10 Scandalously Under-Appreciated Engines

We asked you which engines are too often overlooked - whether it's because of a more iconic engine available in the same car, or it's simply forgotten for no good reason - here are the best suggestions

Darren Cassey

06 Apr 2016

10 Scandalously Under-Appreciated Engines

1. All Volvo five-cylinder engines

Suggested by TurboToddler - Volvo's five-pots are legendary, and are even responsible for the mk2 Ford Focus ST's character. — Suggested by TurboToddler - Volvo's five-pots are legendary, and are even responsible for the…

2. Toyota 2T-G

Suggested by Luqman Hakim - This engine preceded the much-loved 4A-GE.

3. Ford Barra

4. Alfa Romeo Twin Spark

5. Toyota 7M-GTE

6. Volkswagen Beetle engine

7. Volvo B4194T

8. Audi 3B

Suggested by Sarma lover - Placed in the Audi S2, it made an impressive 220bhp from 2.2 litres.

9. Saab B234R

10. Toyota 3S-GE 'Beams'

Comments

missing the BMW n54, as good if not better than a 2jz

Hey CT staff, just a correction in my suggestion I didn’t realize (Thanks No_Turbo_Joe) it is actually the ALTERNATOR BELT, not the timing belt, I mistranslated the name, so it would be nice if you could correct this.

inline 5s - best engine setup

What about Ford’s Zetec engines? the 1.6 is awesome

I was never a fan to be honest. Ive driven my dads old 2.0 zetec focus and to be honest it felt a bit lethargic when you got it up into the revs, nice for cruising though.

The 1.7 yamaha tuned zetec is one i LOVE though, little revvy motor with a lovely exhaust note, its a shame all the cars they put it in (puma) have rusted to bits by now.

I would like to point out that the 7M-GTE was only available in the MA70 supras in the States.

Any ecotec should be on this list.

Mfw volvo is on the list twice

Weres the peugeot-citroen es9? Remember when it was twin turbo’d and put in a safrane? Or when it was put in the clio v6? Really underapreciated.

all peugeots gti engine are underpreciated to be honest

I’m really thinking about getting a Volvo v40 with that T4 engine, but 200hp to the front wheels? Not so sure about that.

Don’t do it, the car will fall apart. V40’s are heaps of crap lol.

Twin spark is pretty unreliable and that’s why it’s always better to go for the busso if you can

mine has 130.000km of pretty much pure agressive driving and some track abuse and it never broke down… yet XD

very rarely that T spark engine would just die, most of the time it caused by neglected, because of by design some TS engine does consume a little bit of engine oil, so it’s uncommon to see the engine ruined within a shot period of time. I suspected that the previous owner of my 156 once let the oil ran out, so the engine in my car is very loose, even that I redline the car every day for almost a year the engine still ran fine, and that is pretty reliable if you ask me. BTW I agreed that Busso is a far better engine, but where I live 1 Busso engine cost twice more that 156 with TS engine.