Nissan North America exports first engine to Japan

Infiniti 320 hp 5.6-liter V8 engine

FRANKLIN, Tenn. : September 17, 2009 - Nissan’s powertrain assembly plant in Decherd, Tenn., today produced the first engine that will be exported to Japan for assembly in the next-generation Infiniti QX56 luxury full-size sport utility vehicle. This marks the first time a Nissan plant in the United States has exported an engine to Japan.


“For 12 years, technicians at Nissan’s Decherd plant have consistently built high-quality engines for vehicles assembled in the United States,” said Rick Youngblood, director and plant manager, Nissan - Decherd. “This confirms our ongoing commitment to quality and provides tremendous satisfaction knowing this engine will be in an Infiniti vehicle made in Japan and sold around the world.”

2010 Infiniti QX56 U.S. Version

The engine is a 5.6-liter, V8 with 320 hp and 393 lb-ft. of torque. It is similar to the engine currently offered in the Nissan Titan pickup and Armada full-size SUV. Nissan’s Decherd plant is producing the engine head, cylinder block and crankshaft for the V8 engine. The head, cylinder block and crankshaft also will be exported to Japan and used for an engine assembled in the Nissan Patrol full-size sport utility vehicle.

“The V8 engine built in Decherd has played a key role in the success of our full-size product lineup in North America,” said Gary Edwards, director of Engineering. “It’s exciting to know the technicians and the engine and parts they build will play an important part in the future of Nissan on a global basis.”

Nissan’s decision to export the engine was based largely on the Decherd plant’s competitive ability to produce the engine for the world market. In addition, tooling is already in place at the Decherd facility avoiding a transition period required to move and install the manufacturing equipment in Japan.

The engine will be shipped to Nissan’s Shatai Kyushu Manufacturing Plant where it will be assembled in the QX56. The engine head, cylinder block and crankshaft will be sent to a Nissan plant in Yokohama, Japan where it will be assembled and put in the Nissan Patrol.

In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling.

[Source : NISSAN-INFINITI]