The Finnish company known for manufacturing some of the world’s largest diesel engines is Wärtsilä. The company developed a major marine-engine business supplying propulsion and power-generation engines for ships, including very large low-speed diesels.
Wärtsilä’s best-known giant-engine lineage includes the Wärtsilä-Sulzer RTA96C, a turbocharged, two-stroke engine designed for large container ships. Its biggest 14-cylinder versions reached roughly 80 megawatts and more than 100,000 horsepower. These engines are built to turn enormous propellers directly at low speed, avoiding the need for a reduction gearbox.
A common mix-up is confusing the company with the engine’s later corporate ownership. The RTA96C design is associated with Wärtsilä-Sulzer, while later versions and related large marine engines have also involved licensed production and Wärtsilä’s former engine businesses. Wärtsilä is also known for medium-speed engines and for the Wärtsilä 31, which Guinness recognized in 2015 as the world’s most efficient four-stroke diesel engine. Rolls-Royce, Caterpillar, and MAN make major engines too, but the quiz’s Finnish manufacturer is Wärtsilä.