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2010 10Best Engines of the Moment

The Editors

From Car and Driver

OUTPUT > 300 hp or 265 hp (diesel), 300 lb-ft or 425 lb-ft (diesel), 101 or 89 (diesel) hp/L

FOUND IN > 135i, 335d, 335i, 535i, X5 35d, X6, Z4

For a turbocharged engine, it’s fantastically linear and lag-free, and the diesel is the most powerful and responsive of its kind sold in the U.S.
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OUTPUT > 414 hp, 295 lb-ft, 104 hp/L

FOUND IN > M3

Its blood-curdling shriek and immediate, predictable responses are a large part of the M3’s greatness.
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OUTPUT > 483 or 503 hp, 347 lb-ft, 112 or 117 hp/L

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FOUND IN > F430, 16M Scuderia Spider, 430 Scuderia

Revs to 8500 rpm. Will startle the neighbors and possibly break their windows.
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OUTPUT > 355 or 365 hp, 350 lb-ft, 102 or 104 hp/L

FOUND IN > Ford Flex and Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKS and MKT

Raises the bar for turbo off-idle response. Huge midrange grunt. Premium fuel not required.
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OUTPUT > 556 or 638 hp, 551 or 604 lb-ft, 90 or 104 hp/L

FOUND IN > Cadillac CTS-V, Corvette ZR1

Scary-powerful barrel-chested beasts that power GM’s two best-ever cars.
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OUTPUT > 197 hp, 139 lb-ft, 99 hp/L

FOUND IN > Civic Si

This is Honda’s highest-performing nonturbo four, a smooth and rev-happy engine that makes rowing through the gears joyful.
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OUTPUT > 525–552 hp; 391–398 lb-ft; 101–106 hp/L

FOUND IN > Audi R8 5.2, Lamborghini Gallardo and LP560-4

Its supreme power and manic bark cause spontaneous 100-mph-plus mergings onto freeways.
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OUTPUT > 451–563 hp, 443–479 lb-ft, 73–91 hp/L

FOUND IN > C63, CL63, CLS63, E63, ML63, S63, SL63, SLS

This wicked-sounding, flexible V-8 has lifted AMG’s appeal since ’06.
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OUTPUT > 435 or 450 hp, 317 lb-ft, 115 or 119 hp/L

FOUND IN > 911 GT3 and GT3 RS

Its strident wail is a big reason why we prefer the 911 GT3 to the Turbo.
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OUTPUT > 200–265 hp, 207–258 lb-ft, 101–134 hp/L

FOUND IN > Audi A3, A4, A5, TT, and TTS; VW CC, Eos, GTI, Jetta, Passat, and Tiguan

Smooth and sonorous, it launched in 2005 as a forerunner to the trend of downsized, boosted, direct-injected engines.

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