Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost wins 2012 Engine of the Year

By Jez Spinks | June 14th, 2012

FIND DEALS

The Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder has been crowned 2012 International Engine of the Year, as petrol motors dominated the annual awards.

The three-cylinder is one of the smallest engines in the world, with its block covering the size of an A4 piece of paper, and the win is Ford’s first in the 13 years of the well-recognised awards.

It’s the second consecutive year a tiny-capacity engine has won Engine of the Year after the 875cc two-cylinder from the Fiat 500 took top honours in 2011. A Toyota 1.0-litre – from the Yaris – also won in 1999.

It was a comprehensive victory for the smallest of Ford’s EcoBoost engines that combine turbocharging, direct fuel injection and variable valve timing to maintain the performance of bigger engines yet with vastly better fuel efficiency.

The global panel of judges comprising 76 motoring journalists from 35 countries awarded 401 points in total to the Ford 1.0-litre EcoBoost (main image being kissed by Ford boss Alan Mulally), well ahead of the second-placed Volkswagen 1.4-litre ‘Twincharger’ with 288 points and Ferrari 4.5-litre V8 (224 points) from the 458 Italia and 458 Spider.

Ford currently uses the engine in its Focus small car overseas, though it will spread to other models such as the Fiesta city car to become one of the dominant engines in the Blue Oval world.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine, which was also awarded Best New Engine, will makes its Australian debut in the Ford EcoSport baby SUV (pictured above) in 2013, and will eventually be available in the Focus and Fiesta locally.

Holden also has something to sing about after the 1.4-litre range extender found in the upcoming Volt – already available in other markets as a Chevrolet – was voted Best Green Engine for its role in removing the ‘range anxiety’ traditionally associated with electric cars.

There were a number of repeat winners in the various capacity-focused categories.

The Ferrari 458’s 4.5-litre V8 took out Best Performance Engine and Above 4.0-litre categories for the second year in a row, while there were victories again also for the BMW M3’s 4.0-litre V8 (3.0L to 4.0L), the BMW 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder (2.5L to 3.0L), Audi 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo (2.0L to 2.5L), the BMW-Peugeot-Citroen joint venture 1.6-litre turbo (1.4L to 1.8L) and the VW 1.4-litre turbocharged/supercharged four-cylinder (1.0L to 1.4L).

BMW’s new 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo, which has replaced the company’s famous normally aspirated six-cylinder, won the 1.8L to 2.0L category.

It capped a bad year for diesel engines and hybrids, which didn’t achieve a single category win as the judges voted overwhelmingly for petrol engines.

2012 International Engine of the Year Awards

Overall winner
Ford 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost
(Ford Focus)

Best Green Engine
GM 1.4-litre range extender
(Chevrolet Volt, Opel Ampera)

Best Performance Engine
Ferrari 4.5-litre V8
(Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari 458 Spider)

Above 4.0-litre
Ferrari 4.5-litre V8
(Ferrari 458 Italia, Ferrari 458 Spider)

3.0-litre to 4.0-litre
BMW 4.0-litre V8
(BMW M3)

2.5-litre to 3.0-litre
BMW 3.0-litre twin-turbo six-cylinder petrol
(BMW 1-Series M Coupe, BMW 335is, BMW Z4 35is)

2.0-litre to 2.5-litre
Audi 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo
(Audi TT RS, Audi RS3)

1.8-litre to 2.0-litre
BMW 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder
(Multiple models)

1.4-litre to 1.8-litre
BMW-PSA 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder
(Multiple models for BMW, Mini, Peugeot and Citroen)

1.0-litre to 1.4-litre
Volkswagen 1.4-litre turbocharged/supercharged four-cylinder
(Multiple models for VW, Skoda, Seat)

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F1MotoGP

No Japanese engines.
- Asdf
  
  Because Jap engines are damn bloody boring because people don’t pay attention to them ……………….. as they don’t break down.
- Asdf
  
  Because Jap engines are damn bloody boring because people don’t pay attention to them ……………….. as they don’t break down.
  - Golfschwein
    
    Oh ho. No, no, no. No fried head gaskets around here, No Sirree!! Never seen a Corolla or Camry stuck on the side of the road? Head gasket! Been there, done it.
    - Asdf
      
      All products have failures. The difference is whether it’s 0.05% failure rate, 1% failure rate or 40% failure rate.
      
