[Klub Class]

Fiat SpA has collected six awards in the "International Engine of the Year 2011" competition: an array of four victories for the revolutionary TwinAir engine by Fiat Powertrain and two for the 4,499 cc V8 engine powering the Ferrari 458 Italia.



The jury, consisting of 76 journalists and industry experts, from 36 different countries, not only decreed the success of the TwinAir engine in its own displacement category (less than 1,000 cm3), but actually elected it "International Engine of the Year 2011", assigning it the top award in the competition. The TwinAir engine by Fiat Powertrain also won the "Best New Engine 2011" and "Best Green Engine 2011" awards.

An unprecedented triumph, added to the "Best New Engine 2010" award which the 1.4 MultiAir Turbo engine was awarded last year, confirming Fiat Powertrain's leadership in developing and producing small displacement engines with a high technological content and low environmental impact.

Currently available in the 85 HP Turbo configuration on the Fiat 500/500C and, soon, on the new Lancia Ypsilon, the TwinAir will shortly also be launched on the market in the 65 HP aspirated version and in another high-performance 105 HP Turbo version, at the very top of the category in terms of specific power (120 HP/litre), as well as in the ecological 80 HP Turbo bi-fuel version. The epitome of the downsizing concept, the efficient engines in the TwinAir family feature the sophisticated MultiAir technology for the smart management of the intake valves, which affords brilliant performance levels and, concurrently, extremely low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Members of the jury had some highly flattering comments to make about the TwinAir: "This is proof that aggressive downsizing need not spell timid performance. Surprisingly torquey, impressively and affordably efficient, this tiny twin also has plenty of character" - John Carey, Wheels, Australia.

"Four trophies in one year? A remarkable performance! TwinAir has written its place in the history of the International Engine of the Year Awards" - Dean Slavnich, Engine Technology International, UK.

The awards for the TwinAir engine were collected by Aldo Marangoni, Product Engineering Vice President and by Dario Sacco, Engines Platform Vice President. "Today's success is the crowning moment of all our hard work in researching innovative technological solutions and designing increasingly efficient engines. Our engines contribute towards sustaining the leadership position of Fiat S.p.A. in the rankings of the most eco-friendly car manufacturers" declared the managers of Fiat Powertrain at the end of the awards ceremony.

Fiat SpA has further reason to be proud following the two awards made to Ferrari and its V8 engine powering the 458 Italia model.
The awards, for Best Performance Engine and Best Engine above 4-litres, were collected by Jean Jacques His, Head of Ferrari Powertrain Department.

In assigning the awards the jury also praised the 458 Italia's engine for its unmistakable sound

[Content Courtesy : Fiat Press]
[Image Courtesy : AutoBlog]

[Karthik1100]

Fantastic news Klub Class. i am feeling very much proud being a fiatian. i wish to see new twinair bi-fuel engines in India soon. and hope FIAT get the better market in India.

[Pri2]

Wow!! this is great news.

Last year FIAT got the Best New Engine award for its 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo.
This year it is the Fiat 875cc TwinAir for the International Engine of the Year!!

Way to go FIAT !

[myavu]

Fiat 875-cc TwinAir named International Engine of the Year

Source : INTERNATIONAL ENGINE OF THE YEAR 2011

Fiat 875-cc TwinAir engine

The votes have been tallied and Fiat's turbocharged 875-cc TwinAir two-cylinder engine has captured the title of Best New Engine of 2011, Green Engine of the Year, Sub 1.0-liter Engine of the Year and even the big one: International Engine of the Year, a first for Fiat.

It's only the second time – the first being Toyota's 1.0-liter VVT-i engine way back in 1999 – that a 1.0-liter or smaller engine has earned the title of International Engine of the Year. Given how complex the TwinAir mill is, who better to describe this frugal motor than its program manager, Gianni Mastrangelo:

We wanted an engine to fully demonstrate our downsizing capabilities and we needed a displacement that could fully exploit our MultiAir system. We concluded that a two-cylinder, 875-cc setup with a turbo was capable of realizing all our development targets. There were lots of problems to be solved during this project, keeping in mind that this architecture was new. The most important challenge to overcome was integrating the MultiAir system within the two-cylinder activation unit. Plus, we wanted the NVH of the TwinAir to be at least as good as that of a four-cylinder engine.

The TwinAir crushed the competition (372 points), beating out the ever-popular Volkswagen 1.4-liter TSI Twincharger (346 points), which was bidding for its third consecutive win, by 26 points. Congrats to Fiat!

LESS IS MORE: FIAT'S TWO-CYLINDER MARVEL DOMINATES INTERNATIONAL ENGINE OF THE YEAR AWARDS 2011!

Fiat's diminutive 875cc, two-cylinder is judged to be world's finest engine by a jury of 76 international motoring journalists
Downsized, economical internal combustion engines more popular and 'greener' than hybrid and electrical powertrains
Ferrari contributes to the Italian domination: Fiat and Ferrari take home 6 of the 12 Awards!

The results of the 2011 International Engine of the Year Awards have today been announced at Engine Expo in Stuttgart, Germany. The global jury, consisting of some of the world's most respected and popular motoring journalists, voted Fiat's innovative and diminutive 875cc two-cylinder TwinAir the greatest automotive engine available today! The tiny turbocharged engine impressed judges with its extremely low emissions, high fuel economy and impressive power of 85bhp. The unit can be found powering Fiat's hugely fashionable '500' model.

Dean Slavnich, editor of Engine Technology International and co-chairman of the International Engine of the Year Awards, says: "Fiat has now produced one of the all-time great engines. Who would have thought that a two-cylinder unit could have won the International Engine of the Year title when we launched the Awards in 1999? Its triumph is a clear signal that less is more: people want low-emission, fuel-efficient yet powerful engines, and just two cylinders certainly seems to provide a comprehensive solution!"

Indeed, the TwinAir engine not only managed to scoop the overall International Engine of the Year title, but it was also victorious in the Best New Engine, Best Sub 1-litre, and Best Green Engine categories, even beating zero-emission pure electric vehicle engines from Nissan and Mitsubishi in the latter category.

Joining Fiat in its success was compatriot and stablemate Ferrari, the judges finding it hard not to be impressed by the Italian car maker's mighty new 570bhp, 4.5-litre V8 engine as featured in the 458 Italia. This wonderful and potent powerplant scooped both 'Best Performance Engine' and 'Above 4-litre' category trophies.

But it was not just the Italian manufacturers who tasted success: BMW is always dominant in the Awards and 2011 has been no exception. The German marque bagged four category wins, including the '3-litre to 4-litre' category for its 4-litre V8 found in the M3; the '2.5-litre to 3-litre' category for its 3-litre DI Twin Turbo fitted across much of its range; the '1.8-litre to 2-litre' category for its 2-litre Twin Turbo diesel engine found in the 123d and X1; and the '1.4-litre to 1.8-litre' category for its 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo engine co-developed with PSA Peugeot Citroën, which also scooped the same Award.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen's 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger engine, which won the overall International Engine of the Year title in both 2009 and 2010, once again defended its crown in the '1-litre to 1.4-litre' category.

Source : Fiat 875-cc TwinAir named International Engine of the Year — Autoblog Green


Cheers!

Vinu

[ottocycle]

Sub 1 litre engine would be ideal for Indian subcontinent. Can they use it in next palio/uno? Sooner or later, Tata should be able to grab it in one of their cars.

[download2live]

It is too complex to be introduced in India. And this much complexity also means stringent requirements on the quality of fuel.

But we can always hope.