Ward's Automotive releases an annual list of the world's 10 best engines — and last year's was the most diverse selection of powerplants in the 21-year history of the award. Six use turbocharging tech to boost horsepower, while one uses supercharging to create ridiculous amounts of power.
There's one naturally aspirated internal combustion engine, one fuel cell, and one electric motor on this list. Of the 10 best engines, four are holdovers from last year's list and six make their debut.
According to Ward's, only new or significantly re-engineered engines or propulsion systems that are available for sale in the US and are installed in cars having a base price of less than $60,000 are eligible for the top 10.
Of 37 entries — 10 returning winners from 2013 and 27 new contenders — were evaluated by Ward's team of editors. All of the cars were put through their paces under normal daily commutes by the editors over the past two months in Detroit. Ward's editors scored each engine based on power, torque, technology, fuel economy, and relative competitiveness, while taking noise, vibrations, and refinement into account.
Ward's new list will be out next month. We're looking forward to seeing what's on it. Until then, check out this lineup.
The Subaru WRX is a legend in world rally racing. One of the big reasons for WRX's success is the company's signature 2.0 liter 4-cylinder engine.
The 268-horsepower engine is one of the three turbocharged 4-cylinder powerplants to make the list.
Volkswagen's owes its recent sales resurgence to the Golf. Although the car may be new, its 1.8-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine is a holdover from last year's top 10 list.
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