Mercedes-AMG 2-liter turbo wins Engine of the Year award for its “performance and flexibility”. This is victory number three for AMG’s smallest unit (codename M133) which triumphed in the 1.8 to 2-liter category.
The trophy was awarded at the “Engine Expo” that took place in Stuttgart, Germany. “The most exciting and powerful production 2-litre engine in the world is worthy of its performance badge courtesy of some very, very naughty exhaust crackles,” juror Nicol Louw of Car South Africa explained.
“This is still the best and most enjoyable four-cylinder available,” explained jury member Natan Tazelaar, a freelance journalist from the Netherlands. “Not just because it is the most powerful, but because it makes the A/CLA/GLA AMG models both hilarious and unbeatable.”
“The M133 is still an awesome and consistent ‘little’ performer that shows AMG passion can work intelligently in the modern world,” added Carl Cunanan from Calibre.
And it is a well deserved accolade, Mercedesblog’s own experience with the very winning engine, the world’s most powerful four-pot, recently revised to boast 25 PS more power and 25 Nm additional torque, confirming its surprisingly flexible, rev-hungry and lag-free nature.
Offered in the company of the current Mercedes-AMG A 45, GLA 45 and CLA 45 compact line-up, the 2-liter turbo produces 381 PS (previously 360 PS) and emits 161 g/km of CO2. The M133 pocket rocket propels the A-Class, GLA and CLA AMG racers to 100km/h (62mph) in little over 4.0 seconds – some 0.4 seconds faster than before the engine power upgrades. And this is all from a Euro 6-compliant engine, capable of delivering consumption levels as low as 6.9 l/100km (40.9mpg).
Originally derived from the Mercedes-Benz M270 family, AMG comprehensively revised almost every aspect of the donor engine to create the M133, such as the fitting of a new valve assembly and tweaking the engine timing, both of which have allowed for the increased power and torque outputs. AMG powertrain engineers have also made changes to the way the turbo operates, but maximum boost pressure remains set at 1.8 bar.
This year, the toughest competitors have been VW and Audi’s 2-litre four-cylinder TFSI (wide applications, ranging from the Golf GTI in 220 PS guise to the 310 PS TT S), Volvo’s 2-litre electric-gasoline hybrid running train of the XC90 T8 and Porsche’s all-new 2-liter turbo with 300 PS, as seen on the new 718 Boxster. The podium was completed again by Volvo and its four-cylinder 2-liter turbocharged and supercharged unit with 320 PS (XC90, S90, V90), followed by BMW’s fresh 2-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder diesel (150-190 PS).
The “Engine of the Year” competition started back in 1999 and it was initiated by the British automotive publisher UKIP Media & Events.
65 motoring journalists from 31 countries made up the fully independent jury this year. They were the ones to cast their votes for the best engines of the year in 12 categories.
