Ward's 10 Best Engines of the 20th Century... What your opinion?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wik...rd's_10_Best_Engines


BMW Ger I6 M06
Cadillac US V8 L-Head
Ford US I4 Model T
Ford US V8 Flathead
GM US V6 3800 <---- That's in my Fiero (SC 3800 II)
GM US V8 Small-block
Honda Jap I4 ED CVCC
Porsche Ger Flat-6
Toyota/Lexus Jap V8 UZ
Volkswagen Ger Flat-4

I was surprised the Nissan v-6 wasn't on it, as I had recalled that it had been on the best engine list every year.

Maybe it is too recent. Or maybe too derivative and not 'ground-breaking'. I don't know.

"The Nissan VQ engine is the only engine to have been present on the list every year since the competition’s inception in 1995."

1995 was only the tail end of the century though. As good as it is, it really doesn't have the same importance as the engine from the model T ford.

[This message has been edited by Jax184 (edited 01-18-2007).]

Something wrong with that list.

Ever heard of the Silver Shadow? or Silver Ghost? Rolls engines used by the likes of Lawrence of Arabia, and easily going 300,000+ mi. without a re-build, and used for all sorts of things including boats and early planes. They must be the best as a matter of record.

Just my .02

Arn

Even a modern honda engine will go 300,000 miles without a rebuild, if it's treated nice. And they're used in all sorts of things as well. Now a diesel merc, those things have been known to cross 2 MILLION miles.

quote Originally posted by Arns85GT: Something wrong with that list. Ever heard of the Silver Shadow? or Silver Ghost? Rolls engines used by the likes of Lawrence of Arabia, and easily going 300,000+ mi. without a re-build, and used for all sorts of things including boats and early planes. They must be the best as a matter of record. Just my .02 Arn

FROM WIKI LINK
Ward's 10 Best Engines is an annual list of the ten "best" automobile engines selected by Ward's AutoWorld magazine. The list was started in 1994 and has been drawn every year since then. Engines must be available in regular-production vehicles on sale in the U.S. market no later than the first quarter of the year. To be eligible, the engine also must be available in a vehicle with a base price of no more than $52,500. During a 2-month testing period, Ward's editors evaluate each engine according to a number of objective and subjective criteria in everyday driving situations – there is no instrumented testing. The selection takes into account power and torque output, noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels, technical relevance and basic comparative numbers. Each engine competes against all others.

I've had great results with the Volkswagen Flat-4.

Surprised the VW TDI is not listed here.

I know it's not up there, but IMHO our own Iron Duke should rank right up there, reliable, durable, used as inboards, other cars, the S-10, etc. and has provided service for lots of years.
https://www.fiero.nl/forum/Forum1/HTML/063435.html

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The Fiero, a testiment to unique AMERICAN Engineering

[This message has been edited by Bruno Mid Engine (edited 01-19-2007).]

quote Originally posted by FierociousGT: FROM WIKI LINK To be eligible, the engine also must be available in a vehicle with a base price of no more than $52,500. During a 2-month testing period,

I got a 3 horse Briggs & Straton on a VW pan buggy thats been tested now for years. I wonder

quote Originally posted by FierociousGT: FROM WIKI LINK Ward's 10 Best Engines is an annual list of the ten "best" automobile engines selected by Ward's AutoWorld magazine. The list was started in 1994 and has been drawn every year since then. Engines must be available in regular-production vehicles on sale in the U.S. market no later than the first quarter of the year. To be eligible, the engine also must be available in a vehicle with a base price of no more than $52,500. During a 2-month testing period, Ward's editors evaluate each engine according to a number of objective and subjective criteria in everyday driving situations – there is no instrumented testing. The selection takes into account power and torque output, noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels, technical relevance and basic comparative numbers. Each engine competes against all others. I've had great results with the Volkswagen Flat-4. Surprised the VW TDI is not listed here.

I guess the term "10 Best Engines of the 20th Century" is kind of misleading.

More accurate would be "10 best engines this year in economy platforms"

Best is relative to an era. If you take the Merlin engine used during WWII it would be hard to argue a better one, and the Model T engine was the all time great as to the number and life span of the engines.

Just an observation

Arn

quote Originally posted by Bruno Mid Engine: I know it's not up there, but IMHO our own Iron Duke should rank right up there, reliable, durable, used as inboards, other cars, the S-10, etc. and has provided service for lots of years.

The duke would better qualify as one of the 10 worst engines. Or at least the 10 worst engines that still kinda worked and didnt cause too much trouble

Cool Post! That 3800 is bulletproof!

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that's strange. It seems BMW has made it every year...hmmmm!
Dave

no ford 5.0? good engine put in not-so-good cars and trucks.

I suspect that it's not so much how well engineered the engine was as what a difference it made. The model T engine is appauling by modern standards of performance, and the design is very strange. But it moved the world.

Wasn't the 3800 series II introduced in '96 models ? It's listed on the best engines of 1995. My '95 Buick Riv has a series I...well, possibly a series II longblock with series I hang-on parts now, due to a (dealership) transplant gone slightly wrong.