Seeing that we have a few "Coolest F1 car" topics I thought that maybe we should also come up with our favourite engines.

The reasons for it being the best is totally up to you. Most powerful, best looking, most wins, your favourite manufacturer etc. You choose your engine by your own criterias.

Please give a reason why it's your choice and if possible put up a picture as well.

I'll start with a favourite of mine. The Ford Cosworth DFV (maybe not a surprise...)

It's the engine with the most wins (155) in F1. It was used from 1967 until 1991 (it had then become the DFR). It was the engine that powered large parts of the grid in F1 through a long period and became a classic.





Edited to make a poll based on some of the comments. Could only post 20 questions so some had to be left out...

I think the 1999 Mercedes engine was probably one of the best ever, and it was one of those who did not have a failure.

this years merc engine is pretty legendary...

powering 3 teams, not one failure

it is the Cossy DFV

The Ferrari engine during the Schumacher title wins

Didn't he go something like nearly 4 years without a failure ?

The current generation of engines don't count imo because of the development freeze.

For me, the 16 cylinder BRM is the greatest. If for nothing else than the sheer music that came out of it.

The 1994 3.5L V12 Ferrari engine was pretty impressive from mid-season onwards.

Apart from that, Honda's V6 turbo 86-87-88 comes to mind

Ferrari Boxer 12 from the 1970ies.

Alfa Romeo V8 turbo engine.

Pictures?

The Life W12, if only for being different.

What about the Renault engines from 91-97?

Sound clips?

The Renault EF15B V6 turbo with pneumatic valves (in Senna's Lotus) was quite something (in 1986).
1,300bhp was rumoured.

best engine in terms of what?

Well if it's sound, it has to be the Ferrari 046 V10, I have never heard a V10 with such a distinctive exhaust note

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWVMO3T5Q3c at 1:39, unbelievable

The Lamborghini V12 engines of the early 90s were my favorite though.

TAG

It had such a distinctive exhaust note because it was missing a cylinder after around 3/4 of that race.


As to my favourite/best F1 engine - either the Alfa V12 of the early eighties...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE2GnDfous0 (1.20)

...or the 1994/95 Ferrari V12s.

I had the feeling that it sounded too good to be true

Nevertheless, a beautiful and raw sound

A couple I like:

1967 Matra V12, for the exhaust pipes:


Honda RA168 Turbo for it's effectiveness:


BMW M12/13 Turbo for its individuality:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c0o697F1g8

The mentioned Renauld engine...

When thinking about rate of success, longevity, use by as many paople as possible, then you have to say that the cold hard statistics mean the DFV trumps them all by a landslide. For technical excellence and sheer performance, the turbo engines of 1986 take the laurels.

Personally, my favorites are the 1989-1995 V12s, with that characteristic shriek which basically yells a big "LOOK AT ME, I AM POWEEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRRR INCARNATE!!!!"

Total domination versus the rest of the grid...Renault V10
torque and driveability

in terms of results the DFV is without a doubt the cornerstone of F1 enines
in terms of sound this -> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-rNiswUhQ4

It has to be the DFV doesn't it.

In 2001 Autosport this question was asked and the 1993 Renault RS-5 was voted by team bosses as the "best engine in the last 20 years of Formula one" 1981-2001.
That engine had reliability and the biggest advantage in horsepower over the rest of the field (80hp).

I agree.

I have been always suspicious that Renault's engine beating Honda's snout out of them was main reason why they had left F1 first time around. Official reasons given were other, but I have never believed that. Renault's engine was something to be had, and Alain Prost would have to probably agree with that. Now, when Mercedes fixed Ilmore's pains, it's pretty good unit as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LRMX1mjRSk -

I want to MARRY the girl at 0:24 as we both had that "snap" moment at the same time!

Yes the V12's were imo the best sounding engines but there's something stirring about the high-pitched v8 scream!

...and i'm spent!

The Honda turbo and then the Renault of the 90s.

Slightly OT but what girl? I can't see any girl at 0:24...

I think he meant the sound of the engine.

But you are not alone, I also spent half a minute looking for some hot girl in that video

So did I. What sort of weirdo calls an engine "girl"??

I went by the thread premise.



So power, torque, results matter not to me.

