The Technobest 2010 prize was awarded by the international, independent Autobest jury of 15 specialist journalists from a number of countries whose populations together make up a universe of 300 million people: Bulgaria, Cyprus, Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Turkey and Ukraine. Autobest was founded in 2000, and in the Automotive sector it is considered among Europe’s most important automobile juries.

When it communicated the prize, the Autobest jury acknowledged the technological innovation of the TwinAir which, by taking the concept of downsizing to further, thanks to the innovative technology of electro-hydraulic control of the Multiair inlet valves, combined with fluid dynamics studied specifically for the engine, has made it possible to achieve outstanding efficiency and minimal consumption.

The 85 HP turbo version of the new family of TwinAir engines made its official debut at this year’s Geneva International Motor Show. Its distinctive features are its compact size and cutting edge technology, which enables the engine to set new efficiency standards, with consumption that is the lowest in its class, confirming the Fiat Group’s leadership in this sector. The TwinAir boasts a number of particularly sophisticated technological features, normally only found in higher engine classes. Two examples are the electro-hydraulic control of the Multiair inlet valves, which is installed on all TwinAir engines, and the timing chain which drastically cuts engine running costs because it does not need any maintenance. A counter-rotating balancer shaft also guarantees that vibrational comfort is maintained in all operating conditions.

Depending on the version (aspirated, turbocharged by turboblower and bi-fuel CNG), the TwinAir can deliver from 65 to 105 bhp. The top-of-the-range versions in particular, stand out for their excellent specific power and torque values, delivered with a cylinder capacity of just 900 cc.

Because of its extremely small size, the new TwinAir engine is ideal coupled with an electric engine, producing a hybrid propulsion unit that is particularly suitable for use in town. It maximises the advantages of hybrid propulsion by making it possible to store and recover the energy normally dissipated during frequent deceleration and braking. The TwinAir engine currently powers the 85 bhp Turbo version of the new Fiat 500, guaranteeing CO2 emissions of just 92 g/km on the version with MTA gearbox, the lowest offered today on the petrol engine market.