EZZ

SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Two unique and unusual engine
"formats" headline the winners of Ward's 10 Best Engines awards for 2004, a
highly anticipated auto industry award competition that for a decade has
served as the auto industry's most-recognized barometer of powertrain-related
product development.
Ward's 2004 list of honored engines marks the tenth anniversary for the
Ward's 10 Best Engines awards.
Mazda Motor Corp.'s all-new Renesis rotary engine and Toyota Motor Corp.'s
more-powerful hybrid-electric Prius drivetrain are two non-traditional engine
systems winning Ward's 10 Best Engines honors for 2004. Renesis is the
exhilarating new iteration of the rotary engine design to which Mazda alone
has remained devoted since the company's first production engine in 1967.
Mazda has over the years launched successive new generations of its innovative
rotary, and the Renesis brings significant and exciting new improvements to
the design.
Ward's 10 Best Engines judges this year also reward another non-
traditional engine design, Toyota's Prius hybrid-electric drivetrain that
combines several high-tech components into a gasoline-electric "system" that
delivers high mileage, excellent responsiveness and remarkably low emissions.
Toyota's hybrid "system" is comprised of a small, highly efficient 4-cylinder
gasoline engine, an electric motor to enhance the gasoline engine's power and
a continuously variable transmission. A sophisticated powertrain-control unit
leverages the best attributes of each component.
Fuji Heavy Industries' Subaru arm earns its first spot on the Ward's 10
Best Engines list with its high-performance horizontally opposed "boxer" 4-
cyl., which powers the critically acclaimed Subaru WRX STi. The turbocharged
boxer engine delivers one of the highest horsepower-per-liter ratings of any
engine available in the U.S., making it unusually powerful in relation to its
size -- an attribute always appreciated by Ward's 10 Best Engines editor-
judges.
Rounding out the new entrants to the 10 Best Engines list is Audi AG with
its power- and technology-laden 4.2L DOHC V-8, which powers the special S4
variant of the company's A4 compact sedan/wagon lineup. The thrusty Audi V-8
produces 340 horsepower and 302 lb.-ft. of torque, making it one of the
market's most powerful V-8s.
Trucks and SUVs continue to account for a significant portion of the U.S.
market, and engines powering those types of vehicles are well-represented in
the 2004 Ward's 10 Best Engines. A significant first-time winner is
DaimlerChrysler AG's 5.9L inline 6-cyl. turbodiesel, developed in conjunction
with and made by well-known diesel engine maker Cummins Inc. The new Cummins
600 turbodiesel is the standard engine for DC's Ram Heavy Duty pickup line and
is the most powerful diesel engine available in the segment.
Two truck/SUV engines returning as Ward's 10 Best Engines winners are
General Motors Corp.'s outstanding Vortec 4.2L dual-overhead-cam inline 6-cyl.
and DC's 5.7L Hemi Magnum V-8. Both engines are emerging as stalwart winners
on the Ward's 10 Best Engines list and the Hemi "Definitely is the best-
marketed, best-advertised engine in the industry," says Bill Visnic, Ward's
senior technical editor.
Six-cylinder engines, the most popular choice of U.S. vehicle buyers, are
represented by Nissan Motor Co.'s "VQ" 3.5L DOHC V-6, the only engine to win a
Ward's 10 Best award each year in the competition's decade-long history, Honda
Motor Co. Ltd.'s 3L DOHC V-6 available in the Accord and BMW AG's renowned
3.2L inline 6-cyl. found in its M3 coupe and convertible.


The Ward's 10 Best Engines for 2004:

Engine (and tested vehicle)

* Audi AG 4.2L DOHC V-8 (S4)
* BMW AG 3.2L DOHC I-6 (M3)
* DaimlerChrysler AG 5.7L Hemi Magnum OHV V-8 (Dodge Ram)
* DaimlerChrysler AG 5.9L Cummins 600 OHV I-6 turbodiesel (Dodge Ram
Heavy Duty)
* Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. Subaru 2.5L DOHC turbocharged H-4 (Subaru
WRX STi)
* General Motors Corp. Vortec 4.2L DOHC I-6 (GMC Envoy)
* Honda Motor Co. Ltd. 3L DOHC V-6 (Accord Coupe)
* Mazda Motor Corp. 1.3L Renesis rotary (RX-8)
* Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. 3.5L DOHC V-6 (Infiniti G35)
* Toyota Motor Corp. 1.5L DOHC I-4 Hybrid (Prius)

