You got emoticons here? Where?
Be sure to put the 2x6 so that the impact will be WITH the grain. Avoid the fake wood stuff, because there is no grain-just give.
So Hey, local and state police cars use Hillbilly bumpers.
Maybe they do so because they had to replace the OEM stuff every other day, and 2x on Friday rush?
If one rules out a vehicle because the engine is located close to the nose then the options are going to be very, very few. To me anyway, it’s a non-issue.
A Porsche 911 or Ford GT has a rear engine. That should keep the ironwork safe… 
With today’s “crush zone” unibody cars, even minor accidents result in the car being totaled…Once you collapse the structure, it’s never going to be the same again. When they total your car, the diesel engine goes to the shredder along with the rest of it…The car was designed to protect YOU not the engine. They don’t care about the engine and neither should you…
Before It Goes To The Crusher, Buy The Engine And Make A Lamp Out Of It.
CSA
I hope the OP hasn’t looked under the hood of a circa-1989 Audi Quattro . Most of the engines in those are mounted in front of the front wheels.
Dont worry about the engine-Kevin
A Subaru motor protrudes out in front about as far as anyone’s . The front overhang puts it at risk as much as any car you will ever see. After 40 years, so far so good. Not to worry. I would worry if the motor was too close to the passenger compartment and not designed well enough not to land in my lap during a more sever collision. That is one reason why perhaps Subarus fair so well during crash tests. Think of yourself first, not the motor !