This win marks the third victory in a row for Ferrari. In 2012 and 2011, Ferrari won both the Performance Engine and Above 4-Liter categories with its 4.5-liter V-8 engine. This new V12 nabs wins in the same categories, which gives Ferrari six category wins in three years. A truly remarkable feat. It's not a shock though either, as this particular V-12 managed to increase power and performance over the last V-12 engine while also reducing emissions.
Ferrari wasn't the only winner at the IEOTY award festivities, however, as Ford wound up a double winner as well. For the second year in a row, the Blue Oval automaker was victorious thanks to its turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost motor. This plucky little unit has received the highest score in the 15-year history of the award. It's no wonder too, because it's a rather amazing little mill.
The three-cylinder EcoBoost engine produces 123 horsepower and 148 pound-feet of torque, and it does with the typical flat EcoBoost torque curve. Engineers at Ford have employed all sorts of tricks with this engine, and the result is a fuel-efficient, low-emissions, power house.
It's not just about power and size though at the International Engine of the Year awards. Green cars also share a bit of the spotlight, and Fiat has reason to celebrate here. The 2013 Best Green Engine award has been given to Fiat's Methane-powered TwinAir turbocharged two-cylinder motor. Even smaller than Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost, the Fiat engine is a 0.9-liter unit that produces 80 horsepower while emitting just 86 g/kM of CO2.
The International Engine of the Year awards are an interesting peek at some of the industry's greatest engineering feats. There are a few familiar names that seem to wind at or near the top every year, but they arrive there in a deservedly so manner. Ferrari has created a truly epic V-12 engine, Ford has produced a nearly mind-bendingly good one-cylinder engine, and Fiat proves that the tiniest of motors can still have a big impact.
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