DO YOU REMEMBER NISSAN'S AMAZING 40 KG, 400 HP POWERPLANT THAT NEVER WAS?
If you’re one of those motoring fanatics who lives online, which many of us do in this day and age, you might remember a pic going around in 2014 about a new Nissan powerplant that was apparently light years ahead of what anyone else was making at the time, well from small capacity powerplants anyway. To emphasise how amazing the new engine was, there was a picture of a Nissan exec holding the motor (minus all the hanging parts) all on his own because the lump weighed a mere 40 kg. It was touted as the new latest technology and even though it had a compact size, it could reportedly produce a whopping 400 hp. And that was the last anyone heard about it. Fast forward to 2020 and we saw a similar effort from the folks at Toyota with the Gazoo Racing-fettled turbocharged 1.6 litre, 3-cylinder powerplant that was rated at 192 kW, or 261 hp. A fair bit below the special Nissan lump, but still mighty impressive. It seems that image was pretty much it for the Nissan lump, nothing ever materialised from it, well not in the public eye anyway. We’re not the only ones who have wondered about this fabled engine, the chaps at Drivetribe did too, but they did more than wonder, they actually set about finding the thing to find out more about it, well more about where it went and what happened to the use of it. There were some technical specs and details released when the motor was being shared and forwarded. So the small capacity lump was called the DIG-T R and it was very similar to the GR lump, it was slightly smaller at 1.5 litres, and it was also a turbocharged 3-cylinder that was designed for use in Nissan’s ZEOD RC (Zero Emission on Demand Race Car) that would one day compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Not on its own though, there was a bit of forward-thinking, the motor was set to be the ICE component in a hybrid racecar.
The engine was designed specifically for Nissan’s experimental ZEOD RC project, which aimed to showcase innovative hybrid technology at Le Mans. The ZEOD RC was capable of running purely on electric power for a full lap, with the DIG-T R providing backup when needed. Nissan achieved the high power output with advanced turbocharging techniques and meticulous weight-saving measures. The engine had an ultra-lightweight aluminium block and used innovative manufacturing techniques to keep weight to a minimum. Direct fuel injection helped maximize performance while keeping emissions in check, a critical factor for endurance racing. The engine utilized a high-pressure turbo system to generate the necessary power, while advanced cooling and lubrication systems ensured that it remained reliable even under extreme racing conditions. Sadly, after its debut in the ZEOD RC project, the DIG-T R engine never made it to production vehicles, and Nissan didn’t pursue mass deployment in consumer cars. The ZEOD RC itself didn’t make a lasting mark in motorsport, as it only completed a limited number of laps at Le Mans before being retired. The DIG-T R’s brief moment of fame left many enthusiasts wondering what could have been. The project demonstrated Nissan’s ability to push engineering boundaries, but ultimately, the engine didn’t become a cornerstone for future models. At least the powerplant showcased the potential of lightweight, high-output engines. The technology and lessons learned from the project likely contributed to the development of Nissan's later performance and hybrid systems.
Take a look at the YouTube video that shows off the fabled and lesser-spotted DIG-T R powerplant that's a mere 40 kg in weight with a 1.5-litre capacity and a reported 400 hp power output: We Found the Lost 40kg, 400bhp Nissan Engine! (It's INCREDIBLE) | DriveTribe
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