Motohiro Matsumara says the VQ35 V6 in the Infiniti G35 began as a kind of lucky guess and became a success by accident. He designed it, so he should know.
Nissan built Japan's first V6 in volume production for an automobile, and when it introduced the VG30 V6 in the 1984 300ZX, the company was so proud that it took journalists to the engine foundry to see the aluminum cylinder heads being cast. For Nissan, it was a big thing to break away from the inline-6 engine that had defined the company since the 1960s...
That's where Motohiro Matsumura comes in. When Nissan went to redesign its V6 for 1994, Matsumura was put in charge of the project. Ever since he had first arrived at the company, he had become something of an expert in forced-induction engines. He'd started with the little 1988 Nissan March's compound engine and then later worked on Nissan's turbocharged Group C V6 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The VQ seemed like a big assignment to him at the time, though the senior Nissan engineers simply asked him to pay special attention to controlling noise and vibration in what would be one of the first all-aluminum V6 engines in volume production.
As Matsumura tells us, he decided that a soundly engineered structure is the best way to keep an aluminum engine from vibrating and making noise. So he just put his racing instincts to work, making sure the parts were rigid as well as lightweight. It was a lesson he'd learned with turbocharged engines. And because this V6's bones were sound, it became relatively easy to coax more horsepower out of it without compromising reliability. It seems so simple, doesn't it? That's what Matsumura says, anyway.
Some complain that the VQ's mechanical soul is way too apparent in the way it vibrates, but this is what makes it terrific. The G35's VQ35 revs cleanly from idle right to redline, and its throttle response is crisp and precise, so unlike other V6 engines that are either soggy, low-revving lumps like those from GM, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota, or torqueless screamers like those from Chrysler and Honda.
Matsumura's lucky accident worked out for him, as he went on to develop the turbocharged version of the SR21 inline-4, became chief of Nissan's engine testing department, and just recently became the president of Nissan's engineering facility in Ann Arbor, Michigan. As for the VQ, it has been one of Ward's 10 Best Engines ever since the award was created 14 years ago.
Not too bad for a lucky guess.
Michael Jordan, Executive Editor, Inside Line @ 19,831 miles
estreka says:
05:15 PM, 03/24/08
Interesting given the fact that the VQ35 was notoriously difficult to force induct. Pushed to the limit, a VQ block has only ever achieved 473hp (JGTC Fairlady).
The SR series puts out a lot more power per liter. Fantastic engine, btw.
hondacura4 says:
06:38 PM, 03/24/08
Not a huge fan of the VQ35 but I will say its one of the most impressive on the market today. In terms of refinement it still has a grainy/gritty sound that just rubs me the wrong way. The old VQ30 on the contrary was a sweetheart as it was silky throughout the rev range.
Acura and Honda J35: For whats its worth dyno graphs have shown that the Honda J35 doesnt give up much to the VQ35 and torque is only about 4 lbs more in the VQ over the J35. Given that Acuras V6 uses a SOHC valvetrain and is much less complex I expected more from the VQ.
Lexus V6: Probably the best of both worlds. Power and torque are very impressive especially the torque.
texases says:
08:27 PM, 03/24/08
Re Toyota/Lexus 3.5l - the mileage they get is amazing, given the power and smoothness, big plus over VQ
roar02ram says:
08:50 PM, 03/24/08
So...basically, Nissan found a good engine design in 1994 and has been subtly tweaking and refining it ever sense. Having driven a VQ, I'd still give it an edge over both Honda's V-6 and the new Toyota V-6: it's better overall than the former, and more engaging than the latter. Still, I think it's time for Nissan to start over...good plastic surgery can keep an old face pretty for a long time, but eventually even good plastic surgery begins to look like plastic surgery.
louiswei says:
10:34 PM, 03/24/08
The VQ35 is outclassed by the 2GR-FSE in just about every category except the exhaust note. However, that's personal preference since I much prefer 2GR's smoothness over VQ's almost V8-like note.
mrryte says:
06:27 AM, 03/25/08
"Re Toyota/Lexus 3.5l - the mileage they get is amazing, given the power and smoothness, big plus over VQ"
Sad to say, the Nissan VQs don't get the best fuel economy/gas mileage, but I think that's more because of the gearing not just the engine itself.
Besides, who would seriously buy a 306hp Infiniti with the thought of gas mileage? ;-)
scorp76 says:
08:18 AM, 03/25/08
Every time I'm behind the wheel of anything with a VQ in it, I ask how it makes it to wards list every year. I just dont see whats so impressive about them. I dont like the way they sound, the vibration, the lack of refinement, the thirst, nothing.
joefrompa says:
09:03 AM, 03/25/08
My first drive of a 350z 6-speed made me wonder what the big deal was. Yeah, it pulled from low-down...but it's a 3.5 liter V6. I expected that.
It sounded raucous from inside, vibrated substantially. Didn't help that I didn't like the car as a whole.
Then I drove a new G35 automatic (no stick available at the time). Now, that's a revised engine in a much different platform but wow.
It revved like it had nothing attached to it. Pulled strong and clean. Sounded amazing. Had a nice high redline (good for those long pulls). Vibrated just enough for feel but not enough to annoy. Very nice. It's gas mileage is abyssmal, which may be due to gearing or it may just be a gas hog engine.
I'm impressed Nissan has made a modern-day world class engine out of a ~20 year old design. Whether or not it belongs on Wards....well, I think it may in it's 2007 iteration.
Lets give some credit to GM though. They've got their ecotec mill pumping out 260 HP 260 torque out of 2.0 liters with all that torque coming on at 2000 rpms (per the edmunds review on the homepage right now). Combined with the EPA fuel estimates (did I read those right? They seemed better than my 06 Civic SI...). That's an impressive modern engine, on paper at least.
Joe
alpha01 says:
01:16 PM, 03/25/08
The VQ is fantastic, but implying the Toyota GR series is a "soggy, low-revving lump" is totally absurd.
mrryte says:
02:11 PM, 03/25/08
"It's gas mileage is abyssmal, which may be due to gearing or it may just be a gas hog engine."
BIngo. The 5A used in the G/M/EX/FX/Z is geared to get the most out of the VQ. The overdrive gear in the 5A and 6M is 0.839 and 0.794, respectively. The gearing does wonders for acceleration though.....
jederino says:
02:27 PM, 03/25/08
AUTHOR: jederino
DATE: 03/25/2008 02:27:27 PM
EMAIL: jedyes@hotmail.com
jederino says:
09:41 AM, 03/26/08
I enjoy the VQ30 in my 1997 Maxima, which is a big reason I purchased that car. I have 165,000 miles on it now, and it is still sweet. I may be overly senstive because it has been so remarkable, but I've noticed a bit of vibration and harshness has crept in while loafing it around town - could be the engine itself, exhaust equipment aging, or even a tiring overall vehicle. Still, I am amazed how much like-new the engine performs when I lay into it. That fact keeps me happy with a 10-year old purchase, and there's no end in site!
e34bmwlover says:
12:04 AM, 04/ 1/08
Yep, VQ engines FTW!