Ferrari’s 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine, a 495kW/750Nm powerplant used in the 488 models, has won the International Engine of the Year award for the second year in a row.
The 2017 panel of judges clearly favoured it over Porsche’s 3.0-litre flat-six from the 911 range, as well as BMW’s petrol-electric drivetrain in the i8, and the 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder in the Audi RS3 and TT RS.
Said Britain’s Tony Robinson, founder of the annual awards: “This is only the second time that such a powerful performance engine has taken the overall honours two years consecutively and won the most coveted, outright title.
“The Ferrari V8 is all about amazing power delivery, precision, driveability and a wonderful soundtrack, too. One day soon it’ll be a classic in its own right – indeed I think it is already!”
But it wasn’t Ferrari’s only double – it also repeated its win in 2016 with the naturally aspirated 6.3-litre V12 in the above 4.0-litre engine category. The same engine won in 2013.
Other engines chasing the title included Ford’s turbocharged 1.0-litre triple, the PSA Group’s 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbo, and the Porsche 2.0-litre four-cylinder boxer engine from the 718 range.
Both BMW i8’s powertrain and the Ford 1.0-litre have previously won the award. Again, no diesel engines won any of the available categories.
The second-generation Honda NSX’s 3.5-litre hybrid drivetrain won the New Engine of the Year award. It’s the company’s first gong in 11 years, and the only prize awarded to an Asian manufacturer this year. Ford and Tesla were the only other winners from outside of Europe.
Voted on by a jury of 58 motoring journalists from all over the world, the awards are in their 19th year and are run annually by Engine Technology International Magazine.
So far four engines have managed to win in consecutive years, with the BMW V10 used in the M5 doing the double in 2005 and 2006. BMW followed this up with another double in 2007 and 2008, with its 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six.
Volkswagen’s 1.4-litre Twincharger engine, with a supercharger and turbocharger, carried away the award in 2009 and 2010. Ford’s 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine, used in the Fiesta and other vehicles, is the only engine to win the main gong three years running in 2012, 2013 and 2014.
2017 category winners
Performance engine
Ferrari 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8, used in the 488.
New engine
Honda 3.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid, from the Honda/Acura NSX.
Green engine
Tesla electric powertrain, used in the Model S and Model X.
Electric powertrain
Tesla electric powertrain, used in the Model S and Model X.
Above 4.0-litre
Ferrari 6.3-litre V12, powering the F12.
3.0 to 4.0-litre
Ferrari 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8, used in the 488.
2.5 to 3.0-litre
Porsche 3.0-litre turbocharged flat-six, from the 911 range.
2.0 to 2.5-litre
Audi 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder, used in the TT RS and RS3.
1.8 to 2.0-litre
Porsche 2.0-litre turbo flat-four, used in the 718 range.
1.4 to 1.8-litre
BMW 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid, from the i3.
1.0 to 1.4-litre
PSA Peugeot Citroen 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder.
Below 1.0-litre
Ford 1.0-litre turbocharged three-cylinder, used in everything from the Fiesta through to the Mondeo.