Nissan VQ engine

The VQ engine family is one of the best engine designs that Nissan has ever created. This engine was introduced in the 1995 Nissan Maxima. Since then this engine has been used everywhere in Nissan's lineup as well as their luxury division Infiniti. In 1995, with the introduction of Wards Auto: Ten Best Engine list, the VQ30DE won its first award and the 1995 Maxima was the car that help launch Nissan's venerable VQ series into its legendary status. The next generation VQ powerplant, which was introduced in the 2001 Nissan Pathfinder, was tweaked to 3.5L and in that turn made more horsepower and more torque than the original VQ30DE.

VG35HR, VQ35DE
This engine is seen in such Nissan/Infiniti products such as the Nissan 350Z, Altima, Maxima, Quest and Murano, Infiniti's G35 sedan/coupe, M35 and FX35. When the VQ35DE was introduced it kept winning praises for its smoothness and kept winning Wards Auto's Ten Best Engine's list. The second generation VQ series engine is designated as the VQ35HR (HR meaning High Rev). This engine is 80% new with twin air intakes (for the 2007 Infiniti G35 sedan and 2007 Nissan 350Z) and single air intake (recently introduced in the 2007 Nissan Altima 3.5SE/SL sedans) and it recently won Wards Auto Ten Best Engine list. It has a better powerband than the previous generation VQ35DE and it revs higher, 7500rpm's compared to 7000rpm's and makes more horsepower than the VQ35DE, 306hp vs. 287-300hp.

Another engine was then based on the original VQ35DE powerplant and is used only in Nissan's midsize truck and suv lineup. Its designation is called VQ40DE. Now this particular engine is based on the 350Z engine block and it was tweaked to 4.0L. This engine is as smooth as the VQ35DE and it makes more torque for truck applications. This engine can be seen in Nissan's Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra lineup, with varying horsepower and torque figures.

VQ37HR
A VQ37HR will not be used in the up and coming Nissan Skyline GT-R, instead the VR engine family, with twin turbos making 450hp will be used with the next generation ATTESA-ETS all wheel drive, which is seen on the current FX35/45 sport cross over SUV's, (will be introduced in Japan in 2008 and the North America market in 2009) The VQ37HR will be used for the next generation Infiniti G-coupe (likely rumored as G37 dropping the G35 name that is shared with the 2007 Infiniti G35 sedan). As well as a new the next generation M and FX class will have this new engine. Most likely the name will change to M37 and FX37 to replace the current M35 and FX35 respectively. And Nissan has already tradmarked the G37, M37 and FX37 designation so it will likely be seen in the next generation of these vehicles.

Speaking of the new G-coupe, rumor has it that it will not share components with the recently introduced G35 sedan and will likely become Infiniti's hallow car when Nissan introduces the Skyline GT-R (designation in North America will likely be GT-R) in Japan next year. Little is known about this new VQ series engine but it will most likely be introduced in the up coming Nissan Maxima for the 2009 model year, since the new Altima has replaced the Maxima as the mainstream sedan.

VQ25DE
Another rumored VQ series engine, which has been used worldwide in other Nissan vehicle's not imported here, is the smaller VQ25DE. It is rumored that this engine packs a standard 200hp rating and it is as versatile as the bigger VQ-V6 engine designs.

Future
The next generation of VQ engines like the VQ35HR, VQ40DE and the VQ37HR will continue the legendary status of the original VQ30DE motor. And these engines will likely be seen doing work under the hoods of future Nissan/Infiniti products is a good sign that their is no stopping Nissan in making their mark as a reliable automobile manufacturer but also a manufacturer that is building with a legendary status called the VQ-series engine.

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