BMW engines tops this year according to Ward's

STUTTGART, Germany — BMW's 3.0-liter twin-turbo engine won the top prize in the 2008 International Engine of the Year competition on Wednesday, besting such rivals as the Porsche turbocharged 3.6-liter engine that powers the 911 Turbo.

It was the second consecutive year that the BMW engine took home top honors.

The judges noted that the BMW unit was "one of seven engines to triumph in the 2008 awards that use turbocharging to achieve high power output from smaller-displacement engines that use less fuel and produce less CO2."

The BMW 2.0-liter diesel twin-turbo engine, which delivers 204 horsepower, was named Best New Engine of the Year. The co-engineered BMW-PSA 1.6-liter turbo engine that churns out 175 hp won the 1.4-liter-to-1.8-liter category. BMW also won honors in the 3-to-4-liter and above-4-liter categories.

The Toyota 1.5-liter with Hybrid Synergy Drive that powers the Prius was lauded as Green Engine of the Year. The best performance engine of the year is the Porsche 3.6-liter turbo.

The awards are judged by 65 automotive journalists from 32 countries.

What this means to you: According to some of the world's most critical judges, BMW engines are tops. —