Infiniti just debuted the QX50 crossover concept at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show last week, and in case you didn’t get the memo, it’s a mid-size SUV with sleek styling and a few interesting autonomous driving tricks. However, one of the most interesting features is its engine, which Infiniti touts as an internal-combustion lump with turbocharging and variable compression – that is, the compression ratio can change while the engine is in use. Variable compression is a technology that many have sought to perfect, but Infiniti is the first to claim a production-ready iteration destined for dealerships. The benefits include that idealistic combination of high efficiency matched with high power levels, and in fact, the Japanese automaker boasts the engine will be able to offer the fuel economy of a hybrid four-cylinder, as well as the power output of a modern V-6. Sounds like the usual concept smoke and mirrors, doesn’t it? Well, believe it or not, variable compression just might be coming to a crossover near you.
Infiniti calls its forthcoming engine the VC-Turbo (Variable Compression Turbo), and despite the relatively uncreative name, the VC-Turbo is getting a lot of interest from car geeks the world over. And why not – the pressure is on to extract as much energy as possible from every last drop of gasoline, and technology like this promises to do just that without neutering performance.
But what is variable compression exactly, and how does it work? And more importantly, should we even care? Read on to find out.
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from Top Speed http://ift.tt/2j7jTDP
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