BMW M5 engine takes International Engine of the Year title for the 2nd consecutive year

BMW’s 5-litre V10 has today been crowned the best engine in the world for the second year in a row at the International Engine of the Year Awards 2006 held at Engine Expo in Stuttgart, Germany.

The Bavarian car maker, which also won Awards for its Z4 M 3.2-litre and twin-turbodiesel 3-litre in this year’s competition, walked away from the eighth annual International Engine of the Year Awards Presentation with a total of five trophies, its re-crowned V10 having also dominated the Best Performance Engine and Best Above 4-litre categories. The unit saw tough competition from the likes of Volkswagen’s new 1.4-litre TSI and the previous International Engine of the Year title holder, Toyota’s 1.5-litre Hybrid Synergy Drive Prius, which in 2006 also won the Best 1.4-litre to 1.8-litre and the Best Fuel Economy categories.

Juror Frank Markus from America’s Motor Trend magazine said of the BMW V10: “A technological tour de force, and about the closest one can come to buying a Formula One engine for the road”, while Japan-based automotive freelancer Peter Nunn commented, “The BMW V10 is a masterclass in exhilarating power, sound, response and brilliant packaging that comes as standard.” Markus and Nunn wer

e two of the 61 motoring journalists from 29 countries that voluntarily give their time to choose the greatest powerplants in the world.

Elsewhere in this prestigious contest, Subaru won its first ever International Engine of the Year Awards trophy with its new 2.5-litre turbo that powers the Impreza, topping the 2-litre to 2.5-litre category. VW picked up Awards for its

2-litre FSI Turbo (170-220 hp), found in the Golf GTi, and for the 1.4-litre TSI (170hp), which won both the 1-litre to 1.4-litre class and the Best New Engine 2006.