The 250,000 visitors expected through the turnstiles at the current Johannesburg International Motors Show (JIMS) all love a strong, fast engine, with the strength measured in Newton Metres and the engine’s work-rate measured in kilo-Watts.

Most visitors are impressed by Toyota’s hybrid FTHS with its 3.5 V6, 298kW engine. All the petrolheads spend a long time staring at the Nissan GT-R, with its lightweight 3.8 V6 that delivers its 353kW a lot more effectively that the big-block Chevrolet Corvette ZO6, which uses a 7.9 liter V8 to make 373kW.

The petrolheads will pay good money to see a race between the Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG, whose 6.2 liter V8 churns out a tyre-chewing 630Nm at a rate of 375kW, and the Audi RS6, wich has a 5.0, V10 that delivers its 650Nm at 426kW.

All the petrolheads are surprised to learn that none of these impressive engines this year even make it onto the power podium at JIMS 2008. To be considered among the strongest engines, a block these days has to generate more than 1000Nm, which pushed off the podium the formidable Mercedes-Benz 65AMG Black, after it has occupied the top spot with its 1000Nm peak power at a rate of 500kW since 2006.

Third place is now taken by the Peugeot 908 HDi Le Mans race car, with has a 5.5 liter, V12 diesel-burner that generates 1200Nm of power and delivers this at 520kW. Second place goes to the super-expensive, R30-million Koenigsegg CCXR Ultimate Limited Edition, which generates 1080Nm at a workrate of 758kW from a 4.7-liter V8.

The strongest engine at JIMS 2008 is not as fast, but is much stronger, as it is designed to pull abnormal loads, rather than race around a track. It is the MAN TGA 16.2-liter V8, which generates a ship-moving 3000Nm and is able to deliver this brutal power at a steady 500kW from just above idling revolutions …that’s equal to 680 German Horses – for those still using horse power to measure engines.

The MAN TGA is stronger than any engine on the show but the most impressive fact about this huge diesel-burner is that it also meets the latest Euro 5 emmisions standards, without any additives.

None of the fuel-guzzling fast cars listed above can yet deliver enourmous power and clean exhaust gasses at the same time, which only goes to show: the future of cars awaits in trucks and buses.

Strongest engines at JIMS 2008
500kW/3000Nm MAN TGA 16.2 liter V8
758kW/1080Nm: Koenigsegg CCXR Ultimate Limited Edition 4.7 liter V8
520kW/1200Nm: Peugeot 908 HDi Le Mans race car 5.5 liter V12
500 kW/1000 Nm: Mercedes-Benz 65AMG Black 6.0-liter V12

Runners-up
426kW: Audi RS6 5.0-liter V10
375kW: Mercedes-Benz ML63 AMG 6.2-liter V8
373kW: Chevrolet Corvette ZO6 7.9-liter V8
353kW: Nissan GT-R 3.8-liter V6
298kW: Toyota hybrid FTHS 3.5-liter V6