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Nissan VQ Engine Named World Leader Fourth Time

5 January 1998

Nissan VQ Engine Named World Leader Fourth Time

    DETROIT, Jan. 5 -- For the fourth year in a row, the
Nissan VQ V-6 engine used in the Nissan Maxima and Infiniti I30 sedans has
been chosen as one of the 10 best engines in the world by the staff of Ward's
Communications Inc., publisher of automotive industry magazines and
newsletters.
    The Nissan VQ engine has been a winner each year the award has been
presented.  The 3-liter DOHC engine produces 190 horsepower and 205
foot-pounds of torque, and was introduced to the U.S. market in the 1995
Maxima and the 1996 Infiniti I30.  Its power, smoothness and efficiency have
been praised worldwide.
    The "Best Engines of 1998" award will be presented Wednesday by editors of
Ward's Auto World and Ward's Engine and Vehicle Technology Update at the North
American International Auto Show in Detroit.
    "The fact that this engine has withstood four years of competition and
proves to be a winner once again is a real testament to the VQ's quality and
solid performance," said Keiichi Shinohara, president of Nissan Research and
Development, Inc.  NRD is Nissan's vehicle engineering and development arm in
North America.
    Among the VQ engine's technical highlights are microfinishing of camshafts
and crankshafts, a digital knock control system and a cross-flow coolant
pattern.  These attributes help boost power, reduce emissions and lower
overall friction.
    In North America, Nissan's operations include styling, engineering,
manufacturing, sales, consumer and corporate financing, and industrial and
textile equipment.  Nissan in North America employs more than 20,000 people in
the United States, Canada and Mexico, and generates more than 70,000 jobs
through more than 1,500 Nissan and Infiniti dealerships across the continent.
More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan
and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.nissan-na.com.

SOURCE  Nissan