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The 10 Best Engines of the 20th Century
Don Sherman | WardsAuto
Jan 1, 2000
It took a century for automotive engines to mature from cantankerous
contraptions to the smooth, reliable machinery that currently enables our
mobility. The following honor roll celebrates the 10 best - those engines
that motored far beyond the call of duty to advance the internal-combustion
cause.
Ford Motor Co. Model T Inline-4 (1909) After eight lackluster designs, Henry
Ford finally hit paydirt with his 1909 Model T. Its 20-hp 2.9L 4-cyl.
engine was engineered for low-cost manufacturing and shade-tree servicing.
Contrary to convention, the T's powerplant combined four cylinders and the
upper half of its crankcase in one casting. To save complication, internal
parts were lubricated by gravity and splash; coolant was circulated by a
thermosiphon effect.
Reducing the price as production volumes climbed - from an initial $850 to $
260 in 1925 - spurred demand for more than 16 million Model Ts and fulfilled
Henry's dream of a motorcar for the multitudes.
General Motors Corp. Cadillac V-8s (1915) Cadillac didn't invent the V-8 -
but it was the first to sustain that engine configuration with volume
production. The original 1915 "L-head" design yielded 70 hp from 5.1L and
introduced thermostatic control of coolant circulation. The addition of a
counterweighted two-plane crankshaft in 1924 further enhanced Cadillac's
reputation for smooth, quiet running.
In 1949, a horsepower war was triggered by Cadillac's first overhead-valve V
-8, which delivered 160 hp from 5.4L. That design was tough enough for
respectable finishes at the 24 Hours of LeMans and smooth enough to send
luxury-class competitors back to the drawing boards. Cadillac's Northstar
DOHC 32-valve updates for 1993 and 2000 advanced Cadillac's V-8 rep as a
standard-setter for V-8 smoothness, quietness and efficiency.
Ford L-Head V-8 (1932) In the teeth of the Great Depression, Henry Ford
rocked the motoring world with speed for the masses: the industry's first
affordable V-8. Like his Model T engine, this 1932 65-hp, 3.6L design
incorporated the best available materials and notable engineering advances:
a forged-steel crankshaft, aluminum pistons, babbited bearings, a single-
piece cylinder block and rubber mounting.
Subsequent model years brought aluminum cylinder heads, more efficient
carburetion and more power. Both John Dillinger and Clyde Barrow took a
break from crime to write letters of appreciation. The Ford flat-head V-8
was every hot rodder's engine of choice for two decades.
Volkswagen AG Flat-4 (1945) Envious of America's Henry Ford-inspired
mobility, Adolf Hitler commissioned the renowned Ferdinand Porsche to
engineer a "people's car," or Volkswagen. Challenged by ambitious cost and
performance targets, Porsche selected an air-cooled, horizontally opposed 4-
cyl. yielding 24-hp from its 1L, and positioned the engine at the rear to
optimize packaging efficiency. That, in turn, necessitated light-weight
materials, including a magnesium crankcase and aluminum cylinder heads, to
achieve balance.
World War II delayed Beetle production until 1945, but when Germany regained
control of the Wolfsburg plant in 1948, the country had the perfect car for
austere times. Today, Type One Beetle production continues in Mexico with
total volume at 21 million units and counting.
General Motors Corp. Chevrolet Small Block V-8 (1955) Chevrolet repeated
Ford's power-to-the-people initiative in 1955 with one of the most efficient
and durable V-8 designs ever to power an automobile. An oversquare bore-to-
stroke ratio and a short-skirt, thin-wall block saved weight and bulk.
Efficient porting aided volumetric efficiency. An inexpensive yet durable
valvetrain used stamped rocker arms pivoting on ball-shaped pedestals.
Starting with 162 hp (gross) from 4.3L, subsequent versions grew to 6.5L and
reached 330 hp (net) in 1996 Corvette trim.
To date millions of small-block V-8s have been produced to power a multitude
of cars and light trucks sold by every GM division except Saturn. Two years
from now, the baton finally passes to Gen III successors when the original
small block leaves production after 48 years of faithful service.
