The annual list of Ward’s 10 Best Engines of the year has been released. The magazine’s editors chose the winners after spending October and November driving 36 vehicles with 34 of those featuring new or significantly upgraded powerplants.

To be eligible to participate in the competition, Ward’s states that “each engine must be available in a regular-production U.S.-specification model on sale no later than first-quarter 2012, in a vehicle with a base price below $55,000”.

And the winners of this year’s competition are:

  • 3.0L TFSI Supercharged DOHC V-6 (Audi A6)
  • 2.0L N20 Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (BMW Z4/528i)
  • 3.0L N55 Turbocharged DOHC I-6 (BMW 335i coupe)
  • 3.6L Pentastar DOHC V-6 (Chrysler 300S/Jeep Wrangler)
  • 2.0L EcoBoost DOHC I-4 (Ford Edge)
  • 5.0L DOHC V-8 (Ford Mustang Boss 302)
  • 2.0L Turbocharged DOHC I-4 (Buick Regal GS)
  • 1.6L DOHC I-4 (Hyundai Accent/Kia Soul)
  • 2.0L Skyactiv DOHC I-4 (Mazda3)
  • 3.5L DOHC V-6 HEV (Infiniti M35h)

The magazine’s editors pointed out that seven out of this year’s 10 Best Engines came equipped with direct fuel-injection technology.

“With so many engines featuring gasoline direct-injection and forced induction, we’re pleased to have a list that is rich in technology,” commented Drew Winter, editor-in-chief of WardsAuto World magazine. “Additionally, every engine reinforces the idea that even fuel-efficient vehicles must be fun to drive.”

Notably, all 10 engines are gasoline units with no diesel or electric engines making the final cut. The only hybrid powerplant is the Infiniti M35h’s V6 unit. Ford and BMW where the only companies to be represented twice in the list, while GM had only one engine, the Buick Regal GS’s 2.0L turbo, as did Audi, Chrysler, Hyundai, Mazda and Infiniti.

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