      On the product with 40% rate, I am sure there are those from the 60% that don’t see any problems.
    - Naughtyius Maximus
      
      Too right. The one eyed Toyota cyclops are always around spruiking untruths
      - Sumpguard
        
        Asdf is telling the truth and the last time I owned a toyota was a 76 Corona in 1985 so I hardly qualify as a “toyota cyclops”. Like them ,love them or loathe them they are simply at the top of the heap for reliabilty!
      - dela
        
        As opposed to the plain blind, like yourself, spruiking untruths.
    - Ford Fairlane
      
      Thats ironic(or moronic)A Golf driver talking about the reliabilty of a Toyota.
      - Golfschwein
        
        Not really. My company Camry’s head gasket soiled its undies at 45,000 kms, right at the time I was driving it gently because of its lunched 3rd gear synchro.
      - Holden Bogan
        
        You seem to have a lot of “compant cars”???
      - Hung Low
        
        Same old story about a Camry from 20years ago! How is this relevant 2 decades on porky?
    - Holden Bogan
      
      Maybe you cant drive!!!
- Uzuz
  
  You always mention Japan in your comments.. You obsessed with them?
  - Jimmyjams
    
    Typical white biggot, it’s the only way he can be his loner self. You white idiots always have something to complain about don’t you, you f’n
    
    paedophiles and hypocrites. You want to go to war with asia? see what happens.
- Smart US
  
  this engine is a real work horse … like a war horse
- Hung Low
  
  Nissans VQ v6 had the award for 14 years in a row! I think the Japs are ok for the next 10 years now!
  - Sydlocal
    
    I think you are getting these awards confused with “Ward’s ten best engines” Hung Low. The VQ has featured in Ward’s for many years (from early 90s to 2008), however it hasn’t even been a category winner in these awards.
    “Ward’s ten best engines” is limited to engines available in the US market and is selected by one magazine. The “International engine of the year” awards include the whole automotive industry and is voted for by automotive journalists from around the globe.The only Japanese engines to feature in these awards since 1999 have come from Toyota, Honda, Subaru and Mazda with all but Subaru getting the “main gong”. The last Japanese engine to win was the Toyota 1.5L Prius engine in 2004 with the Mazda Renesis Rotary the year before that.
Asdf

I know how they judge the engines. They look at the high BHP per litre and low fuel consumption. Plus some of the organisations are opened to “donations”. Many of them can’t possibly work out the reliability and durability in half an hour. The engine that won this award in the 1st picture above has a timing belt and turbocharger, extra servicing $$ and low reliability/durability. The VW’s turbo charger + supercharger engine won this award not long ago and look at how much problem it has.
Asdf

I know how they judge the engines. They look at the high BHP per litre and low fuel consumption. Plus some of the organisations are opened to “donations”. Many of them can’t possibly work out the reliability and durability in half an hour. The engine that won this award in the 1st picture above has a timing belt and turbocharger, extra servicing $$ and low reliability/durability. The VW’s turbo charger + supercharger engine won this award not long ago and look at how much problem it has.
Guest

No Toyota Prius? What were they thinking? Its the best car in the world! Nothing can ever ever ever beat a toyota prius…

The testers obviously know nothing!
Guest

No Toyota Prius? What were they thinking? Its the best car in the world! Nothing can ever ever ever beat a toyota prius…

The testers obviously know nothing!
- vid_ghost_borg
  
  Its a nice car but not the best car in the world at all. Small, cheap put still with the feature you need always wins in the end.
- F1MotoGP
  
  Prius finished 4th. The Mercedes E300 hybrid is close with 4.2 l/100km in the city and it is a much bigger car.
  
  1. GM 1.4-litre range extender
  
  (Chevrolet Volt, Opel Ampera)
  
  197
  
  2. Ford 999cc three-cylinder turbo
  
  (Ford Focus )
  159
  
  3. Nissan electric powertrain
  
  (Nissan Leaf)
  145
  
  4. Toyota 1.8-litre gasoline-hybrid
  
  (Toyota Prius, Auris Hybrid, Lexus CT 200h)
  
  133
  - Philthy
    
    I think y’all might have missed the sarcasm.
- Guest2
  
  The Prius with hybrid technology first came out 20 years ago. No one wants way obsoleted 20 year old technology to be in the running. Where as turbo charger (with direct injection) is a brand new technology.
Bimmer Diesel

