Ferrari's V8 wins 2019 International Engine + Powertrain of the Year

The 3.9-litre engine won the top accolade for the fourth consecutive year.

Published On May 22, 2019 07:10:00 PM

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Ferrari's V8 wins 2019 International Engine + Powertrain of the Year

For the fourth year in a row, Ferrari’s 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 has won the International Engine + Powertrain of the Year award. The engine that powers models like the Portofino, GTC4 Lusso T, 488 Pista and the 488 Pista Spider was also adjudged the best performance engine, the best 550PS to 650PS engine and best above 650PS engine.

The 3902cc engine puts out a massive 720hp in the 488 Pista and impressed the judges with its performance, throttle response and soundtrack. "It’s this stat that hammers home how truly amazing this Ferrari V8 engine is: since its launch in 2016, it remains undefeated at the International Engine + Powertrain of the Year Awards, winning no fewer than 14 trophies!” said Dean Slavnich, International Engine + Powertrain of the Year Awards chairman.

The other big winner was Jaguar Land Rover’s full-electric powertrain that reigned supreme in the best new engine, best electric powertrain and best 350PS to 450PS categories. The powertrain, which does duty in the Jaguar I-Pace, impressed the jury with its refinement, performance and range.

For 2019, the awards were rebranded as the “International Engine + Powertrain of the Year awards” to encompass electrification technologies as well. And to reflect the changing trends, the Best Green Engine award of the previous years has been replaced by the Best Hybrid Powertrain award.

With mild-hybrids, hybrids, plug-ins and electrics becoming more popular, the panel felt it was difficult and potentially unfair to group engines by displacement. Hence, they did away with the displacement-based judging process and instead, all engines will now be categorised in terms of their power outputs.

The jury for the 2019 International Engine + Powertrain of the Year awards comprised 70 motoring journalists from 31 countries. Here are the other winners from the awards:

Hybrid Powertrain

BMW 1.5-litre three-cylinder electric-gasoline hybrid

Upgraded in 2018 with an increased energy capacity lithium-ion battery (from 7.1kWh to 11.6kWh), the i8’s powertrain now makes 374hp and 570Nm. Additionally, the powertrain is capable of providing a 53km pure electric range. The judges described the powertrain as “both efficient and fun to drive”.

Sub 150PS

Ford 999cc three-cylinder turbo

In this tightly-contested segment, Ford’s 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine beat 73 other contenders and claimed its 11th trophy in eight years. The three-pot engine features cylinder deactivation technology and impressed the judges with its innovation and efficiency.

150PS to 250PS

Audi 2.0-litre four-cylinder TFSI

Audi’s 2.0-litre TFSI engine beat out its German rival, BMW’s 2.0-litre twin-turbo unit in this category. The four-cylinder mill impressed the judges with its flexibility, performance and efficiency. The motor can be found in a number of models from the Volkswagen Group in various states of tune.

250PS to 350PS

Porsche 2.5-litre turbo

Powering the 718 Boxster and Cayman, Porsche’s twin-turbo flat-four won the panel over with its impressive performance capabilities. The motor won by a small margin over BMW’s 3.0-litre inline six unit.

350PS to 450PS

Jaguar Land Rover full-electric powertrain

In a sign of the times, Jaguar Land Rover’s full-electric powertrain narrowly beat Porsche’s 3.0-litre turbo engine in this category. In the Jaguar I-Pace, the powertrain develops 400hp and 695Nm and has a claimed range of 470km. Despite weighing 2.2 tonnes, the I-Pace sprints from 0-100kph in just 4.8 seconds – a testament to its impressive performance.

450PS to 550PS

Mercedes-AMG 4.0-litre biturbo V8

Mercedes’ 4.0-litre V8 powers a whole host of AMG models in addition to a couple of Aston Martins. The twin turbochargers in this engine are placed inside the ’V’ configuration, which allows for a more compact design. The engine’s power and soundtrack won praise from the judges.

Best above 650PS

Ferrari 3.9-litre biturbo V8

The 3.9-litre Ferrari V8 in the 488 Pista won top honors in the Best above 650PS category and beat competitors like the Ferrari’s own 6.5-litre V12 and Porsche’s 3.8-litre turbocharged flat-six. The engine won over judges with its sophisticated engineering. The engine was also adjudged the best engine of the last two decades at last year’s awards.