Archive for Infiniti

One of the highlights of the Infiniti M’s reveal at Pebble Beach that the Japanese company kept pimping before the launch was the fact that it was going to use an innovative 3D projection system in the unveiling ceremony. Of course those who weren’t there could not see this but fortunately Infiniti decided to record the whole thing so we could see what they were talking about exactly. The car seems to appear bit by bit, part by part, in a way that reminded me of the scenes in Hollow Man. Watch the video after the jump.

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The new Infiniti M is here. It was shown at the 59th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance as a 3D projection on a clay model but Infiniti have also released some product photos including one of the interior so we can check out the car’s details.

Two models will be offered – the M37 and the M56, with a V6 and V8 engine respectively. The M37 will be powered by Nissan’s new 3.7 liter V6 engine while the M56 will be powered by the 5.6 liter VK56DE twin-cam V8.

I can imagine many tuners flocking excitedly to the V8 engine as a smaller displacement variant of the VK engine is also used by Nismo in FIA GT1 racing in a V8-powered Nissan GT-R, producing over 600 horses. In stock form though it makes about 317 to 320 horses installed in various Nissan and Infiniti trucks depending on tune.

I’m not really digging the design – it feels too American but I suppose that’s how it has to be considering the brand’s primary market is the US. The current Infiniti M is sold in Japan as the Nissan Fuga so I think we can expect this to end up as the new Fuga.

Look after the jump for 4 photos of the new “M”.

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As previously posted, Infiniti will be “projecting” an image of the next generation Infiniti M sedan at the Pebble Beach concourse sometime this month. Granted that even then we won’t be able to see the car, just a projection of it on a model, but all we have now is this silhouette. It’s got quite an interesting shoulderline that rises up at the end like a sports coupe, but the Infiniti M (sold as the Nissan Fuga in Japan) is a four door car so I’m quite curious to see the end result.

Current generation Infiniti M – due to be replaced soon!

New and cool ways of launching products are a sure way of getting more attention to your product in a sea of press releases. The word is that despite not having an actual showcar model of the next generation Infiniti M-series ready yet, it will be displaying a foam mold model at the Pebble Beach show coming up in August.

Now you might be thinking, what’s the use of a foam mold? Wouldn’t that only show the overall silhouette of the car? Here’s the unique part – apparently Infiniti will be using 3D projection systems to project a digital rendering of the next generation M onto the mold.

The Infiniti M is currently available as the M35 and M45, and is Infiniti’s rear wheel drive answer to the 5-Series, E-Class, GS, A6, and etc. The car is known as the Nissan Fuga in Japan, where the Infiniti brand is not present, like how the Infiniti G is known as the Nissan Skyline and most recently, the Infiniti EX as the Skyline Crossover.

The top of the range next generation M will most likely be called the Infiniti M50, featuring the VK50VE 5.0 liter V8 producing 390 horses and 500Nm of torque, while the baseline could either be an M35 or an M37 featuring either a 3.5 liter V6 or a 3.7 liter V6 respectively. The 3.7 liter did not really phase out the 3.5 liter and both engines seem to be in use concurrently in the Nissan stables.

Nissan has uncovered the Infiniti Essence Concept which also seem to like the Zagato Perana Z-One sports car. This sexy looking concept also has hints of the Maserati GranTurismo especially with its front fascia. But what differentiates the Essence concept from the first two vehicles mentioned above is that, apart from featuring a typical 434HP 3.7 liter V6 with twin turbos and direct injection, this sports car also features an electric drive system, hence, it is called a gas-electric hybrid sports car.

This also means that apart from the obvious improvement in fuel efficiency and a reduced emissions output, the Essence gets an extra 158HP from its electric motor which is also called a “3D Motor” that draws its energy from a lithium ion battery pack. Hence, total power output is rated at 592HP. Energy usage is fully optimized thanks to two separate clutches which “switch in” the motors when required. The reason behind the the 3D term is that its design was achieved by utilizing a 3D magnetic field analysis to optimize the layout of the electromagnetic coils and permanent magnets.

