Power talk

Nissan launched its new-look Pathfinder in February. It came with a 3.3-litre V6 petrol engine that pumped out a healthy 125kW of power and 266Nm of torque.

Now the carmaker has unveiled the 3-litre turbo-diesel variant, called the Z30 in Nissan-speak. It produces the same power but delivers a whopping 353Nm of torque. This is serious grunt.

How serious? For a start, the new V6 diesel engine produces more power and torque than the straight-six 4.2-litre oil-burner used in the Patrol, Nissan's four-wheel-drive heavyweight.

It even delivers marginally more torque than the 350Nm the 4.5-litre petrol-powered Patrol pumps out.

The only four-wheel-drive model the Pathfinder can't match for pulling power (neither can anything else) is the VX Toyota Land Cruiser, whose 4.2-litre straight-six diesel delivers a stump-pulling 430Nm at 1400 rpm.

Features of the all-new direct-injection Z30 Nissan motor include an improved turbocharger, better fuel atomisation and combustion system - and a service interval extended from 5000km to 10,000km.

Nissan says the new combustion process reduces particulates (grubby exhaust soot) by about 60 per cent.

The Pathfinder's four-wheel-drive system is an improved version of that first used in the Skyline GTR, the high-performance touring car nicknamed Godzilla.

A switch on the dashboard enables the driver to change from normal rear-drive-only operation to high and low-ratio four-wheel-drive and automatic mode.

In automatic, the system distributes torque automatically from 100 per cent at the rear wheels to a 50:50 split front and rear.

The amount of torque applied to each wheel depends on traction, braking and throttle opening.

Standard equipment in the Pathfinder includes climate-control air-conditioning, dual airbags, anti-lock ABS braking, compact disc player, power windows and mirrors. Price of the new oil-burner is $55,995.