The headline isn’t really true. The K series of engines has been in production for 25 years but it has been redesigned along the way.

The article mentions this further down:

> The K20C is Honda's current-generation of the K-Series range, upgraded to deliver strong real-world efficiency and long-term reliability across the Honda and Acura catalogs. It's also a redesign that meets stricter global emissions rules and tighter thermal demands that come with modern turbocharging.

The original K20A has been out of production for a long time.

Each iteration of the engine shares a lot in common with the previous iteration, but the redesigns have been significant enough that I wouldn’t say it’s accurate to claim that one engine has been in production for 25 years.

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veunes 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

I think the article's broader point still stands: Honda built a platform with enough foresight and flexibility that it could be continuously refined rather than scrapped and replaced every few years

	▲	Aurornis 37 minutes ago \| parent [-]
		True, but this is actually common for engine manufacturers. Most manufacturers have an engine series that spans multiple decades. > rather than scrapped and replaced every few years This doesn’t really happen for mainstream engines. Maybe for specialty and exotic engines, but not the engines you see powering the commuter cars and trucks on the road. Engine development is expensive. Nobody is scrapping and replacing their bread and butter engine design every few years.

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bluGill 4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

What criteria should we use to decide if redesigns are significant enough to not claim it is the same engine?

	▲	Aurornis 38 minutes ago \| parent \| next [-]
		When Honda changes the letter on the end of the motor code, that’s a good indication: They started with K20A and now it’s K20C, there was a K20Z and so on. It’s actually very common for engine series to span decades, even though this article is presenting it like it’s an unusual achievement. Chevy has the LS, Subaru with the EJ, Mitsubishi with the 4G.
	▲	pixl97 4 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		Parts compatibility?
	▲	karlgkk 4 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Engine of Theseus