Engine of the year

[Vytenis]

 

2008 Best Performance Engine

From: http://www.ukipme.com/engineoftheyear/about.html


Best Performance Engine
 Porsche 3.6-litre Turbo (911 Turbo, 911 GT2)
“This turbo engine is a masterpiece of German automotive engineering�?
Mohamed Sheta, Auto News Agency, Middle East Auto
 So which automotive manufacturer produces the ultimate performance engine? In by far the most closely fought category in the International Engine of the Year Awards 2008, at one stage of voting, five engines were separated by just 10 points. It was essentially a case of Germany versus Italy versus Japan, the eventual winner being Germany – notably Stuttgart, not Munich – as Porsche followed up its maiden victory at the International Engine of the Year Awards in 2007 with a triumph with the same engine, the 3.6-litre Turbo, housed in the 911 Turbo and GT2 supersportscar.

While 420bhp sounds like plenty of power for a 911 Turbo, Stuttgart specialists have upped the power of the 3,600cc to ensure a massive 530 horses are on tap for pilots of the GT2. Such power is generated from a wealth of technology that appears on the engine. This Porsche turbo unit is the first of its kind to feature exhaust gas turbochargers, supplied by BorgWarner, with variable turbine geometry. Each row of cylinders has its own turbocharger, which in turn allows optimum charge flow through a full flow of exhaust gases.

The two intercoolers on board accommodate more compressed air thanks to a 10% larger diameter over the previous design, and an automatic waste valve is also deployed. The position of this valve within the housing of the exhaust gas turbocharger allows for a more compact package, thereby further increasing efficiency. Such examples of technology allow the engine in both guises to power the vehicle they are housed in to 100km/h in under four seconds, while a maximum speed of 310km/h and 329km/h can be attained from the Turbo and GT2 models respectively.

In total, 26 judges awarded points to the engine, among them Jake Venter from South Africa’s Car magazine, who enthused, “Very few turbocharged engines have been honed to such a state of perfection.�?

 
Results
   points
1. Porsche 3.6-litre Turbo (911 Turbo, GT2) 137
 
2. BMW 5-litre V10 (M5, M6)134
 
3. BMW 4-litre V8 (M3)133
 
4. Ferrari 6-litre V12 (599 GTB)125
 
5. Nissan 3.8-litre Twin Turbo (GT-R)124
 
6. Audi 5-litre V10 (RS6)108
 

[AMoore]

I can't believe they omitted the Chrysler Plymouth slant 6.