Sub 1-Liter: Toyota 1.0L three-cylinder
1.0L - 1.4L: VW 1.4L TSI Twincharger
1.4L - 1.8L: BMW-PSA 1.6L Turbo
1.8L - 2.0L: VW/Audi 2.0L Turbo FSI
2.0L - 2.5L: Subaru 2.5L Turbo
2.5L - 3.0L: BMW 3.0L twin-turbo inline-six
3.0L - 4.0L: BMW 4.0L V8
Above 4.0L : BMW 5.0L V10

Link to the complete results and point tally: http://www.ukipme.com/engineoftheyear/categories.html

Best New Engine of 2008 went to BMW’s 2.0L twin-turbo diesel (123d). Green Engine of the Year 2008 was awarded to Toyota 1.5L Hybrid Synergy Drive (Prius). But perhaps the most surprising was Nissan’s absence from the ceremony, with rival Porsche stamping its authority on the awards. The new GT-R’s motor was overlooked, in favour of the Porsche 3.6L Turbo (911 Turbo, 911 GT2), which picked up Best Performance Engine 2008.

For ten years now, the BMW Group has led the world’s most prestigious engine competition. The result in 2008: Awards for four BMW engines and a MINI power unit.

Munich / Stuttgart. With six awards for five engines gained at this year’s “International Engine of the Year Awards”, BMW has successfully defended its position as the world’s leading manufacturer of efficient high-performance power units. For the second time in succession, the 3-liter inline six engine with Twin Turbo and High Precision Injection has won the overall ranking in this most significant international engine competition. In addition, the 300 hp engine employed in the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series, the BMW 1 Series Coupe and Convertible, as well as the new BMW X6, repeated last year’s victory in the 2.5 to 3-liter engine category.

Only one engine had previously ever succeeded in repeating overall victory at the “International Engine of the Year Awards”: the 5-litre V10 high-revving engine employed in the BMW M5 Sedan, M6 Coupe and M6 Convertible received top honors in 2005 and 2006. This year the 500 hp high-end power unit won the “Above 4-liter” category. BMW M GmbH was successful in posting another winner: the 414 hp V8 engine in the new BMW M3 won the category for engines in the 3 to 4 liter category. Furthermore, the 2-liter four-cylinder diesel with Variable Twin Turbo technology employed in the BMW 123d received the award for “Best New Engine” of the 2008. And the 1.6-liter four cylinder with Twin Scroll Turbocharger and direct gas injection employed in the MINI Cooper S managed to repeat last year’s win in the 1.4 to 1.8 liter class.

For the first time in the history of the competition, the title “Best New Engine of the Year” has been awarded to a diesel engine. The 204 hp four-cylinder diesel with Variable Twin Turbo has earned this award due to a unique combination of performance and efficiency. As the world’s first full-aluminum diesel engine, it delivers specific output of more than 100 hp per liter of displacement. At the same time, in the BMW 123d, it delivers average fuel consumption of 5.2 liters/100 km in an EU test cycle, equivalent to 45 miles/US gallon, and a CO2 emission level of 138 grams per km. This renders it a fine example of the BMW EfficientDynamics development strategy in action.

With its current win of six trophies, the BMW Group continues to dominate the engine competition which has been held now for ten years. The repeated success of the Twin Turbo inline six engine is the sixth overall victory for the company since the foundation of the “International Engine of the Year Awards” in 1999. The bandwidth of the BMW Group’s currently successful engines is also remarkable. They range from the 172 hp four cylinder of the MINI Cooper S to the two high-revving power units produced by the BMW M GmbH.

 

Not suprising...

 

i think the GTR excels more in delivering from the engine to road, rather than what comes out of the engine...

 

so... what's so special about the 335's engine? How is it better than the GT-R's?

 

seems a bit biased

 

Perhaps, but BMW did make some pretty friggin good engines this year.

 

probably has to do with the amount of power it can put out with just a software mod.

 

what about Audi's new V10 in that RS6??

 

It's biased. The 2IS's should win it's category.

Why would turbo engines have more quality? last long they will not!

 

I doubt they rate engines based on aftermarket mod potential.

 

They're not competing (except in the "Performance Engine" category, where it is in fact ahead of the 3L turbo). The 335s engine won the 2.5-3.0L category, while the GT-R's engine, being 3.8L, is in the 3.0-4.0L category, where it placed 3rd behind the Porsche 3.6L twin turbo and BMW 4.0L V8.

They were disqualified due to the "no ticking" rule.

But seriously, you HONESTLY think the 2GR-FSE in the IS350 is a better motor than the V8 in the M3? Or the 204hp/185lbft 2.5L in the IS250 is better than the 300hp/300lbft twin-turbo I-6? I'll have some of what you're smoking.

 

"Better" could mean so many things. Better, how? Noise? Ultimate HP output? HP/Torque curve? reliability? fuel efficiency? HP per CC? Emissions? Technological advancement? Refinement?
Everyone here seems to believe that higher HP = better. Everybody's opinion differs on what "best" means.
IMO, the "best" engines are the most reliable and longest lasting. IOW, if the average lifespan of the 2GR is 320K and the average lifespan for the M3 engine is only 200k, then the 2GR is indeed, the "better" engine. Smoothness and refinement are second on my list. This is just my opinion and everyone else has their own opinion on what constitutes "best" in their book.

 

According to your standards, the camry 4 banger or the the old chevy 3800 would probably be a "better" engine than your 2GR because they would probably last longer

Whats the use of having an engine that lasts 320k if the entire car falls apart by then. I think I'd rather have a GTR engine that lasts 200k and then falls apart with the rest of the car rather than a much slower but more reliable engine than outlasts all other aspects of the car.

 

I thought we were talking about engines, not cars. Anyway, like I said, everybody has their own opinion about what "best" means. Longevity and reliability is top on my list. Others have different priorities, like fuel efficiency.

The original article doesn't define "best", so it's pretty much useless information, to me.

 

Looking at this list, the winners of the previous years, the panel of judges, etc I've got to say it definitely appears to be a German, or at least European biased list.

But with that said, BMW has made some excellent motors recently...