The V35 Skyline in japan comes in an optional CVT-8 transmission.

CVT = Continuously Variable Transmission (8 spd)

It is also known as the "Extroid" transmission. There is no belt or chain to link the varying transmission ratios, nut instead uses a couple pairs of rollers

The rollers link the input disc (connected to the crankshaft) and output disc (connected to the driveshaft).

By varying the angle of rollers your transmission ratios can be obtained. For "low" gearing ratio, the rollers meet the input disc near its inside diameter, but meet the output disc near its periphery; thus the output disc turns much slower than the input disc. The overall ratio range is 4.4:1.





The tranny in offered in the Murano as a CVT-6 "XTronic". Why would they not offer this on the G35 if were already sold in Japan? I've drive then Murano and enjoyed the smooth shifting, although I did not drive it hard. Would we lose a lot in the low end?

Thoughts?

 

the 350GT8 drove just like our 5AT, just smoother. it uses a torque converter, so there is no rubberband effect when starting the car.
the first 5 gear felt the same. and there was an additional 3 more gears for crusing. the paddle shift was nice too. u hardly use 7th and 8th gear, so it was kinda useless

but driving in D really sucks in CVT.

the Murano uses a belt driven CVT, the Extriod CVT is only offered in Japan. i think its that the Extriod CVT require more maintenice compare to 5AT and infiniti doesnt want to offer more warranty on it.

 

The CVT is the only thing that scared me away from buying a Murano here in the US. If it was available in a 6MT I'd have been all over it.

If one were to put the Murano's CVT in a G35, what difference would you see as compared to the regular G35 AT in the way of 0-60, fuel economy etc?

(I'm trying to convince myself that it might one day be OK to drive a CVT vehicle and still get decent performance out of it)

 

Probably the tranny can't hold that much power. That was the problem with the belt CVT when the first came out. It just couldn't reliably handle that much torque.

 

Well the Murano has the reinforced belt setup and it has the VQ35 right?

 

the extriod CVT was first used with the Y34 Gloria VQ30DET

the 350GT8 uses the same VQ35DE that we have, its no weaker then the 5AT box

 

I own a Skyline 350GT-8 down here in New Zealand. It's 200kw (2002 model)

I would say the CVT transmission makes it slower. I happened to go to a drag day yesterday and the best I could manage was 15.5 seconds @93mph.

The CVT trans is very high geared, and you don't get the same sort of acceleration off the line that you would in a 5AT trans where the 1st gear would be a lot lower.
If I use the tiptronic option, mine will do 50mph in 1st gear.

It is quite economical. I can get up to 35mpg on the highway (now that's an imperial UK gallon (4.5 litres). Feel free to ask any questions.



Regards...Mark