Since winning the "Best New Engine of 2006" award from the International Engine of the Year committee, Volkswagen's Twincharger TSI engine has taken the 1.0 to 1.4 liter category by storm, taking the class victory last year and again for 2008. Cited reasons for the win include the engine's high power output and low gasoline consumption. Other awards have been given to the engine, including two in Japan, an Auto Environment Certificate from the ÖKO-TREND Institute for Environmental Research and the "TechnoBest" award from the 15-nation AutoBest jury in Istanbul. Not too shabby, if you ask us. These awards make us want to see this engine make its way from Europe to the states even more. Although the U.S. gets a turbocharged engine labeled TSI, it is unfortunately not the same as the turbo and supercharged engine that these awards have been given to. Volkswagen, if you're listening out there, we'll gladly take the 1.4 Twincharger TSI in the new CC. Thanks!

Volkswagen's TSI engines were awarded the "TechnoBest" award from the 15-nation AutoBest jury in Istanbul today. One reason for the award was that these engines crank out a lot of power for the amount of fuel they consume, something the jury called a "genuine advancement." Read more of the jury's thoughts in VW's announcement after the jump. For the last few years, Europeans have been able to drive using the TSIs, but Americans will get a first taste later this summer with the release of the new Passat CC (UPDATE: as Mirko points out beow, the American version of the TSI isn't quite the same as the one that won the award). In Europe, the TSI engines are available in Golfs and the Jetta, Touran and Tiguan series vehicles. Currently, 127,000 TSI engines are in use around the world.


Related:

• Detroit 2008: Volkswagen Passat CC to launch TSI engines in US market

[Source: Volkswagen]

Back in April, the VW Golf 1.4L TSI won the Auto Environment Certificate from the ÖKO-TREND Institute for Environmental Research. Today, VW announced that its TSI engine technology - which is available in a variety of vehicles, including the Golf, Touran, Jetta, Golf Plus and Golf estate - won two prizes in Japan. TSI was named "Most Advanced Technology Award 2008" (a bit early, no?) from Japanese automotive journalists and "Technology of the Year" from the jury of the Japanese Automotive Researchers' and Journalists' Conference.

TSI engines are able to get more performance from less fuel. VW's 1.4L TSI petrol direct-injection engine uses about six percent less gas thanks to twin charging via a compressor with turbo charging and a reduced cubic capacity. Emissions are also reduced. From VW:

The TSI Golf typically exemplifies how this technology enables powerful driving performance at low levels of fuel consumption. As a TSI version with 103 kW / 140 PS, it sprints to 100 km/h in just 8.8 seconds, achieves a top speed of 205 km/h and yet consumes an average of only 7.1 litres of fuel in urban traffic and a mere 5.7 litres on the cruise. (read more after the jump)

VW says around 118,000 TSI-equipped vehicles have been sold around the world.

Related:

• Volkswagen offers up new details on 1.4L TSI engine

[Source: VW]

Volkswagen debuted a concept version of their Tiguan compact SUV last November at the Los Angeles Auto Show and it looks the production version won't be changing much. Volkswagen is holding their final sign-off ride for the new vehicle in Namibia to evaluate the hot weather performance and off-road performance. Unlike some of its competitors - the Ford Escape, Saturn Vue and Toyota Highlander - the Tiguan won't offer a hybrid version, at least not at first.

Instead, Volkswagen will offer a range of five different engines. There will be three different gas fueled TSI engines with 150hp, 170hp and 200hp. The TSI engines are VW's small displacement direct injected engines with both turbo and supercharging. In addition to the gas engines, VW will be offering a diesels with 140hp and 170hp. Which, if any, of these engines will make it to US market is unknown although at least one of the diesels is likely. It will be interesting to see how the Tiguan, especially the diesel, does against the hybrids in its class.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Volkswagen has put out more details on their new 1.4L 121hp TSI engine that will be offered on Golfs, Jettas, Tourans and Passats. The new direct injected engine will be replacing the older 1.6L FSI port injected engine in the lineup. The turbocharged TSI gets a bump in power from 114hp to 121hp and a thirty percent bump in torque to 148 lb-ft at 1500rpm.

While the performance has improved, the new motor uses six percent less gas. The improved torque allows the use of taller gear ratios to allow for similar performance at lower engine rpm. That helps improve the fuel economy and reduces noise levels. A lot of European countries calculate vehicle taxes based in part on engine size so the new smaller engine will reduce owners registration fees without sacrificing performance. The engine will also be paired up with the new seven speed DSG transmission.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Volkswagen has added a new version to their range of TSI engines as well as an updated DSG dual clutch gearbox. At the Vienna Motor Symposium they are showing a 122 hp 1.4L TSI that like it's 138 hp and 168 hp siblings uses direct fuel injection and turbocharger. Unlike the two more powerful engines, this new variant has no mechanical supercharger. The 1.4L TSI has seven percent more power and thirty percent more torque than VW's 1.6L FSI engine while consuming six percent less fuel. The TSI engine will be mated up to a new DSG gearbox with an extra cog bringing it up to seven speeds. The new box also uses a dry sump rather than the wet clutches of the first generation DSG. In the Golf the combination yields 40 mpg.

[Source: Volkswagen]

Volkswagen TSI engine found in Europe in the Golf GT won the "Best New Engine of 2006" award. The TSI engine combines a supercharger with a turbocharger. The engine, with a displacement of 1.4 liter, produces 170 bhp and uses 7.2l/100 km. The high specific output of the engine allows this engine to compete with engines of higher displacement (and higher fuel consumption). The TSI engine won the 1 liter to 1.4 liter category, and was picked the overall winner by the jury, made up of 61 automotive journalists from 29 countries. The engine is used in both the VW Golf and the VW Touran, but is currently not available in the United States. It's nice to see fuel efficient engine solutions get the award, as opposed to last year's winner, the BMW M5 V10 engine.

[Source: VW Press Release]