Nissan’s powertrain assembly plant in Decherd, Tennessee, on Thursday (17 September) completed the first engine for export to Japan where it will be installed in the redesigned Infiniti QX56 full-size sport utility vehicle.
QX56 production has shifted from the US to Japan and this is the first time a Nissan plant in the United States has exported engines to Japan.
The engine is a 320hp 5.6-litre V8 with 320 hp and 393 lb ft of torque and similar to the engines in the US-built Titan pickup and Armada full-size SUV.
Decherd produces the engine head, cylinder block and crankshaft for the V8 and will also ship these parts to Japan for a locally assembled engine used in the Nissan Patrol full-size SUV.
Nissan decided to export the engine because Decherd was competitive and it could avoid the cost of shipping and reinstalling tooling and manufacturing in Japan.
Complete engines will go to Nissan’s Shatai Kyushu plant for installation in the QX56 while the plants will go to Yokohama to be assembled on to the Patrol engines.
