Of the sixty-six new
engines to come to market over the past year, it was
Fiat Powertrain Technologies' 1.4-litre MultiAir turbo
engine that most impressed the judging panel of the International Engine of the Year Awards
2010, the new unit being named New Engine of the
Year 2010.The
International Engine of the Year Awards
have become one of the most sought-after automotive accolades and an effective
marketing tool for triumphant marques. The International Engine of the Year Awards 2010
trophy presentation
took place yesterday during Engine Expo 2010 and
the honour was collected by Aldo Marangoni, FPT Product
Engineering Vice President. "The award is further
confirmation of the Fiat Group’s acknowledged capacity
for technological innovation; the Group had already won
the prize in 2005, in the 1.0 to 1.4 litre capacity
class of the "International Engine of the Year", with
the small but sophisticated 1.3 Multijet, which opened a
new chapter in the history of diesel engines, a field in
which the Group has always been a leader, having been
the first to launch innovations such as direct injection
and common-rail technology on the market", said
Marangoni.
Judged by a panel of 65 renowned motoring journalists from 32 countries as
disparate as the USA, Japan, China, Russia, New Zealand, India, Korea, Germany,
France, Romania, South Africa, Mexico and the UK, the Awards highlight and
acknowledge engine engineering excellence.
Judges apply their impressions from driving today's latest cars to help them
find the powerplants that offer the best driveability, performance, economy, and
refinement, and reward manufacturers for the successful application of advanced
engine technology.
MultiAir employs an
electrohydraulic system to independently control each
cylinder’s inlet air charge. Depending on the driving
situation, there are five main modes of inlet valve
timing and lift, but in principle MultiAir enables
infinitely variable control of the inlet valves. The
system is particularly special because it is able to
increase power and torque while reducing fuel
consumption and emissions. The concept is therefore
ideal for today’s world of eco-conscious, downsized
automotive powertrains. Fiat Powertrain Technologies,
which has developed and patented the system, claims
that, compared with a traditional petrol engine of the
same displacement, a MultiAir unit brings up to 10% more
power and 15% more torque, while improving fuel economy
by up to 10% and reducing emissions, whether they be CO2
(-10%), particulate matter (-40%) or NOx (-60%). Taking
as an example the 170bhp variant of the winning
1.4-litre turbo engine, which appears in the Alfa MiTo
Cloverleaf, Alfa Romeo claims 6 l/100km (47mpg) on the
combined cycle for the 170bhp unit, which is more than
half a litre less than the previous 155bhp, non-MultiAir
engine. A start/stop system also helps cut fuel
consumption levels.
The judges were predictably enamoured with a system that
offers such impressive benefits. “Fiat’s MultiAir gives
traditional internal combustion a breath of fresh air
via an entirely new set of valvetrain strategies,” was
the verdict of respected technical journalist, Dennis
Simanaitis of Road & Track.
The
1.4 MultiAir Turbo engines, with power outputs that
range from 135 to 170 bhp, now equip, optimising
"downsizing" concept, the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta,
as well as the Fiat Punto Evo and Abarth Punto Evo, and
will soon be introduced on the Fiat Bravo and Lancia
Delta. The top range 170 bhp version, with 124 bhp/litre,
has an outstanding specific power output which, combined
with peak torque of 250 Nm, guarantees sporty
performances, but also record-setting fuel consumption
and emissions (134 g/km of CO2 on the new Alfa Romeo
Giulietta). MultiAir technology is versatile, easily
applicable to all petrol engines, and has the potential
to be developed for diesel engines in future. Next to
benefit will be the eagerly anticipated two-cylinder
turbo, which is on track to offer an astonishing 105bhp.
"Lots of power combined with serious inroads made in
emissions reduction makes this a very good engine. Then,
when you look at the fuel economy, Fiat's MultiAir turbo
powertrain becomes a great engine - it's easy to see why
it has won Best New Engine for 2010," said Dean
Slavnich, Co-Chairman of the Awards, and editor of
Engine Technology International.
Meanwhile Volkswagen's 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger secured
overall honours at the International Engine of the
Year Awards 2010. The engine, which won the overall
Awards' title for the first time last year, boasts
almost 180bhp despite its small capacity thanks to the
intelligent use of both a turbocharger and a
supercharger. The engine is now a popular choice for
customers across much of the VW model range, including
the Golf, Scirocco, Eos and Tiguan ranges, and is also
found in the Seat Ibiza Cupra derivative. The Awards
also rewarded a variety of other manufacturers for
engine excellence across a number of different
categories. Toyota's 1.8-liter electric-motor-boosted
hybrid unit winning the Green Engine of the Year
Award category. The engine powers the Prius and
Auris/Corolla models. Toyota also continued its
dominance in the sub 1-liter sector, its 999cc,
three-cylinder engine once again taking class honors. At
the other end of the engine capacity spectrum, Mercedes-AMG
asserted its authority in the Best Performance Engine
category with its 6.2-liter V8 engine winning for a
second time. This engine also scooped the Above 4-liter
title. BMW scooped four awards; one for the best
1.4-liter to 1.8-liter class with the Mini Cooper S'
1.6-liter turbocharged engine; one for producing the
best 1.8-liter to 2-liter engine with its 2-liter diesel
Twin-Turbo unit; another for its 3-liter DI Twin-Turbo
engine; and finally its mighty 4-liter V8 'M' engine
secured the Award for best 3-liter to 4-liter engine.
Meanwhile Audi's 2.5-liter turbocharged engine that
powers the TT RS won the 2-2.5-litre category.
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