Porsche wins 'Best New Engine of the Year' award

The eleventh International Engine of the Year Awards winners have just been announced. Porsche has taken ‘Best New Engine of the Year’ title for its 3.8L flat-six engine from the 911 Carrera S, beating out BMW and Jaguar for the top spot.

The engine powering the 911 Carrera S, a 3.8L boxer, features Porsche's new Direct Fuel Injection (DFI) system, which dramatically increases power and engine flexibility while also increasing efficiency and lowering the environmental impact of the iconic sports car, according to Porsche.

Output of the 3.8L power unit in the S-models is up by 30hp (22kW) to 380hp (283kW) for 2009, pushing the Carrera S beyond the speed barrier of 186mph (300km/h) for the first time.

Despite this supreme power and performance, the new models in the 911 range once again boast a significant reduction of fuel consumption. The pick of the bunch was the 911 Carrera S with the PDK gearbox offering the best mix of performance and fuel economy, delivering an average fuel consumption of just 23mpg (10.2L/100km). All in all, the new engine represents an 8.5% increase in power and a 13% reduction in fuel consumption when compared with the outgoing version.

The ‘Best Performance Engine’ title went to luxury marque Mercedes Benz for its 6.2L V8 engine, although the hand-built unit actually comes from the AMG performance arm. Other important titles include the ‘Green Engine of the Year’, which went to Volkswagen’s 1.4L TSI TwinCharger, as well as the ‘Above 4.0L Class’, which also went to Mercedes’ 6.2L V8.

For the past 11 years, the award has been handed out by British specialist magazine Engine Technology International. Last year, the award went to BMW for its 3.0L twin turbo, which powers the 135, 335 and the X6. BMW has won the prestigious award for the past four years straight.