Tiny Ford takes Engine of the Year

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Ford president Alan Mulally kisses a see-through model of the 999cc EcoBoost engine, as well he should.

Ford has won the International Engine of the Year Award for the first time - with its tiny 999cc three-cylinder turbo, first seen in the new Focus.

The global jury, comprising 76 of the world's most respected motoring journalists, also voted it the best new engine and best engine of less than one litre, where it took the title away from the 2011 overall winner, the twin-cylinder Fiat 'TwinAir'.

The only category Ford's smallest engine was eligible for that it did not win was best green engine, where it lost out to the 1.4-litre four that charges the batteries in the Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera.

TOP PERFORMER

The only other non-capacity specific class, Best Performance Engine, went, for the second consecutive year, to Ferrari's superlative 425kW, 4.5-litre V8, first seen in the 458 Italia - which was also voted best engine of more than four litres for the second year in a row.

The rest of the awards, announced on Wednesday night at the Stuttgart Engine Expo, were a triumph for German engineering, with BMW taking four and VW/Audi two.

The Blue Propeller guys took the 3-4 litre category for the M3's four-litre V8, the 2.5-3 litre award for the iconic 225kW twin-turbo, three-litre straight six as found in the 1 Series M coupé, 335is and Z4 35is, the 1.8-2 litre category for the twin-turbo, two-litre four found across its range and the 1.4-1.8 litre category (in conjunction with PSA Peugeot Citroen) for the Mini Cooper S engine - for the sixth year in a row .

Audi scooped the 2-2.5 litre category for the five-cylinder turbo used in the Audi TT RS and RS3 Sportback, while Volkswagen's 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger engine successfully defended its crown in the 1.5-1.8 litre category. 

CATEGORY WINNERS

Best New Engine 2012

Ford 999cc three-cylinder turbo

Best Green Engine 2012

GM 1.4-litre range extender

Best Performance Engine 2012

Ferrari 4.5-litre V8

Above 4-litre

Ferrari 4.5-litre V8

3-litre to 4-litre

BMW four-litre V8

2.5-litre to 3-litre

BMW three-litre bi-turbo six-cylinder petrol.

2-litre to 2.5-litre

Audi 2.5-litre five-cylinder turbo.

1.8-litre to 2-litre

BMW two-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder petrol.

1.4-litre to 1.8-litre

BMW-PSA 1.6-litre turbo petrol

1-litre to 1.4-litre

Volkswagen 1.4-litre TSI Twincharger

Sub 1-litre

Ford 999cc three-cylinder turbo

Click here to see all the category nominees and winners.