The world's motoring press will assemble at the Fourth Annual International Engine of the Year Awards Presentation on 15 May at 1.15pm at Engine Expo 2002, held in Messe Stuttgart, Germany, to discover which car manufacturers produce the greatest engines on the planet.

Judged by a panel of 40 journalists from leading motoring magazines based in 18 disparate countries such as the USA, the UK, South Africa, Germany, Japan, France, and Australia, the International Engine of the Year Awards reward car makers for excellence in the fields of powertrain refinement, performance, technology, fuel economy, and driveability. Previous Awards winners include Alfa Romeo's 2.5-litre V6; Ferrari's 5.5-litre V12; Toyota's 1.5-litre Prius; Audi's 2.5TDi; and Honda's 2-litre S2000. Last year BMW dominated the Awards,
winning five of the 12 categories, including the trophy for producing the world's best engine, the International Engine of the Year, in the shape of the supercar-slaying M3 3.2-litre.

Graham Johnson, Chairman of the International Engine of the Year Awards 2002 commented: "This year's contest has been very close with some advanced and, critically for the man on the street, extremely driveable powertrains launched in the past 12 months.

"Without giving too much away, the trophy presentation on 15 May 2002 will see success for several car manufacturers. And as our judges are from the highest echelons of motoring journalism from international magazines such as Car & Driver, CAR, Autocar, and Road & Track, you can be sure that characteristics such as engine performance, economy, and ecofriendliness have all been given due consideration."

Can BMW, who says the Awards are "not superficial like some accolades - they get to the heart of the matter: the performance of our cars", sweep the board once again, or will companies such as Honda, the most prolific engine builder in the world, triumph? Engine Expo 2002 at 1.15pm on 15 May holds the answers...

The International Engine of the Year Awards 2002 are presented by industry magazine Engine Technology International, published by UK & International Press, a British company that receives no advertising or financial support from any car manufacturer or distributor.