A permanent magnet machine includes a stator having a stator core, a plurality of stator teeth and plurality of stator windings coupled to the stator core. The stator is configured to generate a stator magnetic rotating field when the stator windings are excited with an electric current. The stator magnetic rotating field includes both synchronous sub-harmonic and super-harmonic components. The permanent magnet machine also includes a rotor that is disposed within the stator. The rotor includes a rotor core and a plurality of rotor magnets that are coupled to the rotor core. The rotor magnets are further configured to have a predefined orientation profile such that when the stator windings are excited with an electric current, sub-harmonic and super-harmonic magnetic rotating fields are generated in the rotor magnetic field. The stator sub-harmonic and super-harmonic magnetic rotating fields interact with the rotor sub-harmonic and super-harmonic magnetic rotating fields and produce an aiding torque on in the permanent magnet machine.