For the Fourth Time in a Row an Engine with a Continental Turbocharger is Named "International Engine of the Year"

- The winner of the world's most prestigious engine competition this year is the 362 PS hybrid motor that powers the BMW i8 - with a high-performance turbocharger from Continental that makes a key contribution to its efficiency.

- Second place went to Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine, which won the competition three times running from 2012 to 2014, also features a Continental turbocharger.

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Continental

Jun 26, 2015, 11:43 ET

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- International automotive supplier Continental entered the turbocharger market in 2011 and is continuing its rapid progress in this increasingly growing market segment. Following a sensational debut with the turbocharger for Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine, which was voted "International Engine of the Year" three times in a row from 2012 to 2014, this year Continental, once again, is represented at the podium at the world's most prestigious international engine competition. This time around, the jury of 65 trade journalists from 31 countries voted the hybrid drive in the BMW i8 as "International Engine of the Year." Equipped with the Continental turbocharger, the 231 PS TwinPower Turbo unit with three cylinders and a displacement of 1.5 liters joins forces with a 131 PS electric motor to power the hybrid sports car. Close runner-up was the 1.0-liter EcoBoost gasoline engine from Ford, which means that Continental's Engine Systems Business Unit responsible for the turbocharger product line can celebrate a one-two victory.

"Our congratulations go to BMW together with our thanks for the close and trusting collaboration on this project," said Wolfgang Breuer who heads up the Engine Systems Business Unit. "To score another success in this prestigious competition is a great endorsement for the work of our turbocharger team. With our innovative, highly efficient and robust products, in a very short time we have won ourselves a strong position in this important growth market in a very short time. In the gasoline engine sector in particular, demand for turbochargers is set to rise sharply."

The TwinPower Turbo gasoline engine in the BMW i8 features a newly developed steel turbocharger with an outstanding power-to-weight ratio and able to withstand exhaust temperatures of more than 1,000 degrees C. Along with its dynamic response to changing loads this turbocharger sets new standards. The combination of highly efficient exhaust turbocharging and direct injection enables a high specific output at the same time as a marked reduction in CO₂ emissions.

SOURCE Continental