Thought the 550d Triple Turbo might get a gong too… Awesome engine (For an Oil Burner..)
Jinnzhang

Yeah, journalists like fancy new stuff and that’s what they do for living.
Naughtyius Maximus

Shame Ford moves slow to update to new range, dropping diesel motors in more cars, dropping all ECOBOOST motors in suitable range! Come on Ford – your dieing here a slow painful death through ignorance. In meantime Hyundai, Kia nabbing more sales, as is Mazda! Ford needs an overhaul as run ineffective, have a sad idea when comes to marketting and very slow to bring svelte new models into Aussie range! Get your act together
UMWHAT

shouldn’t this engine have won the sissiest engine award?
- whatthe
  
  No – that goes to the Subaru diesel.
Kejovi

does anyone know the kw/nm of the one litre ford engine?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Karl-Sass/100000921334936 Karl Sass

I’d like to know what the criteria is that they judge these engines against. I doubt it’ll contains words like ‘durability’ or ‘longevity’.
- F1
  
  The 1.0L makes 74kW and you can get the overboosted version (much much less reliable) which makes 88kW ..
  
  The problem isn’t the power but the way overstressed 3-cylenders and all the vibrations.. I’m really curious about the real-world fuel consumption..
  
  I have a 05 Pulsar with the QG18DE 1.8L 4-cylender and I average 6.5L/100km..
  
  But that Nissan motor is very good torque wise, peak torque of 180Nm @ 2400rpm through 5000rpm and it doesn’t have that typical 4-cylender annoying noise
  - Biffwellington
    
    What have you based your claim on that the 88kw will be “much much less reliable” Have you tested both these enignes?
Naughtyius Maximus

Certainly slow going of Ford to bring EcoSport out end of next year with this motor (based on Fiesta and in SUV format). Fuel consumption rated at 5.8lt per 100kms and 88kw. No wonder Ford is in trouble = this EcoSport should be here “NOW”
Naughtyius Maximus

Ford must change how it operates as dead wood management
Valet Dabess

no skyactiv?
- Sydlocal
  
  Probably because Mazda’s Skyactiv engines only really allowed Mazda to “catch up” to the rest of the world rather than break any new ground. Plus only a handful of Japanese engines now and then usually make it to these awards as it appears to be more US/Euro centric. There have been some good Japanese engines make it to the list in the past though.
Zandit75

Overall winnerFord 1.0-litre three-cylinder EcoBoost(Ford Focus)
……..
1.0-litre to 1.4-litreVolkswagen 1.4-litre turbocharged/supercharged four-cylinder(Multiple models for VW, Skoda, Seat)

Huh??!!!
How did the Ford engine not win it’s own catagory, yet still be crowned overall winner??!!
- TomW
  
  It’s technically under 1 litre (998cc)
  - Gazj
    
    All engines are usually slightly less then their displayed displacements..
    
    Aurion is rated as 3.5L but its actual displacement is 3456cc
  - Gazj
    
    All engines are usually slightly less then their displayed displacements..
    
    Aurion is rated as 3.5L but its actual displacement is 3456cc
- Andrew M
  
  I wondered that too,
  Surely you get the class win too when you take the overall gong
john

I was going to question the validity of these awards and whether these judges are just plain blind, stupid and insane by giving the gong to a 1L 3cyl engine. However when I took a look at the category wins and saw the 4.5L V8 from the italia, BMW 4l V8, BMW twin turbo 3 and 2l and Audi 2.5l turbo engine, I realised they actually do have enthusiasts blood running through their veins and as a result know what they are doing!
- Lbrinsmead
  
  Ford earned the award by increasing combustion efficiency. So if this engine was twice the size and put into a larger car like the Mondeo, it would make it Euro 6 compliant.
Shak

Congratulations to the Volt Range Extender.
- Holden Bogan
  
  Congratulations to the Volt fire starter
  - http://www.facebook.com/people/Richard-Joash-Tan/100000351085371 Richard Joash Tan
    
    and you are a troll
Rocket

Any word on the 1.6 Ecoboost Focus release in OZ?
Legnab

Clarkson gives this motor the thumbs up in his column in the australian today , well worth a read , funny peice about an OZ tourist berating him for driving such rubbish , must be a crummer stalwart .