VW wins second engine Oscar

It has also been named the best engine between 1.0-litre and 1.4-litres by 72 international judges.

The high-tech Volkswagen TSI Twincharger, which combines a supercharger and turbocharger for power and efficiency, is one of only two other engines in the 12-year history of the International Engine of the Year Awards that have won the prize award back-to-back.

The first was BMW's 5.0-litre V10 in 2005 and 2006, and then the Bavarian car maker's 3.0-litre twin turbo unit, which won in 2007 and 2008. Four BMW engines filled out eight other categories in the awards.

Volkswagen Australia spokesman, Karl Gehling, says the Twincharger engine makes up around half of Golf and Jetta sales locally. Despite a 'service campaign' in May on 6690 local Golfs and Jettas fitted with the 1.4-litre unit, it has earned high praise internationally.

One judge, freelance journalist Peter Nunn, described it as the 'epitome of the modern, frugal, light, high-tech, small but powerful engine'.

"There's good low-end torque and plenty of mid-range power," he says.

The Twincharger joins an exclusive club, but had to work hard to gain membership, knocking over the 2007 and 2008 BMW champion by only 19 points. Like last year, the VW engine gathered points from markets outside Europe, with judges in North America, Asia and South America all awarding it top marks.

"Last year's award is still the most accurate, efficient pointer to the future of petrol power, Australian journalist and judge Bill McKinnon says. "It was an easy choice."

Judges were won over by the engine's combination of sports appeal and frugal economy. It is used in a range of VW models, including the Polo and Golf.

The green engine of the year went to the hybrid 1.8-litre engine in the Toyota Prius. Judge John Carey from Wheels magazine says the Prius is 'more powerful, polished and parsimonious'.

"The latest, thoroughly redesigned version of Toyota's iconic hybrid drivetrain is better in every way that counts," he says.

ENGINE OF THE YEAR

• Volkswagen 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger (Engine of the year, Best 1.0-litre-1.4-litre)
• BMW 3.0-litre DI twin-turbo (Best 2.5-3.0-litre)
• Mercedes-AMG 6.2-litre V8 (Best Performance engine above 4.0-litre)
• BMW 2.0-litre twin-turbo (Best 1.8-2.0-litre)
• BMW M 4-litre V8 (Best 3.0-4.0-litre)
• Audi 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo (Best 2.0-2.5-litre)
• BMW-PSA 1.6-litre turbo (Best 1.4-1.8-litre)
• Toyota 1.0-litre (Best 1.4-1.8-litre).

GREEN ENGINES OF THE YEAR

• Toyota hybrid 1.8-litre
• Fiat 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo
• Volkswagen 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger
• BMW diesel 2.0-litre twin turbo
• Honda hybrid 1.3-litre
• Mercedes-Benz diesel 2.1-litre.