HARTFORD, Conn., June 7, 2011 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Winning an International Engine of the Year Award is a great accomplishment for any automaker, but winning four awards with four different engines is a feat only BMW could pull off. Among the four award winners from the Bavarian automaker is the TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder engine that powers vehicles like the 2011 BMW 3 Series and 5 Series, both of which are available at Connecticut BMW dealerships like New Country BMW.
Judged by a panel of 65 automotive journalists from 32 countries, the International Engine of the Year Award has become a sought-after accolade since its inception in 1999. Awards are given in several categories like Best New Engine of the Year, Green Engine of the Year and Best Performance Engine, as well as categories based on engine displacement. BMW took honors in the 1.4 to 1.8 liter class with the turbocharged 1.6-liter engine found in the MINI Cooper S, and in the 1.8 to 2.0 liter class with the 2.0-liter six-cylinder TwinPower Turbo diesel engine found in the 123d in Europe. Hitting closer to home, the 2.5 to 3.0 liter class went to the six-cylinder 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo engine powering numerous BMW vehicles sold in the United States, and the 3.0 to 4.0 liter class award belongs to the 4.0-liter V8 powering the 2011 BMW M3.
“BMW started out as an airplane engine manufacturer, so powerplants are the company’s calling card,” said Tim Parker, general manager of Hartford BMW dealer New Country BMW. “The International Engine of the Year Awards make for stiff competition, and earning four awards means that no other automaker is more justified when they say that their engineering is ‘world class.’”
Producing 300 horsepower and capable of returning 30 mpg on the highway in the BMW 535i Sedan, the TwinPower Turbo six-cylinder engine repeated as Engine of the Year and marked BMW’s sixth consecutive win in the 2.5 to 3.0 liter displacement class. The TwinPower Turbo engine is found in a number of BMW vehicles like the BMW 135i, 1 Series M Coupe, 335i, X3 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive35i and even the Z4 sDrive35i convertible. The next closest challenger in the category was another BMW product, the 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo diesel engine found in the BMW 335d.
For the fourth year in a row, the V8 engine found in the 2011 BMW M3 won the 3.0 to 4.0 liter class, fending off competition from the likes of Porsche, McLaren and Nissan. Replacing the former inline six-cylinder that won Engine of the Year Award honors six consecutive times from 2001 to 2006 was no easy feat, but BMW engineers appear to have designed a suitable replacement. Producing 414 horsepower at a blistering 8,400 rpm, the 4.0-liter V8 powerplant features an alternator that disconnects under acceleration to reduce drag on the engine, which means more power and greater efficiency.
“Anyone that has seen a BMW pass by them on I-84 knows the power of their engines, but it’s the efficiency with which they accomplish this performance that puts them over the top,” Parker added. “BMW’s EfficientDynamics technology, especially with its Valvetronic valve control system, means more power generated more efficiently with more refinement.”
About New Country BMW:
Hartford BMW drivers trust New Country BMW when they need to service their high-performance models, but New Country offers much more than just outstanding BMW service. When it comes to buying a new or certified pre-owned BMW, Connecticut BMW drivers can rely on New Country BMW for a stress-free buying experience that extends beyond the sale. Part of the New Country Motor Car Group family of dealerships, New Country BMW is located at One Weston Park Road in Hartford, Conn. They can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NewCountryBMW or reached by phone at 866-498-7471, and their extensive online inventory can be found at www.newcountrybmw.com .
Media Contact:
Robert Maizner, of New Country Motor Car Group, 518-584-7700
