Now normally the announcement of a four-cylinder turbocharged engine from Infiniti wouldn't be all that newsworthy, but this one is a little different. Because this new engine is claimed to be the world's first variable compression ratio unit.
There are more details to follow at Paris but essentially - at least as far as our knowledge extends - an actuator arm (controlled by the 'Harmonic Drive') rotates a control shaft in the combustion chamber. The rotation of that shaft adjusts the angle of certain links, which then limit the height the piston can reach. Ergo, variable compression ratio. And if none of that makes sense, Infiniti has a handy diagram too. PHers with engineering nous, feel free to contribute more insightful knowledge!
Infiniti's president Roland Krueger says the engine is "a revolutionary next step" in optimising combustion engine efficiency. He is promising "the power of a of a high performance 2.0-litre turbo gasoline engine with a high level of efficiency at the same time." The VC-T engine is able to vary its compression ratio from anywhere between 8:1 and 14:1 which, on top of the efficiency benefits, should reduce noise and vibration as well.
That's all that's been detailed so far; expect specifics on numbers and power at Paris. Is this the technology that keeps petrol engines relevant? It should be very interesting to find out.