What's all this about?
Infiniti has come up with a new way of saving fuel in petrol engines, by altering the compression ratio on the fly. It is calling it breakthrough Variable Compression-Turbocharged (VC-T) and the company will debut the technology at the Paris Motor Show later this year.
This sounds very clever - how does it work?
Engine management determines whether you need maximum power or optimised fuel efficiency at any given moment. When it has decided what you require, it will then alter the length of the stroke of the four pistons, physically changing the engine's capacity in the process. For increased output, the stroke is shorter and the compression ratio lower at 8:1; when it wants to save fuel, the stroke lengthens and the compression ratio climbs to as much as 14:1.
Wouldn't it have been simpler for Infiniti to have employed existing fuel-saving methods?
What, you mean like shutting down half of the engine's cylinders or switching the motor from an Otto to an Atkinson Cycle? Possibly, but the Japanese luxury marque claims VC-T is a world first. And it also says that it has been developing it for more than 20 years, so it was hardly likely to abandon the idea at the last minute.
When will we see the VC-T fitted to Infiniti's cars?
Not sure, although it's likely to be well into 2017 before they hit the market. There are more benefits to it, by the way. Not only does VC-T save on fuel and cut emissions, it is also said to reduce noise and vibration levels, while the engine is lighter and more compact than comparable conventional internal combustion motors.
Have you got a bullish quote from an Infiniti executive?
How about this, from Roland Krueger, Infiniti's president, who said: "VC-T technology is a step change for Infiniti. It is a revolutionary next-step in optimising the efficiency of the internal combustion engine. This technological breakthrough delivers the power of a high-performance 2.0-litre turbo gasoline engine with a high level of efficiency at the same time."
Matt Robinson - 15 Aug 2016