General Motors Corp. Buick V-6 (1962) Buick's 90-degree V-6 is the poster
child of a bad idea turned good through fastidious refinement. In 1962, this
engine was rudely chopped from a V-8 to supplant a troublesome all-aluminum
V-6. Unequal firing intervals caused so much idle shake that Buick soon
dumped its V-6 and tooling was sold to Kaiser-Jeep. When the first energy
crisis prompted a rethink, Buick's V-6 returned home. A continuous
refinement program began with a split-throw, even-firing crankshaft in 1978
and culminated with a top-to-bottom overhaul for 1995.
In spite of GM's hidebound adherence to a pushrod valvetrain and cast-iron
construction, Series II 3800s still excel in packaging efficiency, fuel
economy, smoothness and reliability.
Porsche AG Flat-6 (1964) Born in 1964, Porsche's original flat 6-cyl. - a
design commonly known as "boxer" because of its opposed pistons - thrust the
founding father's Beetle engine concepts into the competitive crucible of
sports and racing machinery. It was an auspicious leap from the 911's 130-hp
, 2L trim at the 1963 Frankfurt Auto Show to the engine's 190-hp competition
debut at a Paris 1,000-km (625-mile) race only a year later. The addition
of turbocharging for both street and track pumped power curves smartly
upward in the 1970s. Lessons learned from four LeMans 24-hour victories
helped boost street output over the 400-hp mark by 1997.
A transition to liquid cooling initiated by the 1997 Boxster was completed
by the second-generation 911 Carrera for 1999. A wealth of advanced features
, including variable valve timing and intake tracts, four-valve combustion
chambers, etched-silicon cylinder bores and direct ignition should stand
this engine design in good stead well into the new century.
BMW AG Inline-6s (1968) The M in BMW's name stands for Motoren (Motor),
indicative of the importance engines play in this company's heritage. Before
BMW began light-car construction in 1927, it earned its reputation as a
worthy motorcycle, aircraft, and truck engine maker. Rebuilding after WWII
tested the firm's mettle, but by 1968 BMW was ready to challenge arch-rival
Mercedes-Benz's S-Class sedan. To create an appropriate engine for that task
, BMW simply stretched its successful SOHC 2L 4-cyl. into a 2.5L 6-cyl. In
the 1980s, when competitors turned toward more compact V-6 engines, BMW
bucked the trend by continuing to nurture its inline sixes through four
generations. Each new generation has been lighter, smaller, more powerful
and sweeter-running than its predecessors.
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. CVCC Inline-4 (1975) In 1975, the auto industry
scrambled to meet 1980 emission standards accelerated by the late Sen.
Edmund Muskie's "feet-to-the-fire" initiative. Fortunately, GM had just
spent five years perfecting the industry's first catalytic converters. But
at Honda, an eight-man team needed only one year to meet Clean Air Act
requirements with an ingenious Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC)
4-cyl. engine. Instead of using a catalytic converter to cleanse the exhaust
stream, a three-valve combustion chamber minimized pollution formation
inside the engine. CVCC's lineal descendant is a 2.3L VTEC (Variable valve
Timing and lift Electronic Control) 4-cyl. engine that recently helped the
Accord earn the first ever Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)
certification in California.
Toyota Motor Corp. Lexus V-8 (1990) To close out the millennium's final
decade with a bang, Toyota served notice it was ready for all comers by
introducing the 1990 Lexus 400 luxury sedan. Under the hood, a 4L V-8
embodied every notable technical advance in the book, including aluminum
block-and-head construction, dual overhead camshafts and four-valve
combustion chambers; champagne glasses piled high on the LS 400's hood never
dripped as this engine accelerated with electric-motor smoothness to a
lofty redline. BMW, Cadillac, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz returned to their
laboratories.
To seal the bargain, Toyota recalibrated its illustrious V-8 to wage battle
in four diverse market segments - sporting coupes and sedans, luxury SUVs
and full-sized-pickups. In the competitive world of engine design, the best
never rest.
