• Class-leading new generation 3.0-litre, 170 kW engine; 7-speed auto
• New Models: Navara ST-X 550 and Pathfinder Ti 550
• 3500 kg towing capacity for Pathfinder, 3000 kg for Navara

Stumps across Australia will quiver at the news of the impending arrival of Nissan’s new generation V6 turbo-diesel engine, to be fitted to new exclusive top-of-the-range Navara ST-X 550 and Pathfinder Ti 550 models.

Available early in 2011, the new high technology direct injection 3.0-litre engine produces a class-leading 170 kW power and a hefty 550 Nm torque from a low 1750 rpm.

The Alliance developed V6 is also very frugal and clean, returning 9.5-litres per 100 km on the combined cycle and meeting the stringent Euro 5 emissions classification.

The new Nissan V6 turbo-diesel has a major performance advantage over its fourcylinder turbo-diesel rivals, with no appreciable fuel consumption penalty.

The new top-specification Pathfinder and Navara models will boast unique additional features, marking them out as something special in their respective market segments, far exceeding their rivals in terms of performance and equipment.

In addition to the new engine and 7-speed automatic gearbox, the new Pathfinder Ti 550 adds privacy glass, auto headlights, sunroof wind deflector, rain-sensing wipers, smoked bonnet protector, side moulding and V6 badges, rear fog lamps and body coloured heated door mirrors on the outside, while inside, an upgraded DVD player features additional functionality, a nine-speaker Bose audio system and an anti-theft alarm.

For the Nissan Navara ST-X 550, the additional equipment list comprises a tub liner, satin black sportsbar with LED high level brake light, a hard tonneau cover complete with remote central locking, smoked bonnet protector, front fog lights, headlamp washers, privacy glass, roof rails and V6 badges.

The new V6 engine will reinforce the Nissan Navara and Nissan Pathfinder as the best performers in their categories by a significant margin, raising the benchmark for refinement and technology, economy and emissions.

No pursuers can come close to the Navara in V6 turbo-diesel guise with a mighty 200 Nm torque advantage over its closest rival’s best effort, while the Pathfinder is a muscular 109 Nm stronger than its nearest (and larger) competitor.

This new engine, code-named V9X, gives Nissan the muscle to out-manoeuvre Medium SUV category competitors, as well as appeal to buyers of larger Japanese 4x4 wagons. It will also have the torque and image to attract buyers of domestic V8- powered utes, whose growing family or lifestyle demands now require additional seats and doors.

The Nissan Navara ST-X 550 will retail for $60,990 and the Pathfinder Ti 550 will retail for $75,990 when they both go on sale in January.

The V9X engine was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2010, after a fouryear development programme by the engineers of the Renault Nissan Alliance.

The engine features an untypical 65-degree vee angle, which offers an excellent compromise between crankshaft balancing, crankshaft and cylinder block reliability and engine packaging. It also allows enough space for the single turbocharger to be neatly mounted within the vee.

Also unusual is the material from which the engine block is constructed. Unlike rivals who may use traditional cast iron or perhaps aluminium, the development engineers opted for a third choice.

They believed that to deliver the desired levels of refinement, an aluminium block would need extra material added to increase its stiffness and reduce noise levels. And while some rivals added complexity in the form of balancer shafts to boost refinement, these additions negated the aluminium block’s weight advantage.

Conventional cast iron answers the refinement needs but would have placed too much weight over the front wheels and adversely affect handling characteristics.

So the Alliance engineers determined that Compacted Graphite Iron (CGI), a material that offers all the benefits of cast iron, including high levels of stiffness and noise absorption, but without the weight penalty, was the solution.

Although CGI is heavier than a pure alloy block, there is no need to add stiffening ribs or extra sound deadening material; so the weight gain is comparatively modest.

Experience gained during the development of the acclaimed Alliance 2.0-litre dCi engine - and carrying over some technology - accelerated development of the new V6, but a number of significant changes have been made to the hardware for the V9X.

The combustion chamber design, for example, has been optimised to improve the balance between emission levels and fuel efficiency.

The compression ratio has been lowered to 16:1 to benefit not just economy and emissions but also noise, vibration and harshness (NVH), while internal engine friction is reduced by the use of ultra smooth components such as the micro-finished forged steel used for the crankshaft.

Class leading levels of torque and power outputs are delivered thanks to the adoption of a comparatively large single turbocharger, an intercooler and the use of the latest generation of Bosch common-rail fuel injection. This system incorporates piezo injectors and operates at 1800 bar.

Peak torque of 550 Nm is achieved from as low as 1700 rpm and is available all the way to 2500 rpm, while a hefty 500 Nm is available from a mere 1500 rpm. Idle speed is an exceptionally low 650 rpm, with none of the vibrations and noise usually associated with a diesel.

The result is strong low-end performance with comfortably refined delivery and exemplary throttle response. In addition, the engine helps provide strong towing performance, the Pathfinder capable of towing a 3,500 kg braked trailer with Navara having a 3,000 kg limit.

To achieve Euro 5 compliance, the engineers opted for an overcooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) system, which reduces NOx emissions. The system incorporates an integrated exhaust gas by-pass in the EGR cooler that quickly helps to achieve the optimum temperature after start up so that the full cooling capacity can be used. This features a low temperature water circuit for the EGR cooler to reduce still further the
temperature of the exhaust gas and lower carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions.

Equally significant is the treatment of the tailpipe emissions. The system comprises a metallic oxidation catalytic converter offering lower pressure loss compared to a ceramic system and an exothermic catalyst and a catalytic diesel particulate filter (DPF) in the same container. The latter arrangement works in conjunction with a seventh fuel injector that is positioned in the exhaust.

This is activated while the particulate filter is being regenerated - a process of which the driver is completely unaware - but significantly means the opportunity for unburnt fuel to pollute the engine oil is removed. It also allows the filter to be regenerated in low-load conditions, such as idling, and therefore achieves a high efficiency level under all driving conditions. It also helps stretch oil change intervals to as much as 20,000 km for most customers.

The new engine will be available with Nissan’s advanced seven-speed automatic transmission as standard.

“This exceptional engine - and in particular its wall of torque - sets new standards for the class, producing an iconic flagship model for both Navara and Pathfinder with unbeatable performance and refinement,” said Dan Thompson, CEO of Nissan Motor Co., Australia.

“With the Navara we have a pinnacle dual cab ute that is untouchable in terms of power and outright torque, while the Pathfinder now has a premium, refined engine that is the envy of the class. Both set significantly enhanced performance benchmarks that rivals will struggle to approach.

“The Navara is one of the cornerstones of the Nissan range in Australia and a major force in the dual cab 4x4 market. It is one of Nissan Australia’s cornerstone products aimed at giving us No.1 importer status in the medium term,” Thompson said.

“The new engine is the ultimate expression of technological advancement, offering exceptional smoothness, impressive economy and low emissions and more than ample grunt for any work or recreational environment. It is a perfect fit with the successful Pathfinder Ti model, which already combines accomplished on and offroad dynamic qualities with a well-appointed high quality cabin.

“The new engine, gearbox and additional equipment mean these two exclusive models represent the jewel in the crown for both the Nissan Pathfinder and Navara ranges. The high levels of performance and luxury features will also appeal to customers of prestige and luxury vehicles, while retaining traditional Nissan levels of affordability.

“And with so much capacity for effortless towing, both Navara ST-X 550 and Pathfinder Ti 550 models will become the default choice for customers who think big when it comes to outdoor activities,” he said.

For all the Specification on the new Nissan Pathfinder: Click Here

For all the Specification on the new Nissan Navara: Click Here

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