Safety wise, the concept comes fitted with Distance Control Assist (DCA), Lane Departure Prevention (LDP), Side Collision Prevention (SCP) and Back-up Collision Prevention (BCP) that make up the Safety Shield system. The driver-focused interior which is finished in a combination of leather, Alcantara and hand-painted wood features a flat-bottomed steering wheel and chronometer-style dials. In fact, the auto maker has collaborated with famous designer label Louis Vuitton to produce a set of high quality luggage made to fit the car’s boot area exactly. Continue reading to view an image gallery.

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Hot on the heels of the Lexus IS250C is the Infiniti G37 Convertible which will make its European debut in the summer of 2009. The car will only make its first public appearance at the 2008 LA Auto Show this November but a teaser photo of the side profile has been previously revealed, and now a second teaser image is out showing a rear three quarter view. Look after the jump for the first teaser image.

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A first photo of the upcoming convertible version of the Infiniti G37 has been released. The Infiniti G37 Convertible will be unveiled live to the public at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, and will go on sale in the US market in early 2009.

The convertible will feature a 3-piece folding hard top, and its interior’s audio and climate control systems have been tuned to operate at optimum settings whether the top is up or down. Like the G37 Sedan and Coupe, the G37 Convertible will feature the new VQ37VHR engine producing 330 horsepower and 366Nm of torque.

Infiniti has announced a convertible version of the Infiniti G range, which will join its sedan and coupe siblings at the 2008 Los Angeles Motor Show in November.

The Infiniti G range currently consists of the G37 Sedan and G37 Coupe. All-wheel drive versions are also available in the form of the G37x, but don’t expect it to exhibit the same performance as the high-tech version in the Nissan GT-R.

Infiniti plans to differentiate its European-bound cars from their North American counterparts in terms of aesthetics.

Examples of modifications to the European Infinitis that are set to be launched in 9 European markets October this year are knobs instead of push-button switches on the center consoles, heated seats, retuned suspensions, bigger brakes, more powerful windshield wipers, heavier window seals, and between 300 to 500 other changes per car. According to Infiniti, these are all things that an European customer is more used to.

Nissan’s 2.5 liter inline-4 engine may also make its way into an Infiniti, as Europeans are warmer to smaller displacement engines, as compared to the displacement and V8-obsessed American buyer.

Exterior aesthetics may also change, although these changes will likely be minor changes such as the difference between the European Mazda 6 and the American Mazda 6, rather than two outrightly different cars like the American Accord and the European Accord.

The quirky looking new Infiniti FX joints its smaller sibling the EX in the luxury Japanese automakers line-up. It is another crossover SUV, a fusion of a sports car and an SUV according to Infiniti. It is built on the same FM (Front Midship) platform as the Infiniti G37 and G37 Coupe, which is a rear wheel drive platform, with the option for AWD.

The flagship FX50 model will feature the new VK50VE V8 with VVEL (Variable Valve Event and Lift) continuously variable valve lift. It produces 390 horsepower and 500Nm of torque, mated to a new 7-speed automatic with Adaptive Shift Control (ASC), Downshift Rev Matching (fancy name for throttle blipping) and manually shiftable via solid magnesium paddle shifters.

The FX37 has relatively less power and uses a 3.7 liter V6 engine producing 320 PS at 7,000rpm and 360Nm of torque. It also has the 7-speed throttle blipping automatic.

Power is sent to all four wheels via the ATTESA E-TS with Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and Traction Control (TCS). ESP can be switched off if desired. If all-wheel drive is not required, the ATTESA E-TS system will channel 100% of torque to the rear wheels.

The suspension at the front is a double wishbone setup, which replaces the previous model FX’s MacPherson strut setup. Standard FX50 dampers are active Continuous Damping Control (CDC) electronically controlled shock absorbers. It takes the input from a variety of sensors and continuously alters the damping of the shocks to provide optimal ride and handling, according to two modes – Auto or Sport.

The FX50 rides on very lightweight 21 inch Enkei wheels wrapped with 265/45R21 tyres. The FX37 has wheels an inch smaller as standard, but 21 inch wheels are also able to be specified by choosing the Sport pack, which also includes the active CDC dampers.

More photos after the jump.

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