The annual list of Ward’s 10 Best Engines and Propulsion Systems is out, and for the first time in its 31-year history, nine of the winners are electrified. That leaves only one true-blue engine on the winners’ list: the twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter LT7 V8 in the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1. The rest of the winners include a combination of pure battery electric vehicles, traditional hybrids, and plug-in hybrids.
To be eligible for the award, a powertrain must be either all-new or significantly improved, or have won the previous year. Most automakers were allowed to submit one powertrain for consideration, while those that sell more than 350,000 units per year were able to submit two. In addition to the winning ZR1 engine, General Motors also submitted the turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine from the Buick Enclave.
The Full List Of Winners
- BMW M5 – Turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 PHEV
- Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 – Twin-turbocharged 5.5-liter V8
- Dodge Charger Daytona – Electric
- Ford F-150 Powerboost – Twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6 hybrid (returning winner)
- Honda Civic Hybrid – 2.0-liter four-cylinder hybrid (returning winner)
- Hyundai Ioniq 9 – Electric
- Lexus LX 700h – Twin-turbocharged 3.4-liter V6 hybrid
- Lucid Gravity – Electric
- Mercedes-AMG E53 – Turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder PHEV
- Nissan Leaf – Electric
The Cheese Stands Alone
It shouldn’t be surprising that the ZR1’s engine is the only unadulterated combustion powerplant in this group of winners. The industry is transitioning into its next generation of purely electric powertrains, and hybrids have been around for so long now that the technology is generally perceived as a no-downside addition to most powertrains. In order to make this list in 2025, a solo gas engine has to be pretty special to compete.
The ZR1’s mighty V8 is definitely special. This twin-turbocharged flat-plane crank DOHC eight-cylinder produces 1,064 horsepower that peaks at 7,000 rpm and 828 pound-feet of torque at 6,000 rpm. That makes it the most powerful V8 engine that Chevrolet, a company known for powerful V8s, has ever built.
The ZR1’s bona fide performance with this engine is nothing short of world-class. Chevy quotes a 0-60 mph time of just 2.3 seconds and a sub-10-second quarter-mile time of 9.6 seconds at 152 miles per hour. It also managed to lap the Nürburgring under 7 minutes, with an official time of 6:50.763. Finally, the ZR1’s top speed is a mighty 233 mph, which makes it the fastest American production car of all time.
Of course, this engine doesn’t just appear in the ZR1. You can get it in a naturally aspirated flavor in the Z06, where it makes 670 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. It also pairs well with electrification in the ZR1X, the current King of Corvettes, where the combined power of it and the front axle’s electric motor is 1,250 horsepower. Indeed, this 5.5-liter V8 has range.
TopSpeed’s Take
We suppose it won’t be too long before Ward’s list of the 10 best engines and powertrains is composed entirely of electrified vehicles. That may be sooner than we think if GM submits the electrified version of this very same engine from the ZR1X for next year’s awards.
Other automakers are to blame too, as the list of purely combustion engines that was submitted for consideration includes some rather pedestrian choices. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder from the Audi Q5? The Buick Enclave’s turbocharged 2.5-liter four-cylinder? Come on.
The only other gas engines under consideration that possibly had a chance were the turbo 1.6-liter three-cylinder from the Toyota GR Corolla, which won last year, and the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder from the RAM RHO, another previous winner. The twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 in the Nissan Armada Nismo was also considered, which has some merit considering it’s related to the engine in the gone-but-not-forgotten GT-R. Out of this bunch, though, the ZR1’s powerplant is clearly superior.
Source: Ward’s Auto