I came of age (well sort of) in the 1970ies, Ferrari was and is 'My Team' and they were powered by the Boxer 12 then. In addition I now appreciate that this was a distinctly different solution and option pursued by all the DFV powered teams.

Can not really say I have any special memories of the Alfa Turbo 8, but at a time when BMW and Renault was powering WDC and WCC winnners with a 6 and 4 cylinder, Alfa had the will and courage to do something different. 1.5 liters, 8 cylinders, I am not a technological inclined person, but I appreciate their effort and the different tack they took.

For the same reason I would mention the Hart turbo, and someone already gave us the Life 12 cylinder.

The DFV is absolutely a brilliant design, which was exceptionally succsesfull over it's time, but engine wise for me it was the Windows to everyone's else MAC.

Turn up the volume and listen out for the girl! Silly! 0:27

All things mechanical are referred to as feminine

You don't look at a flash car and say "he's a beaut!" do you?

Anyway see above, my post was just misunderstood; I was referring to the girls comment, she said at the exact same moment what I was thinking.

Girl of my dreams that is! Any girl who can appreciate the sound of a V8 is a-okay in my books!!

1.5 litres with 16 tiny 'jewel' like pistons,

To undertake the building of this engine was once described as being like 'the victorians trying to build a space rocket'..!!

Anyone who has heard the recording of Nick Mason's V16 BRM being driven around Donnington will know exactly what they mean!!

I seem to remember an interview where somebody said that in some classic races, fellow copetitors fell back whilst trying to overtake just because of the sheer noise....tremendous!!

I agree that the BRM 16 cylinder is something special. But since I have not personally seen, or watched it when racing will not nominate it.

So for the purpose of that, F1 started August 13, 1972.

I love the sound from the F1 engines early 2000, like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT36kC2pwAc

And i love the charistic sounds from the McLaren MP4-16 ( latest model where the exhaust were still underneath the car ), when it approaching you it had a ultra low sounds that you could feel in your body, very very low ...

The BMW M12/13 engine. Too bad it was unreliable.

Sadly, Ferrari has surpassed this but with multiple engine types.

I still have plans to get a Jag V8 in my Sierra, put some gsxr throttle bodies on it, megasquirt it and dress it up to be a DFV copy. Dear god that would look cool.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the Matra V12 -hands down the best sounding engine in F1, close second is the Alfa 12, but the Ferrari boxer is a distant third.

The BRM V16 sounded cool, but was a crap engine.

V16 ear porn
French V12 ear porn

Why do you think the BRM is a crap engine ?
surely all that was wrong with it was the design was too advanced for the material technologies of its time ?

Yaddayaddayadda ... I see your DFV (obvious winner though), V8 and W12 and raise you a
BRM H16:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/comm..._H16_engine.jpg

Now that's one sick engine. Cursed not only by Sir Jackie Stewart but also by thousands of tortured GPL racers.

Edit: took off the pic as it was too large

The 155 wins was for the DFV, not Cosworth/Ford powered victories which is 176 (and second to Ferrari). So, the DFV is STILL the most successful F1 engine (by far).

Cosworth Ford DFV and Ferrari 312 Boxer.

GC

I'm not following your maths. The DFV win list is listed under Ford:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Formula_One_e...ne_manufacturer

What you are saying is that 176 Ford wins plus 155 DFV wins is 331 total? Uh no. The DFV/DFY/DFZ/DFR combined wins is 176 for Formula 1. I'm still with you in that it's my fave engine but Ferrari has surpassed Cosworth as MANUFACTURER of engines (objective fact). Break it down to ONE engine and it's the DFV by far (subjective opinion).

IMO the best pure F1 scream came from the 3.5L V12 in the 1994/95 412T... Ear porn!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoXuoARdX74
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1InrgZiv30...feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYF3T2LMZCM...feature=related

And unfortunately it was unreliable, but the BMW M12/13 is awesome. Surely it's the most mythical engine with legend status which gets everyone arguing over power numbers. You can see one in the BMW Museum in Munich, seeing it up close and in detail is a sight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDWA_4wpobc...feature=related

Scream?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BPdm51QwZEw

Hmm... nah too clinical, has no soul. Needs a real raspy shriek to it!