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Ward's announces 10 Best Engines 2015

Ward's Auto has named its 10 Best Engines for 2015, covering a range of powerplants from fuel-sippers to fire-breathers. As with past years, forced-induction reigns supreme, with seven of the ten engines featuring a turbo or supercharger. This year is slightly different, though, as two of the seven blown engines are turbocharged three-cylinder mills, from the Ford Fiesta and Mini Cooper. They're joined by the 2.0-liter turbo four from the Volvo S60, the 1.8-liter turbo four from the Volkswagen Jetta and the 2.0-liter boxer from the Subaru WRX. BMW and Chrysler were the only marques to be named to this year's list twice, with the electric motor from the i3 joining the Mini's three-pot, and the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 in the Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee repping the diesel crowd, alongside a certain supercharged monster. Hyundai also took a prize with a zero-emissions powertrain, with the Tucson FCV's 100-kilowatt fuel cell making the list (apparently Ward's is quite generous with what it deems an "engine"). Rounding out the list are two Autoblog favorites, each displacing 6.2 liters, but producing their power very differently. On the one hand, Chevrolet's overhead-valve, 455-horsepower V8, found in the Corvette, makes its power the old fashioned way. And in the other corner, we have one of the most exciting engines of the year – the 707-hp, 6.2-liter, supercharged Hellcat V8, featured so prominently in the Dodge Challenger and Charger SRT Hellcat. "We spend a lot of time reading the powertrain tea leaves throughout the auto industry, and we're proud that this year's list is a microcosm of all the latest innovation coming from automakers," said Ward's Editor-in-Chief Drew Winter in a statement. "It's not just a list for enthusiasts or for environmentalists," he says. "There's something for every vehicle shopper and every budget. All the powertrains on this list deliver a first-rate driving experience," Winter added. Scroll down for the full list from Ward's, and let us know which engines you think belong and which should have been included in this year's rankings. Ward's 10 Best Engines of 2015 Announced by Penton's WardsAuto Honorees span most diverse and technically advanced engines in 21 years of recognized powertrain excellence SOUTHFIELD, Mich., Dec. 10, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Penton's Wards 10 Best Engines of 2015 have been announced.

You can own Don Draper's 1964 Imperial Crown Convertible

In AMC's Mad Men Jon Hamm's character may have been a jerk, but Don Draper's 1964 Imperial Crown Convertible is fantastic. One of just 922 droptop Imperials built for 1964, Draper's land yacht is up for auction as part of a broader sale of Mad Men props. Alongside stuff like Roger Sterling's Ray-Bans or Draper's copy of Dante Alighieri's Inferno, the big Imperial is the undisputed star of the show. According to the auction page, fewer than 200 exist today, meaning that even without its Hollywood provenance, this is an exceedingly rare vehicle. Under hood, there's a 413-cubic-inch V8 wedge mated up to a push-button, three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission. Typical of a big, 1960s luxury vehicle, the Imperial gets power steering, power brakes, and power windows. Even the roof is electric. Cosmetically, the auction site claims Draper's convertible was repainted once, 20 years ago, going from a "drab" Roman Dark Red to today's California Red. In the interior, the only change are new carpets. This isn't the first time Draper's Imperial has crossed the auction block. It sold at a Palm Springs auction in February 2015 for just $23,625, before a St. Louis dealership listed it on eBay for $39,900 less than a month later. That online listing has long since disappeared, so there's no telling if it actually sold or not before being listed as part of this latest auction. Regardless, with fewer than 1,000 made, fewer than 200 in existence, a credit on a critically acclaimed TV show, and a history of reasonable sale prices, this is one big, 1960s land yacht worth considering. The auction starts on June 1 and runs through June 15. Related Video:

Volkswagen is not cool with a Fiat Chrysler merger

Volkswagen CEO Matthias Mueller shot down Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne's overtures for a merger in blunt fashion this week. Mueller told Reuters at the Geneva Motor Show, "We are not ready for talks about anything ... we have other problems. I haven't seen Marchionne for months." The unusually candid – and icy – response from one chief executive to another comes after Marchionne similarly pursued General Motors (again) this week. The FCA boss suggested GM might be looking for a new European partner as it prepares to unload its troubled Opel and Vauxhall divisions to PSA. A GM spokesman told USA Today that the company is not interested. Marchionne has been openly suggesting a GM merger since at least 2015, despite GM never reciprocating interest. VW's "other problems," as Mueller notes, include legal proceedings, fines, recalls, and other issues related to its long-running diesel scandal. Marchionne has long sought industry consolidation, arguing that automakers don't get a proper return on their investments in technologies, some of which are relatively similar. He's suggested sharing chassis and powertrain components could be a benefit to the collective auto sector. Skeptics argue FCA, which is smaller than GM, VW, Toyota, and others, needs a partner to survive, while its rivals already have the necessary scale to remain competitive. Related Video: