Fiat Powertrain (FPT) has
impressively collected four awards in the
International Engine of the Year 2011 competition
for the revolutionary 900cc "TwinAir" engine which is
currently available in 85 HP guise on the Fiat 500
range.
The jury, consisting of
76 journalists and industry experts, from 36 different
countries, not only decreed the success of the TwinAir
engine in its own displacement category (less than 1,000
cm3), but actually elected it "International Engine of
the Year 2011", assigning it the top award in the
competition. The TwinAir engine by Fiat Powertrain also
won the "Best New Engine 2011" and "Best Green Engine
2011" awards.
An unprecedented triumph,
added to the "Best New Engine 2010" award which the 1.4
MultiAir Turbo engine was awarded last year, confirming
Fiat Powertrain's leadership in developing and producing
small displacement engines with a high technological
content and low environmental impact.
Currently available in
the 85 HP Turbo configuration on the Fiat 500/500C and,
soon, on the new Lancia Ypsilon, the TwinAir will
shortly also be launched on the market in the 65 HP
aspirated version and in another high-performance 105 HP
Turbo version, at the very top of the category in terms
of specific power (120 HP/litre), as well as in the
ecological 80 HP Turbo bi-fuel version. The epitome of
the downsizing concept, the efficient engines in the
TwinAir family feature the sophisticated MultiAir
technology for the smart management of the intake
valves, which affords brilliant performance levels and,
concurrently, extremely low fuel consumption and CO2
emissions.
Members of the jury had
some highly flattering comments to make about the
TwinAir: "This is proof that aggressive downsizing need
not spell timid performance. Surprisingly torquey,
impressively and affordably efficient, this tiny twin
also has plenty of character," said John Carey from
Wheels, Australia. "Four trophies in one year? A
remarkable performance! TwinAir has written its place in
the history of the International Engine of the Year
Awards," added Dean Slavnich of Engine Technology
International, UK.
The awards for the
TwinAir engine were collected by Aldo Marangoni, Product
Engineering Vice President and by Dario Sacco, Engines
Platform Vice President. "Today's success is the
crowning moment of all our hard work in researching
innovative technological solutions and designing
increasingly efficient engines. Our engines contribute
towards sustaining the leadership position of Fiat S.p.A.
in the rankings of the most eco-friendly car
manufacturers" declared the managers of Fiat Powertrain
at the end of the awards ceremony.