US automotive magazine WardsAuto revealed the winners of their prestigious 10 Best Engines Awards of 2019 last week and it’s certainly a testament to where the industry is heading, with half of this years’ winners belonging to electric or hybrid engines. V8’s weren’t left out though, and brought to the spotlight was some pretty impressive engineering and innovations in engine capability, performance and fuel efficiency. We’ve highlighted our favourite features below.
The List:
- 3.0L (B58) DOHC Turbocharged I-6 (BMW X5)
- 6.2L OHV V-8 with DFM (Chevrolet Silverado)
- 5.0L DOHC V-8 (Ford Mustang GT/Bullitt)
- 3.0L DOHC TurboDiesel V-6 (Ford F-150)
- 2.0L DOHC Atkinson i-VTEC 4-Cyl./HEV (Honda Accord Hybrid)
- 120-kW Fuel Cell/Electric Propulsion System (Hyundai Nexo)
- 150-kW Propulsion System (Hyundai Kona EV)
- 2.0L DOHC VC-Turbo 4-Cyl. (Infiniti QX50)
- 2.0L DOHC Atkinson 4-Cyl./HEV (Lexus UX 250h)
- 3.6L DOHC Pentastar eTorque V-6 (Ram 1500)
BMW received its 34th award in the 25-year history of this competition (with Ford sharing first place with the German car maker) for the all-new 2019 X5 crossover. The B58 turbo-6 engine is rated at 340 hp, and the 2019 model boasts a new cooling system, head, timing chain, oil pump, a forged crankshaft, and the new high-pressure direct-injection fueling system is rated at 5,076 psi.
One of the V8 offerings was from the Ford Mustang GT (Bullitt variety) and according to judges, a pleasure to both drive and listen to. The Bullitt only picks up an extra 20 hp than the standard GT offering, but this, and a number of small changes to the engine and (fine) tuning has made a world of difference on the road.
Chevrolet’s Silverado V8 was commended for its significant improvements to fuel efficiency through the use of 17 different deactivation patterns. An innovative controller determines how many cylinders need fuel at any given time, and continually switches the firing sequence seamlessly, depending on driving conditions and throttle inputs.
The Infiniti QX50 engine, for the first time in a consumer car, has given us a varying compression ratio. Having apparently taken the company over 20 years to engineer, this bold release promises to increase efficiency to the maximum level and it something that has not been seen before. Its VC-Turbo can alter how far the pistons rise depending on load and demand, changing the compression ratio from a minimum of 8.0:1 to a staggering 14.0:1 all while running.
The Hyundai Nexo FCV is unique in its own regard by providing three tanks of hydrogen, while being able to simultaneously purify the air. Now that is something! According to Ward, “Hyundai engineers didn’t just build a vehicle. They created a time machine you can sit in today and see the future.” Fast to refuel, great performance and a spacious interior have all helped put this vehicle in the list. Looking for Hyundai car finance? We can help.
This is by no means a full account of the amazing features that these winning engines provided. Check out the WardAuto website for extra details – we’re sure you’ll be impressed!
Criteria & Background
After evaluating 34 engines and electric propulsion systems during routine commutes over a 2 month period, judges base the winners pursuant to various criteria in everyday driving situations and considers the engine’s power and torque output, the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels, technical capacity and all the basic specs.
To be eligible for judging, engines have to be available in regular production cars and in the US market within the first quarter of the year, and not exceed the cost threshold of $US60,000.
Now in its 25th year, the prestigious automotive outlet releases this list annually with trophies handed out during the Detroit Auto Show. We hope to see all of these incredible engines in the Australian market in 2019.
And if you’re interested in getting your hands on one of these vehicles, contact the team at Aussie Car Loans to discuss your finance options. Opt for pre-approval finance before you hit the dealerships.