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Big engines rule in Germany

While the rest of the world treads toward a more eco-friendly car industry, a new study has revealed Germans prefer to buy cars with bigger engines.

During the first seven months in 2012, the average power of engines in new cars sold in Germany stood at 102kW, up from the averages in 2011 and 2010, according to the Centre for Automotive Research at the University of Duisberg-Essen.

TURBODIESEL ENGINES

The rise in the number of cars with more potent turbodiesel engines is partly to blame for the recent trend. And these stronger engines are more frequently used in sports utility vehicles or SUVs, according to the study’s author, Ferdinand Dudenhoeffer.

Luxury sports automaker Porsche took the top spot with the engines with the most power, averaging 240kW in the first seven months of the year, compared to 144kW for BMW, 133kW for Audi and 130kW for Mercedes.

Other manufacturers have also upped their game; Opel has increased its average engine power to 93kW during the January-July period, with VW increasing its average to 92kW.

Although these figures might indicate customers are looking for more powerful cars, it does not necessarily mean they’re sacrificing fuel efficiency.

Dudenhoeffer wrote: "More horsepower does not automatically translate into higher fuel consumption," given new generation fuel-saving technology.
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