Nissan North America, Inc.

Takaomi Makino

Kenneth Ameloot

Ramkrishna Jayaram Chunduri

Takuya Yamashita

Ryan Corby

A vehicle front end structure includes an engine cradle including an engine mounting structure and a force receiving member. The force receiving member is fixedly attached to the engine cradle. The force receiving member includes a force receiving surface extending rearward from a front corner of the engine cradle in a laterally outbound direction at an inclined angle with respect to a vehicle longitudinal direction. The force receiving member is arranged with respect to the engine cradle to receive a longitudinally directed rearward force on the force receiving surface. The force receiving member is configured with respect to the engine cradle to redirect at least a portion of the longitudinally directed rearward force laterally to the engine cradle at the engine mounting structure which is located rearward of the front corner.

Vehicle front end structure

A vehicle front end structure includes an engine cradle, an engine assembly and a lateral energy transfer member. The engine cradle includes a side engine cradle member with an engine mounting structure, which is located rearward of a front corner of the engine cradle. The engine assembly is fixedly attached to the engine mounting structure of the side engine cradle member. The lateral energy transfer member is fixedly attached to the side engine cradle member between the front corner and the engine mounting structure. The lateral energy transfer member has an engine contact surface positioned adjacent an engine structure of the engine assembly with a prescribed lateral gap between the engine contact surface and the engine structure. The prescribed lateral gap is dimensioned to transfer lateral energy to the engine assembly from a lateral force applied to the side engine cradle member.

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Yokohama, Japan

Takaomi Makino