Five of 2004's 10 Best Engines are first-time winners, which Visnic says
symbolizes the increasing fractionalization of the U.S. vehicle market -- and
highlights the intense competitive pressures at work on the auto industry's
powertrain developers and engineers.
"Multi-year 10 Best Engines winners may become more rare," says Visnic.
"Powertrain-development cycles, just like those for the entire vehicle, are
becoming increasingly more compressed. The effect will be obvious: We'll see
more new or revised engines coming to market more often."
On the tenth anniversary of the Ward's 10 Best Engines competition, this
year's winners show more diversity than at any time in the past, Visnic adds.
"The 'spread' of engine types -- and even the vehicles they power -- is
refreshingly distinct. This year's list includes a high-mileage, eco-friendly
hybrid system arm-in-arm with several powerful V-8s. And although
performance-oriented engines always enjoy a certain edge with Best Engines
judges, the reality is that because most of these engines power vehicles that
can essentially be considered 'mainstream,' there has never been so much
engine performance available to buyers of reasonably common vehicles."
Visnic stresses that the most relevant aspect of the Ward's 10 Best
Engines list may be that it highlights the crucial relationship between
engines and vehicles that are successful in the market. "A Best Engines
mantra essentially has emerged over a decade of presenting these awards," says
Visnic. "It's simple. With very few exceptions, each and every 10 Best
Engines winner over the past decade has powered a commercially successful
vehicle. We are convinced that is no coincidence."
During a two-month test period, six editors from Ward's Communications
evaluated the engines "nominated" from 32 different cars, trucks and SUVs.
Scoring encompassed the crucial engine characteristics of power, torque,
noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), technical relevance and basic
comparative numbers. All engines nominated and tested were in vehicles with a
base MSRP under $52,500. "The engines in high-priced vehicles should be
outstanding," says Visnic. "By setting a realistic base price, we ensure the
awards have value and relevance to the average consumer."

Bobbydoedoe

3L DOHC V-6 available in the Accord
?? i thought it was SOHC like all the J motors

cusdaddy

I don't get how the RX-8 engine is rated so high. It's a nice car, but I'm not a huge fan of the engine. It lacks Torque, HP is okay but not class leading and it gets horrible fuel economy. I know it's a Wankel engine, but I think the RX-7 engine (turbo) was vastly superior.

The only benefits I see is that it's light and it's different

I think I'd replace it with the LS6

KavexTrax

Yes 3.0L is SOHC

2.4L is DOHC

JZ

And they burn oil like pigs!



On another note--how can this list have any credibility at all when they cannot even state the engine configurations properly!

tmk70

VQ=

F23A4

OH YEAH!!!!

Chaptorial

No shock that the VQ is in there. It powers almost everything in nissan's lineup. Great engine.

I don't see whats so special about GMC's I-6?

Scrib

Nor do I...

I'm surprised the 3.8l series II didn't make it.

F23A4

This is where the GTP guys freakout Ward's for making the Nissan VQ and Honda J-series notable. GM just keeps milking that pushrod technology.

Slimey

I have the Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. Subaru 2.5L DOHC turbocharged H-4 in my Forester XT. Awesome little powerplant!

I wonder why the Honda Accord 3.0 engine outranks the newer TL engine? Nothing wrong with noting Honda's J-series though.

swclown

just cause' it's different

Slimey

This comes up time and time again. Burning/consuming oil is inherent in the design of the rotary/Wankel engine. This is not a flaw but just how it works. As long as you know this up front it shouldn't really be that big of an issue (assuming you don't mind topping off the oil).

Maximized

That might be true, but IIRC the new RX8 was consuming way more oil than the factory expected. IMO that engine shouldn't be on the list. Between the hp problems and consumption, I think they could have picked something better.

Slimey

Agree, it was probably put there--

proaudio22

I guess I'm in the minority, but I like the Renesis/Wankel, and the RX-8. I could care less if it burns $3 worth of oil a month.

I do think they should have devised some kind of oil resevoir tho...

Bluto

Renesis + Oil =

JZ

But, many a customer were dissapointed when they bought the RX and read that they are "required" to check the oil level at every fill up or their warranty claims might be refused. It actually says this in the owners manual.

On a different note, it drinks so much oil that there is a limp mode in case you get too low.

I dunno--you buy the RX and find out it's underpowered, gets crappy gas mileage and burns oil. Since when the hell does an engine like this make a top 10 list?!

If that's the case, GM would have 10 engines on this list every year!!

80's Boy

I'm pretty sure that the the RX-8 was chosen based on the numbers provided by Mazda, and probably some limited drive time in a few Demo's.

