MANILA, Philippines - Once again, a flat-six engine from Porsche has been named “Engine of the Year.†This year, the international jury gave the renowned award to the 2.7-liter engine that is used in the Boxster and the Cayman for the 2.5 to 3.0-liter class.
“A brilliant engine for a brilliant car. This centerpiece of Porsche technology combines perfor-mance and a sporty pedigree with impressive fuel efficiency.†This is how Dean Slavnich of “Engine Technology International Magazine†supported the jury’s decision. The British trade magazine has been giving this award for excellent engines for 15 years now. The jury also praised the flexibility and responsiveness, performance and smooth running of the smallest-displacement flat engine from Porsche.
This is the fourth time that a flat engine from Porsche has won this competition between the best engines in the world. In 2007, Porsche has already won in the category of 3.0 to 4.0-liter engines with the engine of the 911 Turbo. In 2008, the turbocharged 3.6-liter flat engine with 480 hp even won in the open displacement class. In 2009, the 3.8-liter 6-cylinder engine of the 911 Carrera S was named “Best New Engine.†The choice of “Engine of the Year†is made by 87 highly regarded automotive journalists from 35 countries who evaluate the engines in various categories. Along with power, fuel economy, driving properties and comfort, the use of innovative technologies is also assessed.
Advantages: compact and light, high-revving and smooth – for 50 years
The 50 years of Porsche 911 also represents 50 years of the flat-six engine. Not simply for tradi-tion’s sake, but because of its advantages: it is very flat, lightweight and compact. The flat engine with six cylinders is very smooth running, and it has neither free moments nor free forces of inertia. In addition, horizontally opposed engines are very well suited to lowering a vehicle’s center of gravity. The horizontal cylinders enable very low-profile design. And the lower a vehi-cle’s center of gravity, the sportier it can be driven. Another of the most prominent traits of the Porsche flat-six engines is their low fuel consumption in relation to their power.
These basic traits were crucial in the decision to develop a 6-cylinder engine with an opposing cylinder layout for the first 911. At first, the displacement was specified as two liters, and the engine was designed for potential increases up to 2.7 liters. In those days, no Porsche engine specialist could have predicted that this engine type would be continued in its basic form right up to the year 1998 and would finally reach 3.8 liters of displacement.
World premiere in 1963 with 130 hp from two liters of displacement
At the world premiere of the 911, which was initially known as the 901 at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA) in 1963, the flat-six engine produced a power of 130 hp from its two litres of dis-placement. The success of the new sports car quickly led to customer wishes for more power.
In autumn 1968, Porsche introduced mechanical fuel injection. In addition to increasing dis-placement, it also added more power and torque. In 1969, the 6-cylinder engine first grew to 2.2 liters, then two years later to 2.4 liters. This resulted in 180 hp of power for the 911 S at first and then 190 hp.
In 1974, Porsche introduced the 911 Turbo, the first production sports car with a turbocharger. The engine produced 260 hp and 343 Nm which took the car to over 250 km/h.
The air-cooled flat engine reached its zenith with the naturally aspirated engine of the 993 model series, which produced 300 hp from 3.8 litres of displacement in the top model 911 Carrera RS in 1995.