Don Sherman | WardsAuto
Jan 1, 2000
It took a century for automotive engines to mature from cantankerous
contraptions to the smooth, reliable machinery that currently enables our
mobility. The following honor roll celebrates the 10 best - those engines
that motored far beyond the call of duty to advance the internal-combustion
cause.
Ford Motor Co. Model T Inline-4 (1909) After eight lackluster designs, Henry
Ford finally hit paydirt with his 1909 Model T. Its 20-hp 2.9L 4-cyl.
engine was engineered for low-cost manufacturing and shade-tree servicing.
Contrary to convention, the T's powerplant combined four cylinders and the
upper half of its crankcase in one casting. To save complication, internal
parts were lubricated by gravity and splash; coolant was circulated by a
thermosiphon effect.
Reducing the price as production volumes climbed - from an initial $850 to $
260 in 1925 - spurred demand for more than 16 million Model Ts and fulfilled
Henry's dream of a motorcar for the multitudes.
General Motors Corp. Cadillac V-8s (1915) Cadillac didn't invent the V-8 -
but it was the first to sustain that engine configuration with volume
production. The original 1915 "L-head" design yielded 70 hp from 5.1L and
introduced thermostatic control of coolant circulation. The addition of a
counterweighted two-plane crankshaft in 1924 further enhanced Cadillac's
reputation for smooth, quiet running.
In 1949, a horsepower war was triggered by Cadillac's first overhead-valve V
-8, which delivered 160 hp from 5.4L. That design was tough enough for
respectable finishes at the 24 Hours of LeMans and smooth enough to send
luxury-class competitors back to the drawing boards. Cadillac's Northstar
DOHC 32-valve updates for 1993 and 2000 advanced Cadillac's V-8 rep as a
standard-setter for V-8 smoothness, quietness and efficiency.
Ford L-Head V-8 (1932) In the teeth of the Great Depression, Henry Ford
rocked the motoring world with speed for the masses: the industry's first
affordable V-8. Like his Model T engine, this 1932 65-hp, 3.6L design
incorporated the best available materials and notable engineering advances:
a forged-steel crankshaft, aluminum pistons, babbited bearings, a single-
piece cylinder block and rubber mounting.
Subsequent model years brought aluminum cylinder heads, more efficient
carburetion and more power. Both John Dillinger and Clyde Barrow took a
break from crime to write letters of appreciation. The Ford flat-head V-8
was every hot rodder's engine of choice for two decades.
Volkswagen AG Flat-4 (1945) Envious of America's Henry Ford-inspired
mobility, Adolf Hitler commissioned the renowned Ferdinand Porsche to
engineer a "people's car," or Volkswagen. Challenged by ambitious cost and
performance targets, Porsche selected an air-cooled, horizontally opposed 4-
cyl. yielding 24-hp from its 1L, and positioned the engine at the rear to
optimize packaging efficiency. That, in turn, necessitated light-weight
materials, including a magnesium crankcase and aluminum cylinder heads, to
achieve balance.
World War II delayed Beetle production until 1945, but when Germany regained
control of the Wolfsburg plant in 1948, the country had the perfect car for
austere times. Today, Type One Beetle production continues in Mexico with
total volume at 21 million units and counting.
General Motors Corp. Chevrolet Small Block V-8 (1955) Chevrolet repeated
Ford's power-to-the-people initiative in 1955 with one of the most efficient
and durable V-8 designs ever to power an automobile. An oversquare bore-to-
stroke ratio and a short-skirt, thin-wall block saved weight and bulk.
Efficient porting aided volumetric efficiency. An inexpensive yet durable
valvetrain used stamped rocker arms pivoting on ball-shaped pedestals.
Starting with 162 hp (gross) from 4.3L, subsequent versions grew to 6.5L and
reached 330 hp (net) in 1996 Corvette trim.
To date millions of small-block V-8s have been produced to power a multitude
of cars and light trucks sold by every GM division except Saturn. Two years
from now, the baton finally passes to Gen III successors when the original
small block leaves production after 48 years of faithful service.
