BMW I8 PHEV Unit Wins 2015 International Engine of the Year Award

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

The BMW i8’s 1.5-liter 3-cylinder PHEV unit is the winner of this year’s International Engine of the Year award, beating out Ford by seven points in voting.

In addition to taking the overall prize, the 1.5-liter also took home the top prizes in the New Engine and 1.4-Litre to 1.8-Litre categories, while falling short of beating Tesla for the Green Engine category. BMW also took home the top prize in the 2.5-Litre to 3-Litre category with the 3.0-liter twin-turbo six under the bonnets of the M3 and M4.

Other winners include Ford’s 999cc turbo-three (Sub 1-Litre), PSA Peugeot Citroen’s 1.2-liter turbo-three (1-Litre to 1.4-Litre), the Mercedes-AMG 2.0-litre in the CLA45/GLA45 (1.8-Litre to 2-Litre), Audi’s 2.5-liter turbo-five (2-Litre to 2.5-Litre), McLaren’s 3.8-liter twin-turbo V8 (3-Litre to 4-Litre), and the Ferrari 4.5-liter V8 (Above 4-Litre, Performance Engine).

Among the American manufacturers, Tesla also placed sixth in the overall category, while Ford scored fifth, third and fifth respectively in the 1.4-Litre to 1.8-Litre, 2-Litre to 2.5-Litre, and Green Engine categories. FCA took home sixth in both Above 4-Litre and Performance Engine categories with its 6.2-liter Hellcat V8s, as well as fifth in the Sub 1-Litre category (GM’s Opel took second), and sixth in the 1.4-Litre to 1.8-Litre category.

(Photo credit: domantasm./ Flickr/ CC BY 2.0)

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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  • KOKing KOKing on Jun 18, 2015

    From what I can tell, only the PHEV version took the three prizes. The normal one took 4th in the 1.4-1.8 category, one place behind its old Prince stablemate. I have one of the normal 3cyls, and I quite like it, but looking at the parts diagrams, I'd say it's maybe 70% the same as the i8 one, and down almost 100hp in the process.

  • Statikboy Statikboy on Jun 18, 2015

    Somehow Tesla won an engine category without putting an engine in their cars?

  • David C. Holzman David C. Holzman on Jun 18, 2015

    Is there any substance to these awards, or is it all just an exercise to generate meaningless "news"? And if there is substance, what exactly is it?

    • Ellomdian Ellomdian on Jun 19, 2015

      It's an industry-specific engineering award. Substance is what you make it - at least there is considerably less marketable bullshit than in they typical 'Car of the Year' crap. You won't typically hear "This car has the WORLD ENGINE OF THE YEAR!" when you're at the dealership.

  • Wmba Wmba on Jun 19, 2015

    Our man Dobes says the new 1.0l turbo triple in the Opel Adam is nicer than the Ford unit. Who am I to doubt him? he seems sensible enough. The Ford has been around for years and yet is still winning the awards, the GM is brand new and is overlooked except as second in non-turbo. Never thought much of this European (inyernational) award. Europeans have less knowledge of US designs than vice versa. I bet those judges haven't even heard of the Ford 2.7TT V6, so how could it get an award? It'll also be made in vastly greater quantities than these "winners", and has a superb design and execution. Toyota's new series of engines is similar to the four cylinder versions of GM's new small Ecotecs. No mention. Mazda SkyActiv gets better real world mileage than most Euro gas engines which languish with turbos. And on and on. Of course, America retaliates with the Ward's engine awards, where Americans show little knowledge of Euro engines but more of Japanese ones, but is not so hidebound as the "International" (Euros crowning themselves as the only internationals naturally). So it evens out a bit overall. That's if you believe in lists in the first place.

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