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I would add the Polo/ Vento and the 1.2 TSI engine. The 1.2 TSI DQ200 combo was quite explosive in S mode. And it just unleashed the fat torque from 2000 rpm. In contrast, the 1.5 tsi/ 1.5 tgdi ( Verna) are fast but not scarily so.

The engines I miss the most are the VW vento's 1.5 TDI, the Skoda 2.0 TDI and the Suzuki 1.5 TDI (Ciaz). While the first two were fun to drive and really peppy engines, the third one was a gem at that price point. Sadly, Maruti used it for only close to a year.

One cannot forget the excellent 1.5L TDCi of the Ford (Figo/Freestyle/Ecosport/Aspire). You can drive it however you want and it will still give you an excellent Mileage. An excellent and fun to drive engine.

With the news of next gen Swift coming in with a 3-pot engine, I guess it's only time before the gem of 1.2L K-series engines are laid to rest. Most enthusiasts would point at the current K12C version being the most boring one though, but prior versions have been perfect balance of power/efficiency/reliability/NVH. At this point, I am unsure Maruti will gamble on the 3-pot in India considering how well received the 1.2L 4-cylinder engines are and Indians 'more cylinders the better' mentality.

Special mention to the 1.3L G-series engine in the first gen Swift - what an engine that was!

Completely agree to this! The original version of the K-series engine was such a gem of a motor! With each passing iteration , it only got mellowed down. I would still prefer this over the upcoming 3-pot motor, anyday.

Anyway, going the way the engine are tuned post the BS-6 Ph-2, I don't expect the upcoming Maruti engines to perform any better.

Wasn’t the diesel manual faster, efficiency and way more fun to drive?

I would like to add Hyundai 1.6L Diesel to the list. We lost a gem of an engine thanks to BS6 norms kicking in.



Image courtesy: T-BHP official review

Above is the Petrol variant, attached the correct one :)

Was about to post that - but we lost the 1.6 CRDi much before BS6. Reason? Cars above 1.5 liter have a higher tax :Frustrati

Hyundai was one of the last to switch from 1.6 liter petrol and diesel mills down to 1.5. No thanks to our ridiculous tax regime!

Thanks! I took the image from the official review of the 2018 facelift - Link

My bad! I remembered this after you posted it. Hyundai consolidated the 1.4 and 1.6 mills to a single 1.5 L mill. Thank you for pointing this out.

Lost to ill founded decisions by makers or due to natural attrition mainly due to the "kitna deti hain?" (means "how much does it give?", attacking its kmpl figures) syndrome. Some engines were non starters on the sales front, responsible in getting these culled.

- Ambassador 1760 cc OHV petrol engine option offered by HM at a premium of a few thousand rupees to the conventional 1489 cc BMC engine during 1978-1981).

- Contessa entry in1985 with the archiac BMC 1489 cc /50 bhp engine. It was gone by 1987 for the better, come the Contessa Classic with its 88 bhp 1817 cc Isuzu petrol engine. This Isuzu engine had the potential for power output of 100 bhp but had to be detuned owing to our poor octane rating of the petrol then sold.

- Fiat Uno GTI with its 1242 CC Petrol with SPFI (single injector) had a much better 0-80 kmph figure as compared to the Palio 1.2.

- The Fiat Uno 1.7 L diesel that was overweight but PAL -Fiat India provided no power steering for ease of navigation. This made it a stodgy hatch to drive. Though economical, the sales took a beating.

- Maruti Alto 1.1 L with its 1061 cc engine option just post its launch, was lost to Wagon R cannibalisation phobia of MSIL.

- Maruti 800 5 speed MPFi lost again due to cannibalisation phobia. MSIL believed that the 800 needs to remain within its A segment territory and not trespass to outgrow its mightier siblings.

- The high priced Zen D (diesel) was an oddball with its 1.3 L Peugeot diesel sourced from the crumbling PAL-Peugeot plant at Kalyan. Very tardy sales figures made it face the axe atraight from Gurgaon.

Another car that comes to my mind is the BMW X1 diesel & petrol. The previous generation X1 used to come with 190 bhp diesel motor while the new one is just 148 bhp. X1 petrol's 1.5 L 134 bhp motor is a misfit in the luxury segment.

The G series engine from Maruti, which made its premiere in Zen and Esteem, was a cut above. The G series engine made the first generation (Pre K 12 series)Swift a hoot to drive.

The oldest Boleros since 1999 came with the 2498c Peugeot XDP3 diesel that was a true workhorse and superb to drive snd a great change from the older Mahindra UV's Peugeot 540DP with its 2112 cc/62 bhp output. But come the BS II norms, if I remember by 2001, this gem of an engine that had made its debut earlier in the Armada Grand had to go, ushering in the DI engines in Boleros.

Minor correction on this point - the TUD5 was a 1525 cc Diesel! And was a hoot to drive in the Zen D :uncontrol