Infiniti QX50: the First car equipped with an engine with variable compression ratio
The new Infiniti QX50 is the first production car that uses a motor with variable compression.
For many years automotive companies have tried to develop an engine with variable compression. Unfortunately, in most cases all attempts had no noticeable success. Until recently, while the company Infiniti is not created for your new QX50 crossover first production turbo engine with a variable compression ratio which varies depending on road conditions. And most surprisingly, soon, Infiniti QX50 SUV goes into production. Let’s find out more about the first car with variable compression ratio in the engine.
The degree of compression in the cylinders of the engine in principle is responsible for how much economical or effective power unit. Today most petrol engines are in the combustion chamber the compression ratio of 10:1.
Diesel engines have higher compression ratios due to the peculiarities of the ignition of the fuel, which requires a lot of pressure.
Variable compression ratio engine makes it possible to provide in the combustion chamber of a compression ratio that is ideal under certain conditions. That is, the variable compression ratio, you can save more fuel when required, but also increase engine power when needed.
In other words, at low speeds the Infiniti engine with variable compression ratio increases the compression ratio, and at higher speeds of the machine decreases.
The new crossover has a capacity almost the same as the previous model with the V6 engine
The design of the new Infiniti QX50 luxury has the correct proportions. This is a high quality medium size SUV will compete with Audi Q5, the Mercedes GLC or BMW X3.
Unlike competitors, the Infiniti QX50 will be supplied to one motor.
So, the SUV will be powered by a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine with variable compression. The engine power of 272 HP Maximum torque of 380 Nm.
As told by the main developer of the engine Shinichi Kiga, the new engine has replaced six-cylinder V6 engine, whose power recall was 273 BHP So as you can see, reducing the number of cylinders did not affect the capacity of the new amazing engine.
The optimal ratio of efficiency / power
During testing of the new crossover with the new motor experts note the excellent response of the motor in different driving conditions. Engine is paired with an automatic CVT gearbox.
Yes, of course, the sound of the engine is not as aggressive as the V6 but still sounds four-cylinder crossover, the QX50 is not worse than its four-cylinder turbocharged competitors.
While changing the compression ratio in the engine, the driver in the car notices nothing. True information about changing the compression ratio still appears on the dashboard.
When the driver presses the gas pedal its pressure is transmitted by a special actuator to the motor, which can change the compression in the range of from 8:1 to 14:1. By the way, the cylinders have changed to six millimeters. In the end, the 2.0-litre engine (according to the official factory specifications) depending on the load on the power unit actually has a working volume of the cylinder between 1970 and 1997 CC
New technology may give an impetus to the development of new engines
Despite the fact that the Infiniti QX50 crossover has not yet been formally presented, it is already known that the 2.0-liter engine with variable compression ratio is not the only engine (with this technology), which will be produced by Infiniti in the near future.
According to Shinichi Kiga, the company plans to introduce this technology to all motors manufactured today.
Although we believe that it is unlikely in the near future Infiniti will be able to afford the luxury of replacing all engines on the new generation. The fact that the engine with variable compression ratio is at least 5% more.
So crossover Infiniti QX50 with new innovative motor can hardly compete in cost with such models as BMW X3, Mercedes GLC, Volvo XC60 and Audi Q5, which will debut soon at the auto show in Los Angeles. The fact is that because of the new engine, the QX50 will cost about the same as competitors. Of course, this will not contribute to great sales.
The start of sales is crossover Infiniti QX50 is scheduled for the end of February 2018. Of course, as before the first sales will begin in the U.S. market.
The Infiniti QX50 will be built in Mexico. Motor with variable compression ratio will be shipped from Japan.