General Motors Corp. Buick V-6 (1962) Buick's 90-degree V-6 is the poster
child of a bad idea turned good through fastidious refinement. In 1962, this
engine was rudely chopped from a V-8 to supplant a troublesome all-aluminum
V-6. Unequal firing intervals caused so much idle shake that Buick soon
dumped its V-6 and tooling was sold to Kaiser-Jeep. When the first energy
crisis prompted a rethink, Buick's V-6 returned home. A continuous
refinement program began with a split-throw, even-firing crankshaft in 1978
and culminated with a top-to-bottom overhaul for 1995.
In spite of GM's hidebound adherence to a pushrod valvetrain and cast-iron
construction, Series II 3800s still excel in packaging efficiency, fuel
economy, smoothness and reliability.
Porsche AG Flat-6 (1964) Born in 1964, Porsche's original flat 6-cyl. - a
design commonly known as "boxer" because of its opposed pistons - thrust the
founding father's Beetle engine concepts into the competitive crucible of
sports and racing machinery. It was an auspicious leap from the 911's 130-hp
, 2L trim at the 1963 Frankfurt Auto Show to the engine's 190-hp competition
debut at a Paris 1,000-km (625-mile) race only a year later. The addition
of turbocharging for both street and track pumped power curves smartly
upward in the 1970s. Lessons learned from four LeMans 24-hour victories
helped boost street output over the 400-hp mark by 1997.
A transition to liquid cooling initiated by the 1997 Boxster was completed
by the second-generation 911 Carrera for 1999. A wealth of advanced features
, including variable valve timing and intake tracts, four-valve combustion
chambers, etched-silicon cylinder bores and direct ignition should stand
this engine design in good stead well into the new century.
BMW AG Inline-6s (1968) The M in BMW's name stands for Motoren (Motor),
indicative of the importance engines play in this company's heritage. Before
BMW began light-car construction in 1927, it earned its reputation as a
worthy motorcycle, aircraft, and truck engine maker. Rebuilding after WWII
tested the firm's mettle, but by 1968 BMW was ready to challenge arch-rival
Mercedes-Benz's S-Class sedan. To create an appropriate engine for that task
, BMW simply stretched its successful SOHC 2L 4-cyl. into a 2.5L 6-cyl. In
the 1980s, when competitors turned toward more compact V-6 engines, BMW
bucked the trend by continuing to nurture its inline sixes through four
generations. Each new generation has been lighter, smaller, more powerful
and sweeter-running than its predecessors.
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. CVCC Inline-4 (1975) In 1975, the auto industry
scrambled to meet 1980 emission standards accelerated by the late Sen.
Edmund Muskie's "feet-to-the-fire" initiative. Fortunately, GM had just
spent five years perfecting the industry's first catalytic converters. But
at Honda, an eight-man team needed only one year to meet Clean Air Act
requirements with an ingenious Compound Vortex Controlled Combustion (CVCC)
4-cyl. engine. Instead of using a catalytic converter to cleanse the exhaust
stream, a three-valve combustion chamber minimized pollution formation
inside the engine. CVCC's lineal descendant is a 2.3L VTEC (Variable valve
Timing and lift Electronic Control) 4-cyl. engine that recently helped the
Accord earn the first ever Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)
certification in California.
Toyota Motor Corp. Lexus V-8 (1990) To close out the millennium's final
decade with a bang, Toyota served notice it was ready for all comers by
introducing the 1990 Lexus 400 luxury sedan. Under the hood, a 4L V-8
embodied every notable technical advance in the book, including aluminum
block-and-head construction, dual overhead camshafts and four-valve
combustion chambers; champagne glasses piled high on the LS 400's hood never
dripped as this engine accelerated with electric-motor smoothness to a
lofty redline. BMW, Cadillac, Jaguar, and Mercedes-Benz returned to their
laboratories.
To seal the bargain, Toyota recalibrated its illustrious V-8 to wage battle
in four diverse market segments - sporting coupes and sedans, luxury SUVs
and full-sized-pickups. In the competitive world of engine design, the best
never rest.