The VR38DETT engine uses some of the valve train components and basic design of the well-known VQ35 motor that has been used in many Nissan models such as the Altima, Maxima and Pathfinder. In the VQ engine, the cylinders are made of cast iron sleeves pressed into the aluminum block. This is done to make the cylinder walls stronger to withstand up and down piston movement. To make the VR38 lighter, instead of heavy cast iron sleeves, the very thin layer (0.15 mm) of hard metal is applied to the cylinders using the plasma spray process. How the plasma spray process works: the stream of inert gas mixed with the powder of the coating material is heated using an electric arc and sprayed onto the cylinder walls.
As the weight distribution is very important, instead of opting for a heavier V8 or V10 engine, Nissan GT-R uses two high-performance IHI turbochargers (one at each side or ‘bank’) to get more power out of a smaller and lighter V6.