When the next-generation Infiniti QX50 crossover arrives next year as a 2019 model, it will be powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine introducing a technology never seen before in a regular production vehicle: variable compression. Under development at Nissan for 20 years, the Variable Compression – Turbo -- VC-T engine -- has a device that changes the distance the pistons travel in their cylinders by as much as 6 mm, or about a quarter of an inch.
It's an idea that automakers, such as Saab, and engine developers, including AVL, have tried to perfect over the years. The reason: Varying the compression ratio has the potential to offer dramatic improvements in power and efficiency.
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