At 3Birds Template, we were excited for the debut of the new VR-series engine that's due to arrive alongside the 2016 Infiniti Q50 (coming soon!) sports sedan, which will be the first car on the market with this revolutionary new engine. Significant changes under the hood are always nerve-wracking, but this engine has enough power and performance to make it an immediate brand favorite.

Next-Generation Engine Technology

The 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine comes with a history of performance in V6 design, but this new addition to the VR-series powertrain line outperforms earlier VQ models in virtually every category. It's lighter, more powerful, cleaner and more fuel-efficient. That's a significant step up from an already award-winning engine series.

The VQ-series V6 powertrain engines made the "Ward's Best Engines" list for 14 years. From 1995-2008, the VQ-series consistently topped lists for performance. Infiniti first adopted the VQ-series in 1994, and it has performed well for the brand.

Design, Features and Performance

Now, we get to see an even more advanced version. The lighter weight of the new engine series sacrifices none of the power, with options churning out 300 or 400 horsepower.

This new design delivers optimal power and torque when measured against comparable-sized engine blocks. The 400-horsepower version produces 350 lb-ft torque at 1600-5200 rpm, while the 350-horsepower option comes in at 295 lb-ft of torque at the same rpm.

Power does not come at the cost of added fuel since these numbers come with an improved fuel efficiency of up to 6.7 percent. The 400-horsepower engine takes best-in-class with these numbers for its power-to-efficiency ratio.

Lightweight Precision

Infiniti puts performance first with this new lightweight engine. The basic engine weighs in at a mere 429.5 pounds, almost 40 pounds lighter than the VQ series engine. With the turbocharger and CAC systems added on, the engine totals just 486.3 pounds.

Continuing the tradition of the older engine series, this new model uses a lightweight aluminum engine block with low mechanical friction to create a compact design.

Other innovative additions include the new direct-injection gasoline (DIG) fueling system. The adoption of the DIG system allows the engine to use the exact amount of fuel needed to handle acceleration. It is this system that puts the VR at the top of the V6 heap in fuel efficiency and emissions.

The proof of any new engine design is in the driving. At 3Birds Template, we always strive to offer a dealership experience as exceptional and on the leading edge as this redesigned V6 turbocharged engine. Contact us today to be among the first to test-drive the new Infiniti Q50 with the VR-series engine under the hood.

Image: Infiniti