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| “The
most refined three-cylinder on the planet.
Remarkably smooth and rev-happy”
Jake Venter, CAR, South Africa
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The mantra ‘less is more’ is
ringing true in the smallest engine segment at the International
Engine of the Year Awards 2008, as environmental awareness becomes
increasingly popular. Mitsubishi’s 84bhp 999cc three-cylinder
turbo and Daimler’s 45bhp 799cc diesel unit have impressed
the jurors once again, but the victor this year is Toyota’s
Polish-made, 1-litre three-cylinder 67bhp gasoline unit as found
in the Toyota Aygo, Yaris, Echo and Vitz, Citroën’s
C1, Peugeot’s 107 and Subaru’s Justy. This victory
marks a successful defence of the engine’s 2007 title.
Jurors appreciate the engine’s advanced Variable Valve
Timing system (VVT-i), which optimises valve timing to deliver
powerful torque at low-to-medium RPM for smooth acceleration
(93Nm at 3,600rpm). They also admire the mini motor’s
status as the lightest internal combustion engine in the world,
with a weight of only 67kg, achieved through its all-aluminium
construction, its extra-small
cylinder bore-to-bore distance (wall thickness between bores
is just 7mm), and its use of a resin throttle body and fuel
delivery pipe. The air intake system and engine cover are integrated
into a single unit, a design first for Toyota. Justifying his
choice, judge Ken Gibson from the UK’s largest selling
daily newspaper, The Sun, commented, “The Toyota unit
is a good illustration of how small
can be a lot of fun.”
The adoption of a new resin coating for the pistons, thin,
low-tension piston rings, a slightly offset crankshaft and the
three-cylinder configuration all contribute to a decrease in
friction losses, ultimately leading to the segment’s lowest
combined gasoline fuel consumption at 4L/100km and
only 109g/km of CO2. The engine from the Japanese manufacturer
is expected to play a strategic
role in meeting the stringent
140g/km fleet CO2 target agreed
for 2009. |
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points |
| 1. Toyota 1-litre 3-cylinder (Aygo,Yaris/Echo/Vitz,
Citroën C1,
Peugeot 107, Subaru Justy) |
294 |
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| 2. Smart Diesel 799cc (Smart Fortwo) |
285 |
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| 3. Mitsubishi 999cc 3-cylinder Turbo (Smart
Fortwo) |
197 |
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| 4. Ford 1-litre Supercharged (EcoSport) |
167 |
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| 5. Opel/Vauxhall 1-litre 3-cylinder Twinport
(Agila, Corsa,
Suzuki Splash) |
113 |
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| 6. Kia 1-litre 4-cylinder (Hyundai Atos, Picanto) |
76 |
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