BMW and MINI Engines Earn Engine of the Year Awards

Official Release: Two class wins in this year’s competition have boosted the BMW Group’s cache of titles acquired in the prestigious International Engine of the Year Award. The two latest accolades go to two power units that manage to combine sporty performance with exemplary efficiency in unique fashion. The 3.0-litre in-line six-cylinder petrol engine with BMW TwinPower Turbo technology – as featured in numerous current BMW models – ranks among the prize-winners for the fourth time. Meanwhile, the 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine that drives the MINI Cooper S Countryman and the MINI Cooper S Paceman, among other models, has secured its eighth consecutive class win.
This brace of titles for the BMW Group at the International Engine of the Year Award 2014 once again corroborates the development work carried out under the umbrella of Efficient Dynamics, which has for years now led to a steady enhancement in driving pleasure coupled with reduced fuel consumption and emissions. The International Engine of the Year Award was introduced in 1999, since when 63 class and overall wins have been earned by engines developed for the BMW and MINI brands. Deciding on the best engines among a wide range of categories was a panel of expert judges who this year comprised 82 automotive journalists from 34 countries. Their chosen prize-winners will be presented with their awards on Wednesday, 25 June 2014 during the Engine Expo trade fair in Stuttgart.
In the six-in-line petrol engine that has once again won the Engine of the Year Award in 2014, BMW TwinPower Turbo technology plays a pivotal role in securing its hallmark brand attributes: instantaneous response to the slightest touch of the pedal, an exhilarating high-revving temperament, supreme refinement and outstanding efficiency. The technology package behind the lightweight unit comprises a Twin Scroll turbocharger, High Precision Petrol Direct Injection, VALVETRONIC variable valve timing and double-VANOS variable camshaft control. With this armoury, the 3.0-litre engine delivers peak output of 225 kW/306 hp and 235 kW/320 hp in the respective BMW 6 Series and BMW 7 Series models.
This year the 1.4 to 1.8-litre displacement class of the International Engine of the Year Award was once again dominated by the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine developed for BMW and MINI models. This unit features a Twin Scroll turbocharger and petrol direct injection combined with variable valve control based on the VALVETRONIC principle patented by the BMW Group. In its latest evolution – available from summer 2014 in the new MINI Cooper S Countryman (fuel consumption combined: 6.0 l/100 km [47.1 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 139 g/km) and the new MINI Cooper S Paceman (fuel consumption combined: 6.0 l/100 km [47.1 mpg imp]; CO2 emissions combined: 139 g/km) – the four-cylinder powerplant boasts output raised to 140 kW/190 hp. The responsive, high-revving nature and excellent efficiency of this engine once again set benchmarks that have ensured its eighth class win in succession.
14 Comments
<p>Soooo…. the old 1.6L aced the new and improved 1.5L, and the 2.0L?</p>
<p>Most writers voters don’t get to sample new engines so quickly. In general the critical mass of knowledge and awareness isn’t there for awhile. So it’s typical for older engines to continue to do well in their runout years as evidenced by the N54 beating the N55 and the Tritec trumping the Prince a few years back.</p>
<p>That may be. But I do remember reading last year that the judges asked BMW why they weren’t submitting their new 1.5L for consideration. The chief engineer said their engines were still pre-production units and would submit this year. As good as that 3-cyl. might be, I have a feeling that as long as Ford’s 3-cyl. is on center stage, BMW is going to have a hard time sharing the spotlight.</p>
<p>It was submitted.</p>
<p>The 1.5L from the F56 Cooper came in 2nd in its division … behind the 1.6L from the R56. But it was close; 267 points vs 256 points (the next engine was under 200 points).</p>
<p>Ford’s 3-cyl. won its division (sub-1L) and also won the overall International Engine of the Year title (both for the 3rd consecutive year).</p>
<p><a href="http://www.ukipme.com/engineoftheyear/" rel="nofollow ugc">http://www.ukipme.com/engineoftheyear/</a></p>
<p>Ford’s success with its utterly brilliant little Fiesta, and the EcoBoost 1.0T engine, is thoroughly well deserved. It’s a great compliment to BMW that the F56 comes a close second in all the UK comparison tests.</p>
<p>Out of curiosity, I checked the Int’l Engine of the Year 2014 web page, and apparently the 1.6L and the 1.5L were both reviewed. The 1.6L Prince engine came in first place with 267 votes, followed by the 1.5L
engine with 256 votes….. (I think I’ll wax my ’09 JCW this weekend)</p>
<p>Not sure the 1.6 twin turbo ever deserved the award. Maybe after they finally fixed the chain tensioner and cold start clatter and added valvetronic. From what I’ve read the 1.5 should be the one to beat next year.</p>
<p>It’s not twin turbo in the first place, and the N18 was a different engine series than the N14 (which had the timing chain issues, etc…) it was a tech marvel. Very high power, low fuel consumption, direct injected, and sounded fantastic.</p>
<p>1.6T one because it has a much better response, much higher power-per-litre, and and has been praised for its low-end and high-end power and sound. The 2.0T hasn’t had any such critical acclaim.</p>
<p>So….I’ve heard the 2.0T called extremely smooth. But the 2.0 class has to be the most crowded in the automotive world. The 1.5 isn’t in the same class as the Ford (its displacement not cylinder count that matters). Why isn’t the 1.5 from the i8 included it is the same mill, maybe I don’t know the rules.</p>
<p>Because it’s a joint petrol-electric powertrain. The engine doesn’t really do but just so much in the i8, and the i8 hasn’t gotten rave reviews from any source. They say it understeers, never really feels that powerful, and it’s mated to an archaic 6-speed automatic transmission. Pretty each in today’s world of high performance vehicles. It also has tires from a Prius.</p>
<p><em>pretty weak</em></p>
<p>This is not the problem, we speak of the 1.5 which happened to be a great motor</p>