Why on earth are we publishing an announcement of Nissan’s new ZEOD RC Le Mans racecar? Trust us, it sounds a little weird to us too. But hear us out. This could seriously change how you look at Sea-Doo…
Nissan designed its futuristic ZEOD RC Le Mans racecar to compete under electric power, but battery life only goes so far these days, so Nissan’s performance branch, NISMO developed a very capable turbocharged, direct-injected 1.5-liter 3-cylinder engine that produces a staggering 400 horsepower.
The gas-powered DIG-T R engine is incredibly compact and lightweight, totaling just 88 pounds – as they point out, the engine could fit inside a carry-on suitcase! According to EngineLabs.com, “Nissan says it will rev to 7,500 rpm and dish out 380 Nm of torque (around 280 lb-ft), which is a comparable power-to-weight ratio as a F1 engine.”
Why we bring this to your attention is to reiterate our previous case that rumors of a four-cylinder Rotax being necessary to bring Sea-Doo back into the fray of competition is not only unfounded, but unnecessary. A three cylinder properly designed and executed is more than capable of leveling the playing field, and we see much of the characteristics necessary to do so in the ACE 900 motor (found in the Spark).
For more on the NISMO-built DIG-T engine, see below:
