Today Ward’s released their annual 10 Best Engines list for 2012, and the Ford Mustang Boss 302′s V8 was included in the recipients. This is the second year that Ford’s 5.0-liter V8 has been awarded the honor, after the Mustang GT’s engine was named to the list for 2011. The Boss 302′s V8 was one of only three engines to not feature direct injection, the largest displacement engine on the list, and the only V8 to be given the award. With 444 horsepower the 5.0-liter V8 was also by far the most powerful among the ten engines.
WardsAuto editors chose the winners after spending October and November driving 36 vehicles with 34 new or significantly upgraded engines in their routine daily commutes around metro Detroit. Editors scored each engine based on power, technology, observed fuel economy and noise, vibration and harshness characteristics. There was no instrumented testing. To be eligible, each engine must be available in a regular-production U.S.-specification model on sale no later than first-quarter 2012, in a vehicle with a base price below $55,000. Winners from the 2011 competition were automatically eligible and evaluated against the new engines for 2012. The awards will be presented at a Jan. 11 ceremony in Detroit during the North American International Auto Show.
[Source: WardsAuto]