering and the magnificent fuel economy of the 1.0L EcoBoost engine.
In the end, Audi’s brute strength, luscious torque and supreme refinement won the hearts of the judges, who gave the top spot to Audi for the third time. The awards will be presented at a ceremony in Detroit during the North American International Auto Show on January 2014. No doubt, the Germans are yet again the undisputed kings of automotive engines in the world!
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