What's new?

Actually, you could be mistaken for thinking you're reading a news piece that's a year old, or even two years old, as 2018 is the third year in a row that Ferrari has scooped the overall International Engine of the Year award. Not only that, but it was also named as the 'Best of the Best', a special category this year to celebrate 20 years of the awards.

Which engine are you talking about?

None other than the twin-turbocharged 3.9-litre V8 employed by the Ferrari 488 GTB and the new 488 Pista, though the latter's powerplant is some 50 per cent new in comparison to the GTB's. In the Pista, it puts out 720hp and 770Nm of torque. The International Engine of the Year jurors voted the V8 top in the Performance Engine and 3-litre to 4-litre classes, while its cousin, the 6.5-litre V12, was victorious in the New Engine category (while taking third spot overall).

Did anyone else win a trophy?

Thankfully it wasn't a pure Ferrari-fest. Tesla took top spots for Green Engine and Electric Powertrain; Volkswagen won the Sub 1-litre class; the 1-litre to 1.4-litre prize went to PSA Peugeot Citroen; BMW's three-cylinder 1.5-litre hybrid powertrain won the 1.4-litre to 1.8-litre category; Porsche's 2.0-litre turbo topped the 1.8-litre to 2-litre group; and last, but not least, Audi's charismatic five-cylinder turbo won the prize in the 2-litre to 2.5-litre class.

A word from the organisers, perhaps?

Dean Slavnich, co-chairman, International Engine of the Year Awards, said: "With its V8, Ferrari has demonstrated that even the most discerning of car buyers want smaller, more efficient engines. Indeed, the turbocharged engine's blend of heart-thumping performance and glorious Maranello rumble has made it unbeatable not just for the past three years, but also when pitched against the best of the past two decades."

Shane O' Donoghue - 5 Jun 2018