As much as we like the new Cummins 5.0-liter V-8, the only engine offered in the 2016 Nissan Titan XD when it goes on sale this month, there will be plenty of gas-loving Nissan buyers who will not want a diesel engine. That's why Nissan just announced the arrival of a new Endurance 5.6-liter V-8 gasoline engine (called the VK56VD internally), which will be available for the all-new Titan XD (and light-duty Titan) in spring 2016; it will offer XD buyers a less expensive and lighter engine choice.
The dual-overhead-cam 32-valve gas engine will now be built at Nissan's Decherd, Tenn., engine plant and is rated to produce a modest 390 horsepower at 5,800 rpm and 401 pounds-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. The newly redesigned engine (it shares much of its architecture with the QX80 5.6-liter V-8) will use Nissan's variable valve lift technology that continuously adjusts how well the engine breathes during intake and exhaust events. The new engine will also have direct injection with a compression ratio of 11.2:1, due in large part to the unique set of pistons.
Mated to this new V-8 will be a new seven-speed automatic transmission, currently shared with the Infiniti QX80 SUV; however, where the Infiniti requires premium fuel and is sourced from Japan, the Titan XD's gas engine was designed to run on regular and will be built in the US. Pricing for the gas engine option will be announced closer to the on-sale date.
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