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Ward's announces 10 Best Engines 2015

Ward's Auto has named its 10 Best Engines for 2015, covering a range of powerplants from fuel-sippers to fire-breathers. As with past years, forced-induction reigns supreme, with seven of the ten engines featuring a turbo or supercharger. This year is slightly different, though, as two of the seven blown engines are turbocharged three-cylinder mills, from the Ford Fiesta and Mini Cooper. They're joined by the 2.0-liter turbo four from the Volvo S60, the 1.8-liter turbo four from the Volkswagen Jetta and the 2.0-liter boxer from the Subaru WRX. BMW and Chrysler were the only marques to be named to this year's list twice, with the electric motor from the i3 joining the Mini's three-pot, and the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 in the Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee repping the diesel crowd, alongside a certain supercharged monster. Hyundai also took a prize with a zero-emissions powertrain, with the Tucson FCV's 100-kilowatt fuel cell making the list (apparently Ward's is quite generous with what it deems an "engine"). Rounding out the list are two Autoblog favorites, each displacing 6.2 liters, but producing their power very differently. On the one hand, Chevrolet's overhead-valve, 455-horsepower V8, found in the Corvette, makes its power the old fashioned way. And in the other corner, we have one of the most exciting engines of the year – the 707-hp, 6.2-liter, supercharged Hellcat V8, featured so prominently in the Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat. "We spend a lot of time reading the powertrain tea leaves throughout the auto industry, and we're proud that this year's list is a microcosm of all the latest innovation coming from automakers," said Ward's Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter in a statement. "It's not just a list for enthusiasts or for environmentalists," he says. "There's something for every vehicle shopper and every budget. All the powertrains on this list deliver a first-rate driving experience," Winter added. Scroll down for the full list from Ward's, and let us know which engines you think belong and which should have been included in this year's rankings. Ward's 10 Best Engines of 2015 Announced by Penton's WardsAuto Honorees span most diverse and technically advanced engines in 21 years of recognized powertrain excellence SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Penton's Wards 10 Best Engines of 2015 have been announced.

BMW M1 really was the Ultimate Driving Machine

Life giving you lemons? Make lemonade. That's the spirit in Munich that lead to BMW producing the only mid-engined sports car in its 98-year history. The project resulted from a collaboration with Lamborghini (now owned, incidentally, by arch-rival Audi) to meet Group 4 homologation requirements. Lamborghini withdrew, the FIA changed its rules, but BMW built it anyway.
Arguably one of Giorgetto Giugiaro's finest designs, the M1 packed a 3.5-liter inline-six, driving 273 horsepower to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual. The Procar racing version turbocharged that output up to 850 hp and attracted the top drivers in a one-make F1 support race series.
Over the course of three years, the Bavarian automaker only built 456 examples of the M1, and for BMW enthusiasts, there's no vehicle more coveted. But don't take our word for it - let Petrolicious tell one noteworthy owner's tale in the video below.

Overheated dog rescued from BMW by concerned bystander

Dogs, cars, and summer heat do not mix. Hundreds of dogs fall ill and die each year from heat exhaustion when left in cars on hot days, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. In Grand Bend, ON, a passerby rescued a small dog from such a fate when he smashed out the rear window of a car and pulled the dog to safety. According to CTV, two unnamed individuals attended a festival on Saturday, June 11 celebrating the unveiling of a new band shell in Grand Bend. They allegedly left their small dog locked in their car in a parking lot. Temperatures across Ontario on June 11 approached 90 degrees Fahrenheit, and even with the windows cracked and the sunroof open, the dog was in obvious distress. Will Costa was also attending the festival when he heard an announcement over park loudspeakers calling for the owners to report to the parking lot to rescue their dog. "When I heard the announcer, I couldn't believe it," Costa told CTV. "It was so hot." Costa and a few other festival attendees moved to the parking lot to see what was happening, and saw a small crowd surrounding a man attacking a BMW with a large rock. After twenty minutes of work, the man with the rock finally shattered the BMW's passenger rear window and retrieved the suffering dog. The owners didn't show up for nearly another hour. "The dog was completely soaked," said Costa. "The owners didn't show up for another fifty minutes. I believe in another fifty minutes it could have been fatal." The crowd gave the dog water and called the police. Costa told CTV that the owners were confused and embarrassed when they finally arrived, and were told by responding officers to report to the local police station. There is no report yet of warnings issued or charges filed against the owners. Related Video: News Source: CTV, AMVA Auto News Weird Car News BMW Safety Videos heat