Nissan unveils 2019 Altima with variable compression engine
29 March 2018
At New York International Auto Show, Nissan revealed the all-new 2019 Altima that goes on sale in the United States in the fall 2018. The vehicle will be available with a variable compression turbocharged (VC-Turbo) gasoline engine—the world’s first commercial engine featuring variable compression ratio technology. The same engine, first announced in 2016, is available in the new Infiniti QX50 model.
Two new engines are introduced on the 2019 Altima:
- Standard on all 2019 Altima grade levels is a new 2.5-liter DOHC inline 4-cylinder direct-injection engine.
- Replacing the previous-generation Altima’s 3.5-liter V6 engine is the variable compression VC-Turbo 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine.
The 2.0-liter VC-Turbo engine will be available on the Altima SR and Platinum grades with front-wheel drive. An exclusive launch edition based on the Platinum VC-Turbo will be offered in limited quantities and open for reservations in early summer 2018 in the US market.
The new 2.0-liter VC-Turbo engine generates 248 hp and 370 Nm of torque. The engine delivers near V6-level performance with 4-cylinder fuel economy, according to Nissan.
The variable compression ratio in the VC-Turbo engine is achieved by raising or lowering the height the pistons reach within the cylinder. The compression ratio can vary from 8:1 for high performance, to 14:1 for high efficiency. The engine control software automatically chooses the compression ratio depending on the driving conditions.
Source: Nissan