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Metaldyne Featured on Four of Ward’s 10 Best Engines of 2008 For the past 14 years, Ward’s Auto World has published their list of the ten best engines in the industry. Each engine must stand on its own merits and is compared to all its competitors. The publication assigns points to each engine for metrics such as technology, power and fuel economy. This year, Metaldyne has two products which are featured on four of Ward’s 10 Best Engines: powder metal connecting rods and rubber dampers. Read below to learn about these four engines and Metaldyne’s contribution.
Named to Ward’s 10 Best Engines for the fourth year in a row, the 4.6L on the Ford Mustang is becoming a modern day legend. The engine exists in three variants, a 300hp standard on the Mustang 4.6L, the new Bullitt variant at 315 hp and the Shelby GT at 319 hp. In a car like the Mustang, it’s all about the engine, and Metaldyne is proud to have two products in this powerful vehicle. The powder metal connecting rods are produced at Metaldyne’s facility in Ridgway, Pennsylvania and the rubber dampers come from Litchfield, Michigan. The engine is assembled in Romeo, Michigan.
To take the 2008 Cadillac CTS to the next level of engine power, GM powertrain engineers have added high-pressure GDI hardware and gone to gasoline direct injection, a technology quickly sweeping across the premium market. The new and improved engine has remarkable torque and mid-range pull that keeps on pulling. Ward’s cites the engine for its technology leadership and “how essentially right GM Powertrain engineers got the noise, vibration and harshness.” Metaldyne is happy to be a part of this NVH technology with rubber dampers. The dampers are manufactured in Thamesville, Ontario, and the engine is assembled in Flint, Michigan.
Ward’s calls this engine’s city driving fuel economy to be a “near-miracle,” and it’s easy to see why. With 20 mpg (11.8L/100km) in city driving, it’s a huge improvement for SUVs and a 50% leap over the same vehicle powered only by a 5.3L V-8. The engine is as efficient in city driving as a 4-cyl. Toyota Camry. The engine uses a 2-mode hybrid-electric system that was first developed for mass-transit buses. The engine is part of a world engine platform in cooperation with the former DaimlerChrylser AG and BMW AG. Chrysler LLC, Daimler and BMW all plan to soon release hybrid models using the same 2-Mode design. The first hybridization to the fullsize utility-vehicle segment features Metaldyne’s powder metal connecting rods. The rods are machined at Metaldyne’s plant in North Vernon, Indiana and sent to Silao, Mexico, where the finished engine is assembled.
Taking a step away from their conservative history, Honda has added an extra half-liter of displacement to this new engine for the Accord EX-L Coupe, making it the largest engine ever fit in a Honda passenger car. Ward’s praises the engine’s smoothness, flexibility and efficiency, the latter due to a 5-speed automatic transmission enabling the V-6 to operate on three, four or six cylinders, depending on the engine load. The engine also has the VTEC common to on all Honda engines, adding another reason why Ward’s calls this engine the “best volume-market V-6.” Metaldyne supplies powder metal connecting rods for the ’08 Accord. Metaldyne’s powder metal connecting rods offer increased strength and lower cost compared to traditional castings. The rods are machined at Metaldyne’s Ridgway, Pennsylvania facility and the engines are assembled at Honda’s plant in Anna, Ohio. Related Links |
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