Nissan’s New 1.5L Engine
We’ve seen a lot of mini engines, like the Miniature Flat Six Engine, Miniature Chevy V8 Engine or the Miniature Blown V8 Engine, but the new engine by Nissan is something entirely different. Although not a classic mini engine, it can still fit in you backpack or your gym bag. We don't see many cars with 400 hp lately.
Nissan’s New 1.5L Engine Has 400 HP And Can Fit In Your Backpack!
The tiny turbocharged engine is part of a cool gas-electric hybrid drivetrain that will propel Nissan’s Batmobilesque ZEOD RC, due to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Nissan calls it the DIG-T R. The engine is just under 20 inches tall and a little over seven inches wide, weighs 88 pounds. The Nissan 3 cylinder engine has a displacement of just 1.5 liters, and puts out a astonishing 400 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque again with just three cylinders. Figures that only Honda was able to achieve from the sports hatchback Civic Type R.
Not even the jdm hatchback can please us with such innovations! Nissan said the racing model will become the first entry at Le Mans to finish a complete lap of the Circuit de la Sarthe under electric power alone in June. It will occupy “Garage 56” at this year’s Le Mans 24 Hours, which is an additional entry earmarked by the Automobile Club de l‘Ouest "for new and ground-breaking technologies never previously seen at the classic French endurance event". Just imagine your sedan having this beast!
“We knew the electric component of the Nissan ZEOD RC was certainly going to turn heads at Le Mans but our combined zero emission on-demand electric/petrol power plant is quite a stunning piece of engineering," commented said Darren Cox, Nissan’s Global Motorsport Director.
“Nissan will become the first major manufacturer to use a three-cylinder engine in major international motorsport. We’re aiming to maintain our position as industry leaders in focusing on downsizing. Lessons learned from the development of the engine will be seen in Nissan road cars of the future," he added.
Nissan unveiled a 400 hp (298 kW) 1.5-liter, three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine weighing only 40 kg (88 lbs) as the companion internal combustion engine for its electric ZEOD RC which will debut at Le Mans this year. (Earlier post.) I wonder what would happen if Nissan releases this engine to the open market so you don't have to buy a car to have it, let's say you could buy the engine ONLY and then place it in Micra or even a regular sport sedan or a hatchback ? Just my thoughts.
“We knew the electric component of the Nissan ZEOD RC was certainly going to turn heads at Le Mans but our combined zero emission on-demand electric/petrol power plant is quite a stunning piece of engineering," commented said Darren Cox, Nissan’s Global Motorsport Director.
“Nissan will become the first major manufacturer to use a three-cylinder engine in major international motorsport. We’re aiming to maintain our position as industry leaders in focusing on downsizing. Lessons learned from the development of the engine will be seen in Nissan road cars of the future," he added.
Nissan unveiled a 400 hp (298 kW) 1.5-liter, three-cylinder turbo gasoline engine weighing only 40 kg (88 lbs) as the companion internal combustion engine for its electric ZEOD RC which will debut at Le Mans this year. (Earlier post.) I wonder what would happen if Nissan releases this engine to the open market so you don't have to buy a car to have it, let's say you could buy the engine ONLY and then place it in Micra or even a regular sport sedan or a hatchback ? Just my thoughts.
At the unveiling of the ZEOD RC in June 2013, Nissan said that it would test out variants of new electric drive train technologies as part of its intended future return to LM P1 competition. The enthusiasts who like these car engine types will be pleased!