Annual Ward's Top 10 Engines lists is out

[Atomb]

http://wardsauto.com/home/best_engines_winners/Quote »Ward’s Announces 10 Best Engines Winners for 2007By Bill VisnicWardsAuto.com, Dec 5, 2006 3:13 PM DETROIT – Three new powerplants join the list of Ward's 10 Best Engines winners for 2007, the 13th rendition of the annual competition that recognizes automotive powertrain excellence.Making the cut for the first time: * Ford Motor Co.’s all-new Duratec 35, a 3.5L DOHC V-6 launching as the standard engine in some of Ford’s most critical new models for 2007, the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX cross/utility vehicles, as well as Lincoln’s MKZ sedan. The powerful and refined new V-6 generates 265 hp and 250 lb.-ft. (339 Nm) of torque. * BMW AG’s thrusty turbocharged variant of its hallowed inline 6-cyl. engine. The new 3L mill combines a sophisticated turbocharger with the company’s first application of direct-injection gasoline fueling for an inline 6-cyl. to produce 300 hp and 300 lb.-ft. (407 Nm) of torque. * DaimlerChrysler AG’s 3L DOHC V-6 turbodiesel, the only ’07-model light-duty diesel engine for sale in the U.S., is available in a trio of Mercedes-Benz models as well as the Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD. The powerful and frugal new diesel V-6 produces torque that far surpasses gasoline engines of similar size while providing 25% better fuel economy. Equally important, in Mercedes’ E320 Bluetec, the high-tech 3L turbodiesel is coupled with the first phase of new exhaust-aftertreatment technology that soon will make diesels as low-emitting as today’s gasoline engines.Meanwhile, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. continues a record-setting string of Ward's 10 Best Engines awards with the 13th consecutive win for its now-legendary VQ-Series DOHC V-6, the only engine to win an award every year since the competition’s inception in 1995.For 2007, the heavily revised, fourth-generation 3.5L VQ boasts a V-8-challenging 306 hp and 268 lb.-ft. (363 Nm) of torque.Toyota Motor Corp. scores its second consecutive 10 Best Engines win with its Lexus 3.5L DOHC V-6, a brilliantly refined design that employs a unique, combination direct- and port-injection fueling system that helps generate 306 hp and 277 lb.-ft. (376 Nm) of torque.Two popularly priced and evocative V-8s return in 2007 for repeat wins. DC scores its fifth consecutive 10 Best Engines win with the ever-popular Hemi 5.7 OHV V-8, this year in 340 hp, 390 lb.-ft. (529 Nm) specification for the Chrysler 300C sedan.Ford takes its third consecutive Best Engines award with the 4.6L SOHC V-8 powering the Ford Mustang GT. This new-generation version of the classic muscle-car V-8 continues to impress with its evocative exhaust symphony and, in addition to its standard 300-hp Mustang GT guise, a new, high-output variant that uses Ford Racing performance components to increase horsepower to 325.Finally, a pair of powerful but efficient 4-cyl. engines claims 2007 10 Best Engines awards. Audi AG wins for the second consecutive year with its power-dense 2L turbocharged DOHC I-4 employing the company’s torque- and efficiency-enhancing FSI direct-injection gasoline fueling to produce 200 hp and 207 lb.-ft. (281 Nm) of torque.And Mazda Motor Corp. returns to the 10 Best Engines list with its second consecutive award for its power-packed 2.3L turbocharged DOHC I-4, an integral part of one of the year’s best performance-car bargains, the Mazdaspeed3.Developing 263 hp from just 2.3L displacement, the direct-injected Mazda 4-cyl. is one of the most power-dense engines available in the U.S. market.This year, six Ward's editors nominated 33 different engines for the 10 Best Engines competition. Over a nearly 2-month period, the editors evaluated and scored each engine against all others in a number of objective and subjective parameters.Each engine must be available in a regular-production, U.S.-specification model on sale no later than the first quarter of 2007 in a vehicle priced no more than $54,000, a price cap indexed to the average cost of a new vehicle.The awards will be given at a banquet in Detroit during next month’s North American International Auto Show.Here’s Ward's 10 Best Engines for 2007 at a glance (vehicle tested in parenthesis): * Audi AG 2L turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Audi A3) * BMW AG 3L DOHC I-6 (Z4 3.0si) * BMW AG 3L turbocharged DOHC I-6 (335i) * DaimlerChrysler AG 3L DOHC V-6 turbodiesel (Mercedes-Benz E320 Bluetec/Jeep Grand Cherokee CRD) * DaimlerChrysler AG Hemi 5.7L OHV V-8 (Chrysler 300C) * Ford Motor Co. Duratec 35 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Ford Edge/Lincoln MKX) * Ford Motor Co. 4.6L SOHC V-8 (Mustang GT/Mustang Shelby GT) * Mazda Motor Corp. 2.3L DISI turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Mazdaspeed3) * Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Infiniti G35) * Toyota Motor Corp. 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Lexus IS 350) Gentlemen, and Ladies, start your opinion engines!! (no pun intended )

