2012 International Engine of the Year Is Ford’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost I3

One of Ford’s smallest engines has just won one of Europe’s biggest powerplant prizes: The same 1.0-liter, three-cylinder EcoBoost unit that will be offered in U.S. vehicles beginning next year was named the 2012 Engine of the Year by Engine Technology International magazine. In fact, Ford’s motivator took home a title for each of its cylinders, as it also was named best new engine of the year and the top choice under 1.0 liter (technically, the award winner has a displacement of 999 cubic centimeters).

Said Dean Slavnich, editor of Engine Technology International and co-chairman of the International Engine of the Year Awards: "This was a dominant win by the Ford engine and it is important to remember that the overall engine of the year award is not linked to engine capacity or any other criteria beyond the excellence of its engineering and the degree to which it delivers its capabilities in a vehicle and within the broader marketplace. That the small capacity engines continue to impress the most in overall terms, even against the larger, higher performance engines, says a great deal about how the automotive industry has developed in recent years."

A number of other powerplants that may be familiar to American drivers were honored in Europe as well, including the 1.4-liter I4 that extends the EV range of the Chevy Volt, along with four engines from BMW, which captured more class wins than any other automaker. The Prancing Horse took top honors among engines larger than 4.0 liters, earning kudos for the 4.5-liter V8 that energizes the Ferrari 458 Italia and 458 Spider.

International Engine of the Year: Ford EcoBoost Technology Makes the Difference

Ford’s innovative three-cylinder engine is an all-new powerplant that relies on the Blue Oval’s proven formula for success by boasting the full suite of EcoBoost technologies, including forced induction from a low-inertia turbocharger, direct fuel injection and continuously variable valve timing during both intake and exhaust. As a result, the engine also delivers the expected EcoBoost benefits of high power and high efficiency. (It also happened to deliver the highest score ever in the award’s 14-year history.)

The first vehicle to feature that engine is the European Ford Focus, and it actually offers the powerplant in two versions: When tuned to make 98 hp—just a pair of ponies less than the 100 hp offered by the Mazda2’s 1.5-liter I4—the Blue Oval’s International Engine of the Year can return 58.9 mpg in European testing. Buffed up to 123 hp, the I3 can still achieve 56.5 mpg, again in the European cycle.

Other notable engineering highlights include:

• An exhaust manifold that has been cast directly into the cylinder head to manage exhaust-gas temperatures and maintain an ideal fuel-to-air ratio
• A cast-iron block that warms up more quickly than aluminum blocks and requires 50 percent less energy to reach optimum operating temperature
• Main engine drive belts that are immersed in oil for added quietness and efficiency
• An unbalanced flywheel/pulley configuration that eliminates the need for power-sapping balance shafts without sacrificing smoothness and quietness

“We set the bar incredibly high when we set out to design this engine,” said Joe Bakaj, Ford vice president, Global Powertrain. “We wanted to deliver eye-popping fuel economy, surprising performance, quietness and refinement—and all from a very small three-cylinder engine.

“The team responded to this seemingly impossible challenge with some really exciting innovation. The result is a game changer for gas engines globally.”

Ford will provide more information about the engine’s U.S. specs closer to its scheduled American debut in 2013.

International Engine of the Year: Chevy Volt Gains More Green Honors

Although the electrical propulsion system of the Chevy Volt gets most of the attention, the 1.4-liter gas-powered engine that extends its overall range to 380 miles is no slouch in the efficiency department either. Making it a worthy recipient of the International Engine of the Year Award in the “Green” category, the powerplant delivers an EPA line of 35 mpg city/40 mpg highway/37 mpg combined. That’s exactly the same mark for combined driving as posted by the Scion iQ city car, and it also bests the numbers put up by such tiny vehicles as the Smart fortwo and FIAT 500. (Note: The same drive system is used by the Opel Ampera, offered by GM’s European-based division.)

Of course, drivers may not get much use out of the Volt's gas engine, since the car can provide an all-electric range of 38 miles on a single charge, allowing some owners to go 1,000 miles or more in between fill-ups.

“Until the Volt and Ampera, the short range of battery electric vehicles has limited their suitability for everyday use,” said Uwe Winter, vehicle line director and chief engineer for Opel. “Our revolutionary propulsion system removes this obstacle by uniting the environmental friendliness of electric drive with the long range of a combustion engine. And the Best Green Engine Award is the highest recognition of this achievement.”

International Engine of the Year: BMW Keeps on Motoren

The team from Bayerische Motoren Werk—aka, BMW—continued an impressive run of domination in the International Engine of the Year Awards. Counting the four powerplants that were honored in this year’s competition, the automaker has now won more than 50 class and overall titles since 1999.

Among this year’s victors were the 1.6-liter I4 found in the high-performance MINI lineup, including the MINI Cooper S, where it delivers 181 hp and 177 lb.-ft. of torque. The eager-to-please engine also won its class last year, for engines that displace between 1.4 and 1.8 liters, and showcases technologies like a twin-scroll turbocharger, gasoline direct injection and variable valve control.

BMW’s new 2.0-liter TwinPower Turbo I4 bested all rivals in the 1.8- to 2.0-liter class and is available in a number of different vehicles from the automaker. Notably, this includes the all-new BMW 3 Series sedan, in which it provides 240 hp, 260 lb.-ft. of torque and a 0-60 time of just 5.7 seconds—all while ringing up an EPA line of up to 23 mpg city/34 mpg highway/27 mpg combined.

After twice winning the overall title of International Engine of the Year in past judging, the Bavarian’s 3.0-liter twin-turbo I6 earned the 2012 prize in the 2.5- to 3.0-liter category. This powerplant helps propel cars like the BMW 1 Series M Coupe and BMW Z4 sDrive35is with 340 hp and 332 lb.-ft. of torque.

The 4.0-liter V8 that sits at the heart of the inimitable BMW M3, where it pumps out 414 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, capped off the brand’s International Engine of the Year champions. It was the highest-ranked offering in the 3.5- to 4.0-liter segment.