Nissan's and Japan's first mass-produced V6, the iron block/aluminum head 60° VG engine was produced in displacements between 2.0 and 3.3 liters.

Both production blocks and head castings were used successfully in the Nissan GTP ZX-Turbo and NPT-90 race cars which won the IMSA GT Championship three years in a row.

Nissan engineers wanted the VG to have improved performance, fuel economy, reliability, and refinement, while being both lighter and more compact than its predecessor.

The resulting engine was designed by Nissan from scratch, and shared few mechanical components with its predecessor, or with any other automaker.

It was added to a new engine family name PLASMA (Powerful ＆ Economic, Lightweight, Accurate, Silent, Mighty, Advanced).

Extensive computer design techniques were used during development, which made the VG series one of the most advanced and high-tech engines of its day.

The advantages of the VG engine over its inline 6 predecessor was that its V6 configuration would have greater torsional rigidity for higher performance potential, and its shorter length would give Nissan designers and engineers more freedom for vehicle design, allowing for both more frontal crush zone space and transverse mounting for front-wheel-drive vehicles.

In the earlier gross rating system, early eighties' models claim 130 PS (96 kW; 128 hp).

Also coming with the Y30, this motor was known as the "Jet Turbo", and came with the Nissan Leopard models XS, and XS-II Grand Selection.

Contrary to the VG30ET that came out in the US, the VG20ET came with an intercooler in certain models to push the horsepower output to 155 PS (114 kW; 153 hp), a great jump from the normally aspirated VG20E.

This engine was mainly offered in export markets with more lenient environmental regulations, such as the Middle East and Africa.

In 1989, the Maxima received the 160 hp (119 kW) rating, but also used a variable intake plenum improving torque to 182 lb⋅ft (247 N⋅m) at 3200 rpm.

Applications: The 2,960 cc (3.0 L) VG30ET was available in early production with a single Garrett T3 turbocharger at 6.8 psi (0.47 bar) and a 7.8:1 compression ratio.

Applications: The VG30DET is a 3.0 L (2,960 cc), 24-valve, DOHC, VTC-equipped engine equipped with a T3 (Nissan N1 Type) 4-bolt Garrett Turbo running between 7.5 and 11.5 psi (0.52 and 0.79 bar).

Producing 330 PS (325 bhp; 243 kW) in the MID-4 and coming in at a weight of 237 kg (523 lb), it was the last of Nissan's DOHC belt driven 4 valve per cylinder turbocharged engines put into production, following the CA18DET and RB20DET.

JDM cars claimed 280 PS (276 bhp; 206 kW), as the Japanese automobile manufacturers were limited to that number.

Applications: The VG33E reportedly remained in production in the Nissan Paladin (rebadged as Dongfeng Oting) as an optional engine for the Chinese market until 2015.