BMW B38 plug-in hybrid wins International Engine of the Year 2015
Ford’s three-year reign in the International Engine of Year Award comes to an end with BMW’s 1.5-litre B38 three-cylinder plug-in hybrid powertrain usurping the crown held by the Blue Oval’s popular 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine from 2012 to 2014.
Powering the revolutionary BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car with 362hp, the mid-mounted triple also took the New Engine award and 1.4-1.8-litre category award, the latter incidentally ending a remarkable eight-year domination by the 1.6-litre Prince engine co-developed by BMW and the PSA Group.
The EcoBoost mill did not let its crown go without a fight, however, pushing the sophisticated BMW powerplant all the way before ultimately falling seven points short at the final vote. The 999cc triple did retain its Sub 1.0-litre crown with ease, however, beating the second-placed GM 1.0-litre 3-cylinder motor by some margin.
A major shift also took place in the 1.0-1.4-litre category, which saw Volkswagen’s EA111 1.4-litre twincharger finally surrendering its nine-year hold on the segment. Taking over its mantle is another three-cylinder engine, developed by the PSA Group as a long-term replacement for the 1.6-litre Prince engine to power its new generation of vehicles. The 1.2-litre triple emerged tops in a category that is otherwise filled with various iterations of Volkswagen’s 1.2- to 1.4-litre TSI engines.
In higher displacement categories, Mercedes-AMG’s 2.0-litre turbo, Audi’s 2.5-litre five-cylinder, McLaren’s 3.8-litre M838T, and Ferrari’s 4.5-litre V8 all retain their category crowns from last year. Only change in the upper reaches took place in the 2.5-3.0-litre category, where the BMW M division’s S55 engine powering the M3 and M4 voted ahead of the twin-scroll turbo N55 engine powering mainstream 35i models.
The Ferrari V8 also retains its Performance Engine category crown, with Tesla’s full-electric powerplant making it two wins in a row in the Green Engine category.
The International Engine of the Year Awards are presented by Engine Technology International magazine, published by UKIP Media & Events Ltd. The Awards involve the voluntary participation of 65 motoring journalists from 31 countries. UKIP Media & Events Ltd claims to receive no advertising or financial support from any car manufacturer or distributor.
Overall results of the 2015 International Engine of the Year Awards are summarized below:
Sub 1-litre: Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost
1.0- to 1.4-litre: PSA 1.2-litre 3-cylinder turbo
1.4- to 1.8-litre: BMW B38 plug-in hybrid
1.8- to 2.0-litre: Mercedes-AMG 2.0-litre turbo
2.0- to 2.5-litre: Audi 2.5-litre TFSI five-cylinder turbo
2.5- to 3.0-litre: BMW M S55 3.0-litre twin turbo
3.0- to 4.0-litre: McLaren 3.8-litre M838T V8
Above 4.0-litre: Ferrari 4.5-litre V8
Green Engine: Tesla full-electric powertrain
New Engine: BMW B38 plug-in hybrid
Performance Engine: Ferrari 4.5-litre V8
Overall International Engine of the Year 2014: BMW B38 plug-in hybrid