[ragingfish]

needless to say, i'm disappointed not a single GM engine made the list. they definitely have some stellar power plants on the market right now. I love the 3500 SFI V6 in my G6...gives me a nice 201 horses to play with. Granted, the fuel economy is no competition for the Vibe or my long beloved Sunfire. I'm lucky if I get 23 on average. But my lead foot doesn't help that cause.3500 aside, GM's Ecotecs are long proven and tested to be reliable, performing, and fuel efficient. And now that they're developing ECOTEC engines with DI, fuel economy should improve even more.IMHO - The General got shafted again.

[VforVIBE]

hey, where are the LS2 adn LS1?

[VforVIBE]

Quote, originally posted by »Each engine must be available in a regular-production, U.S.-specification model on sale no later than the first quarter of 2007 in a vehicle priced no more than $54,000, a price cap indexed to the average cost of a new vehicle.Ah yes... yeah, the Vette was in the $60,000 range, BUT the GTO was only $32,000 hmm...

[millster]

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »3500 aside, GM's Ecotecs are long proven and tested to be reliable, performing, and fuel efficient. And now that they're developing ECOTEC engines with DI, fuel economy should improve even more.I agree that the Ecotec rocks and that they should be on the list. But fuel efficient is hardly a phrase I would use. My Cobalt averages 21.7 MPG. That's all in town, granted, but I've also babied the gas pedal.Oh well, I still love the little car and it's still better on gas than the Sebring!

[drunkenmaxx]

what, no subarus?

[Atomb]

Quote, originally posted by drunkenmaxx »what, no subarus? heh....i thought the EXACT same thing!

[Mavrik]

Actually I was about to complain about that there is no subaru engines on the list. the 4 cylinder 2.5 turbocharged engine with 293 stock HP with the ability to run 400 at the crank HP with no internal risk is FAR more impressive then the not even a year old Mazda speed 3 263 not tried, tested and true engine.

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by millster »I agree that the Ecotec rocks and that they should be on the list. But fuel efficient is hardly a phrase I would use. My Cobalt averages 21.7 MPG. That's all in town, granted, but I've also babied the gas pedal.Oh well, I still love the little car and it's still better on gas than the Sebring! You ARE still in the middle of your engine break-in period aren't you?You should see those numbers improve over time...

[ToolGuy]

Wonder if there was a time limit as to how long the engine has been around to get on the list. Meaning if it was newer like the 5.7L Hemi, it would qualify.Obviously the GM small block LS7 engine is tried and true, reliable. From DCX the old 2.4L DOHC been around for years now replaced with the 2.4L World Engine, it was loud but very reliable and turbo-ed in the end. The Subi 2.5L as well has been around for years, small improvements here and there but reliable. A newer designed engine for today does not mean it will be very reliable down the road.The 300C Hemi came out last year.

[Atomb]

from here: http://wardsauto.com/reports/2...es_10/Quote »For 2006, Ward's 10 Best Engines judges nominated and tested 31 engines that must be available in regular-production vehicles on sale in the U.S. market no later than the first quarter of 2006. To be eligible, the engine also must be available in a vehicle with a base price of no more than $52,500.During a 2-month testing period, Ward's editors evaluate each engine according to a number of objective and subjective criteria in everyday driving situations – there is no instrumented testing. Each engine competes against all others.Ward's believes this process recognizes engines used in a wide range of vehicle segments, while the head-to-head format generates just 10 clearcut winners free of the “categories” that could dilute such a competition.Meanwhile, the price cap eliminates expensive, exotic engines that by their nature should be superior engineering efforts.By limiting the competition to volume-market considerations, the annual 10 Best Engines awards have a high degree of relevance, we believe, to the majority of the industry's powertrain developers, as well as consumers.

[Atomb]

http://wardsauto.com/reports/2007/tenbest/much more information for each engine (with a purdy picture too!) and an article looking at all 33 engines nominated in the list.some neat stuff to read during your slow holiday hours...