You know that they didn't spend any time over at clubRX8, to read about the renesis struggling to make 185 hp to the rear wheels, and getting 13-15 mpg.

cusdaddy

I read some RX-8 owners are getting 13mpg with their cars. That's just insane. I can see if it's a V10 Viper engine, but not a 1.3L engine

darrinb

wheres te ls1 and the j32a2

1SICKLEX

I don't see what's so special about an engine in every car/suv/van/wagon/bike/bus/train/plane/scooter they make.



J/K VQ is awesome, that list is a great list.

EZZ

I think the rotary is special because it is really light compared to other engines. I bet its lighter than the S2000 engine and makes (well supposedly) the same horsepower. It just needs more development. If some more auto companies made rotaries, I bet we'd see drastic improvements.

T0rkey

HELL YEAH~ now thats what i'm talking 'bout! the accord coupe's J30a4! underrated underdawg! :bubbarubb :bubbarubb

F23A4

IMO, its because the new Accord motor's HP got bumped up to a whopping 50hp (200hp ---> 250hp w/prem fuel) without bumping up displacement or sacrificing MPG. The new J32 is only up 10hp and a few lb-ft over the J32A2. Just my $.02.

ChadT

Jesus. What the hell has mazda been doing since they dropped the RX7? This sounds just like a 1976 Mazda Cozmo. At least it wasn't considered underpowered in '76. I actually rode in an RX8. It was nice but it seemed like the same old rotary to me. Nothing earth-shatteringly new about it. Maybe they just like tha fact that Mazda brought back the rotary. They need to keep developing it though.

AcuraTLSFan

the 3L V6 has a higher power to volume ratio then the 3.2L V6.

The only reason the Accord motor jumped 40 HP, is because it incorporated the new techniquies from the Type-S engine and other tweakings.

scalbert

DOHC with Variable Valve Timing making 270 HP and about the same in torque. It also makes this torque down low and maintains it throughout the revs band. All while giving the inherent balance of an I6. Plus, this motor is hardly being pushed.

GM had a test mule with twin turbos (stock internals) making over 500HP and it was hardly pushing it. But no plans for a newer Typhoon which is what the test car was meant to be.

Too bad one of GM's more recent and fine engines goes into an SUV.

Steelers Wheels

Slimey

I saw an article in car and Driver for the Forester XT.. Hate to mag rce, but they ran that bitch in 5.3 and 13.3 ..Is this right?

vinarnold

a couple of surprises but most of the ones i thought were on there.

Chaptorial

I don't see whats so special about GMC's I-6?

scalbert

Then what is special about the J30A4 or the VQ35??

They all provide a certain market segment something fine and unique and do so in a civilized manner. This is all while meeting or exceeding emissions requirements.

Chaptorial

No your right. I never really understood this list they always put out. But it sure sounds good when they use it in a commercial for the car.

Now the Hybrid motors getting press is one thing but these are just

Slimey

Folks on the Subaru and Forester forums (NASIOC, subaruforester.com...) are posting 1/4 mile time slips in the high 13s for stock MT XTs. The XT is a fast little beast with a lot of potential. People are autocrossing these after swapping tires and stiffening the suspension. A lot of the STi/WRX aftermarket fits the SG Forester chassis, and the tuners are coming out with new stuff day by day.

It seems the only difference in the engine bay between the STi and the XT is the turbo (STi has more boost potential but also more lag, XT given same smaller turbo of the WRX), the intercooler (STi is larger), and the ECU (STi has more aggressive mapping). The guts of the engine are the same.

I suggest you peruse http://www.subaruforester.com/forum or http://forums.nasioc.com/forums (and click on Forester near the bottom) for more information.

It's a great little SUV with a lot of potential as a sleeper if you're into that sort of thing.

Now back to the original thread...

ChadT

Yeah GM puts a lot into their truck/suv engines. They are coming out with a new 5cyl for the S10 replacement that sounds pretty good too. Some interesting power plants. Too bad they don't come in something a little more exciting.

Slimey

Yes, In the end I'm not sure what this list is about. There are plenty of quality engines out there that are not listed. Someone should pull what Ward's looks at to qualify in this list. It has to be more then HP:displacement ratios - if that was so where is the S2000 engine or the Lotus engine of a few years ago (I seem to recall that Lotus put out an I-4 with some incredible numbers in the 1980s)? Ah, the Lotus Esprit, my high school dream car, just ended production and I can only hope to buy one used now...let us pause...

bigman

Have they even done any research, the rotary motor burns oil like a bitch, needs to be beaten to make power, and because it needs to be beaten it will be a gas guzzler

dustbuster4

Here's more about the j30a3 (iVTEC): http://www.vtec.net/news/news-item?news_item_id=112340