Volkswagen's TSI trumps BMW at Engine of the Year

[seftonm]

Volkswagen’s innovative 1,4-litre TSI Twincharger four-cylinder engine won the International Engine of the Year award, ending four years of BMW dominance.

Kyle Kock - CARTODAY - June 18, 2009

Another example of a downsized, boosted engine designed for better fuel economy. How long until similar solutions start appearing here? --Ed.

In what was the closest finish in the history of the Awards, the turbocharged and supercharged 1,4-litre beat the 2007 and 2008 champion, BMW’s 3,0-litre direct injection twin turbo by four points. TSI’s triumph in the overall International Engine of the Year, Green Engine and 1-litre to 1,4-litre categories will be seen as an important victory for those backing the downsizing of internal combustion engines over other solutions such as gasoline hybrids and full electric vehicles

“The international judging panel is hugely impressed by this VW engine. It’s a masterstroke of downsizing technology and a real engineering showcase. I have no doubt that this engine will become the template for a whole new generation of high efficiency, small capacity engines in the years to come,” said Dean Slavnich, editor of Engine Technology International and co-chairman of the International Engine of the Year Awards.

BMW may have lost out on the top award, but nevertheless scored successes in the 3,0-litre to 4,0-litre category with the 309 kW 4,0-litre V8 used in the M3, and in the 2,5-litre to 3,0-litre category with the twin turbo diesel straight-six. The Munich-based marque also shared a category win with PSA Peugeot Citroën for the 1,6-litre turbocharged unit employed in the Mini Cooper S and S Clubman, Peugeot 207 and 308, in the 1,6-litre to 1,8-litre category.... [Read More]

[jhu]

It's certainly an interesting engine: supercharged at low rpms and turbocharged at high rpms. However it's a VW, so I wonder how reliable this thing really is...

[WriConsult]

Originally Posted by Kyle Kock

... an important victory for those backing the downsizing of internal combustion engines over other solutions such as gasoline hybrids and full electric vehicles

OK great, and I completely support engine downsizing. Almost all production cars today have engines that are too big IMO. I just don't see downsizing as being in conflict with gasoline hybrids though. Heck, a lot of today's hybrids could use a downsized ICE, IMO. The Prius-III's size increase notwithstanding, of course.

And I think some serious engine downsizing may be in order to really make PHEVs practical for the masses. Most PHEVs will necessarily be small vehicles for years to come, even with the newest Li-Mn battery technology. In order to stuff a 15+kWh battery pack and an electric motor capable of full EV operation into a small car in addition to an ICE with all its related systems (gas tank, fuel, ignition, cooling, exhaust), it's my opinion that the ICE needs to downsize. A lot. Probably to well under 1L.

Lately I've spent a lot of time wondering about the feasibility of building a parallel-hybrid PHEV using a small ICE, say a motorcycle engine of 750cc or so. Series hybrid with a motorcycle engine has been talked about a lot on various forums, but I haven't heard anyone talk about doing a parallel hybrid, which would certainly be a lot more efficient when the ICE is being used to propel the car. With a MC engine you might just have enough room to hook a geared-down electric motor up to the motorcycle's output shaft and build something that really works -- and potentially blows existing production hybrids' mpg out of the water. At least as long as you keep an easy foot on the throttle to keep the engine in its optimal BFSC range, which would be fine with me. If DIYers had access to the battery technology needed to build a decent non-lead-acid BEV, then they'd be able to do a hybrid like this too. Just need a donor motorcycle in addition to a donor car.

[GardenWeasel]

Is this gas or diesel? (read it twice...)

[dr61]

Originally Posted by GardenWeasel

Is this gas or diesel? (read it twice...)

Gasoline/petrol. Hope these start come in place of the big 2.5 liter VW is using in some US gas models.

[brick]

Originally Posted by jhu

It's certainly an interesting engine: supercharged at low rpms and turbocharged at high rpms. However it's a VW, so I wonder how reliable this thing really is...

On a VW, a gas engine is the last thing you need to worry about. You worry about the electrical system.