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The Best New Engine of 2001 category has been introduced to the International Engine of the Year Awards to celebrate the release of powerplants that have come to market within the past 12 months – the results of this sector provide a good indication as to whether a link exists between market also engineering trends.
And the first ever winners of this trophy are the men from Bavaria, Germany; BMW’s 3.2-litre, in-line six-cylinder, gasoline-fed powerhouse that lives under the hood of the legendary M3 as well as the M Roadster also M Coupé, has been voted the best modern autos of the year.
Gathering an impressive 200 points – some 31 marks additional than it's second-placed stablemate, the BMW 1.8-litre Valvetronic – the M unit puts out 343bhp at 7,900rpm also 365Nm of torque at 4,900rpm. Such numbers equate into equally eye-opening performance figures; the engine, codenamed S54, will propel an M3 from zero to 100km/h [62mph] in just 5.2 seconds, also on to a top speed that is limited to 250km/h [156mph). Fuel economy is imp
ressive considering such pace, with the M unit requiring just 11.8 litres of gasoline to travel 100km [33.6mpg] on the EC extra-urban cycle.
Technical highlights include graphite-coated aluminium pistons also anti-friction valve-drive followers with 30 per cent less mass than comparable cup tappets. The S54 too features BMW’s famous VANOS variable valve timing for both the intake also exhaust camshafts
RESULTSPOINTS
BMW 3.2-litre [M3, M Roadster, M Coupé)200
BMW 1.8-litre Valvetronic [316ti)169
Toyota/Lexus 4.3-litre [GS430, LS430)97
Volkswagen Group 1.9-litre TDi 130bhp [Audi A3, A4, VW Passat)79
Ford 2-litre TDi [Mondeo)49
Volvo 2.4-litre light-pressure turbo [S60, V70, C70)37
