Nissan announced Tuesday that its new Titan and Titan XD pickups will be powered by an all-new 5.6-liter V-8 that makes 390 horsepower and 401 pound-feet of torque. The new V-8 replaces the aging mill that produced 317 hp and 385 pound-feet of torque.
According to Nissan, the new V-8 — dubbed Endurance — will be built at the automaker’s Decherd, Tennessee powertrain assembly that produces all powertrains for vehicles assembled in the U.S.
(Apparently, Nissan’s announcement broke the automaker’s press site. The site went down shortly after the announcement.)
Although the new 5.6-liter V-8 shares a similar displacement to the engine that it replaces in the Titan, there are key differences, according to the automaker. The new V-8 will use direct injection, unlike the last generation, and it will feature a higher compression ratio (11.2:1 vs. 9.8:1). Variable Valve Event & Lift, similar to the outgoing engine, will continue in the new V-8.
The new engine shares many similarities with the Infiniti QX80’s 5.6-liter V-8, which is built in Yokohama, Japan. Both engines are mated to 7-speed automatics with adaptive shift and downshift rev matching. The QX80’s engine is slightly more potent; it produces 400 hp and 413 pound-feet of torque.
(The 5-liter Cummins diesel engine found in the Titan XD uses a six-speed auto, interestingly.)
A Nissan spokesman didn’t immediately comment on the differences between the two engines.
It’s unclear if the new Endurance V-8 will replace the Yokohoma, Japan-built 5.6-liter V-8 in the Infiniti QX80, which is assembled in Canton, Mississippi. According to the Decherd powertrain plant’s website, it produces all powertrains for U.S.-built Nissan and Infiniti vehicles, including the Nissan Leaf.
Multi-displacement system (like Hemi for instance)? Old 5.6 was pretty thirsty, I averaged between 12 and 13mpg.
The AWD M56 was rated something like 13/16. Just ridiculous for a sedan. I don’t feel that engine was ever appropriate for passenger car use. Trucks only.
It wasnt but damn it felt good..I wish they still made the M56 with that engine.
They make the Q70 with that engine currently!
Johan strikes again.
I actually forgot he had worked there and ruined their naming scheme. Ugh. Can he just go away and retire?
This will be thirsty, Nissan is not known for efficient power plants let alone a big one with all this technology on it
The outgoing V8 excluded, is that really fair? They’ve been pretty average as far as fuel economy. The last V8 was also designed at a time when fuel economy wasn’t very important. I was still in high school when it came out, and was complaining when premium reached a $1.50 per gallon. At that time, power and torque were what was important, fuel economy be damned.
Mikeg216,
Any gasoline engine in a heavy vehicle will chew through fuel. I would expect this engine to be returning better FE than the older 5.6.
I would rather have this than a EcoBoost in a pickup, any day of the week.
Big Al from Oz – you’d rather have anything that does not have a Ford logo on it.
“Nissan is not known for efficient power plants”
So why is the Altima with a port-injected 2.5l four cylinder consistently the most frugal of the mid-size cars?
You know, ones that don’t have hybrid or i-loop attached to the ends of their names. I still don’t know how they do it, and am not enamoured of the car itself, but there you are.
They do have “cvt” attatched to them. Your mpg is high, driving enjoyment, not so much.
I believe the old V8 was called Endurance too. My brother had an early build 04 Titan and I remember an Endurance badge or something having the word Endurance on it.
And it was a thirst pig of an engine. 5.4 Ford bad, but way more fun.
More fun? The 5.4 Ford and 5.6 Nissan engine were pretty close in terms of output:
5.6: 305 to 317hp (@ 4900 rpm), 379 to 385 lb-ft (@ 3600 rpm)
5.4: 300 to 320hp (@ 5000 rpm), 365 to 390 lb-ft (@ 3500 rpm)
They both beat the 5.3 Vortec in the torque ratings:
5.3: 295 to 315hp (@ 5200 rpm), 335 to 338 lb-ft (@ 4000 to 4300 rpm)
Yet the 5.3 provided better real world MPG and competitive performance.
“real world MPG” and competitive performance, if by competitive you mean it made about 30 to 50 lb-ft less torque at 500 to 800 more RPMs, then yes, very competitive.
The only thing I found interesting was that the 2015 Titan was still using a version with 317hp. That’s as bad as Ford leaving the V8 Expedition to wither for so long. I assumed the Titan had close to 400hp for years.
7 speed will be huge for this motor. This will be very solid setup. The xd will have a way better payload with this and also should sh!+ and git!
I do think this engine will be a different beast than the “older” 5.6. For starters GDI will help with FE.
This engine in the XD will chew through some fuel, this is a given due to the mass of the XD.
In the lighter Titan I would expect this engine to deliver better FE than even the older V8.
Absolutely. There’s been a lot of advancements made in 12 years.
Sure, and the old engine was never designed for fuel economy. I’m sure it’s different on this one.
And Toyota soldiers on with the 4.7L gas guzzling boat anchor.
This is where someone replies with, “at least it’s reliable.”
Yup – that’s what people said about the ‘ye old GM 4.3L V6 back in 2002 after it had been under hoods in one form or another for decades.
Ye old 3800.
Does GM have a stone cold reliable V6 these days?
The OHV Ecotec 4300
Which is not to be confused with the ye’ old 4.3L V6 from yester year – only the displacement is the same.
I know there is an updated 3.0L V6 making the rounds under GM hoods – have no knowledge about it or its reliability.
Anyway, turbo 4 is where it is at these days, just ask Audi, and BMW, and Mercedes, and Lexus, and Jaguar, and…
Four of those five are not known for stellar reliability or value for the money with N/A motors while the fifth only recently adopted such fail and remains to be seen how successful they will be.
Toyota hasn’t used the 4.7L V8 since about 2010.
The 2UZ-FE was largely replaced by the 4.6L 1UR-FE V8 around 2008.
That 4.7 (and Chrysler’s weirdly identical 4.7) was kind of a dog.
I think there was a 285hp version, but a lot of trucks had like…235. That’s pathetic for a 21st century V8.
It was not a dog. Early versions had 240hp which was competitive in the early 2000s and 2005+ had 282. Torque was also high.
Just sold an ’07 Silverado with 290k on a 4.3l V6. Ran like a top with ice-cold air. Don’t ask me about anything else, just know that it – like most GMs – will always be a stylish, dependable meat locker if nothing else.
The HVAC systems in the GM trucks (at least the GMT800 and 900 models I’ve driven) were capable of freezing steaks in the summer and cooking steaks in the winter.
That 4.7 gas guzzling “boat anchor” hasn’t been used in SIX YEARS but don’t let those facts get in the way of your Toyota bash fest. And the 2UZ-FE is a brilliantly smooth and reliable engine. It was far and away a class leader when it debuted in the 2000 Tundra. VVTi, 4 valves per cyclinder, DOHC and insanely torquey for its displacement. The only boat anchors were the tired old pushrods the domestics were peddling at the time.
“The only boat anchors were the tired old pushrods the domestics were peddling at the time.”
Jesus Fecking Christ. Can’t we just like V8s without the brand worship and/or hate? It is getting to be a rare enough configuration as it is.
My father drives a 4.7 Tundra and I have Charger R/T. Somehow we are able to both like the merits of each other’s engine choice and not act like fools.
@ajla
He can’t. Everything he says is blatantly brand biased toward Toyota, no matter what anybody is saying. Even if we’re talking about Fiat, he will be talking about Toyota. Just ignore him.
Oh and you are now pretending that you know me? That’s rich.
I’m recalling every post you’ve ever made on this site. I certainly don’t know you and am quite glad of it.
You mean those same tired pushrod style engines that are producing 12 second 1/4 mile times and 28 highway MPG in the new Camaro or the 5.3 that has always beat Toyota and Nissan in mileage in the full sized pickup trucks or the 6.2 Silverado that biotch slaps the two Asian trucks in power and mileage today. Yeah those sound like such tired engines!
He is indicating “at the time”. Still, he’d be wrong. GM pushrod V8 engines have been so good for so long that Ford went to twin turbocharged six cylinder engines to stay competitive. I really like the new 2.7TT and the 3.5TT, but I have nothing but respect for the 5.3L and 6.2L GM engines.
Ford stopped using pushrod V8s in their pickups in 1997. Dodge had an SOHC engine in their pickups starting in 2001. The 2v 4.6 Ford engine is pretty much bulletproof. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure the 4.7 is a great engine.
You mean the 5.7 guzzler that is still rated for a stellar 13/17 in the Tundra
A wonderful 5.7 gas guzzler it is. One of the smoothest and most rev happy engines I have ever driven. It an enjoyable and honest engine.