INFINITI USA and AMS Performance race to SEMA

INFINITI USA and AMS Performance race to SEMA

INFINITI USA and AMS Performance race to SEMA

INFINITI USA and AMS Performance bring together their individual engineering strengths for the “Red Alpha” collaboration, which will be on display at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas.

“The combination of INFINITI’s luxury performance vehicles with AMS Performance’s ability to build some of the fastest aftermarket turbocharged import vehicles allows us to unlock the driver’s full potential with the INFINITI Q60 RED SPORT 400, a concept we’ve dubbed ‘Red Alpha,'” said Martin Musial, president, AMS Performance.

INFINITI USA and AMS Performance race to SEMA

The Q60 Red Alpha concept1 exhibits the opportunities for driver personalization with Q60 performance parts specially engineered by AMS Performance, and it offers a horsepower gain of 19 percent and a 29 percent increase in torque.

“INFINITI has a strong, longstanding reputation in the tuner community, particularly with our lineup of performance coupes and sedans,” said Bob Welby, director, INFINITI Chief Marketing Manager. “With the Q60, we offer a coupe that boasts strong performance on its own while also giving our customers the perfect platform for customizations based on their personal preferences.”

INFINITI USA and AMS Performance race to SEMA

Special parts on the Q60 Red Alpha concept include Red Alpha Intercoolers, Red Alpha Intakes with Dry Media Filters, High Flow Exhaust Downpipes, a Red Alpha Catback Exhaust System, proprietary Red Alpha ECU Calibration, High Capacity Overflow Tank, and a High Capacity Red Alpha Center Heat Exchanger. Many of these products will soon be available for purchase at INFINITI retailers in North America and through AMS distributors.

The SEMA Show runs from Oct. 31 through Nov. 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. SEMA attendees can see the Q60 Red Alpha concept in person at the Motovicity Distribution booth (booth No. 24629) in SEMA’s Central Hall.

courtesy: newsroom.nissan-global.com

INFINITI reveals ‘Prototype 9’ at 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

INFINITI reveals ‘Prototype 9’ at 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

INFINITI reveals ‘Prototype 9’ at 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance

Nissan Motor Corporation and premium automotive brand INFINITI have unveiled a sleek, open-wheeled electric retro roadster prototype at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The car, called Prototype 9, is a celebration of Nissan Motor and INFINITI’s ingenuity, artistry and craftsmanship. It represents a reimagining of a 1940s race car with time-honored production techniques employed to realize its retro design.

“Prototype 9 celebrates the tradition of ingenuity, craftsmanship and passion of our forebears at Nissan Motor Corporation, on whose shoulders we stand today. It started as a discussion: What if INFINITI had created a race car in the 1940s? If one were to imagine an open-wheeled INFINITI racer on the famous circuits of the era, such as Japan’s Tamagawa Speedway, what would that look like? The sketches were stunning and the idea so compelling that we had to produce a prototype. As other departments became aware of this, they volunteered their time to create a working vehicle.”
Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

Prototype 9 is emblematic of INFINITI’s entrepreneurial spirit and passion for stunning design. From humble beginnings as a sketch, to the dynamic example presented at Pebble Beach, Prototype 9 has been brought to life as an after-hours endeavor by a passionate and enterprising team of employees from across the Nissan Motor Corporation.

The car is powered by a prototype electric motor and battery from Nissan Motor Corporation’s Advanced Powertrain Department. This nod to the future contrasts with the traditional materials and techniques applied for the Prototype 9’s manufacture, including panels hand-beaten by a team of Takumi – Nissan Motor’s master artisans.

“What started as an after-hours idea grew into a fully fledged prototype; our designers and engineers were excited by the notion of creating a past vision, a nod to our origins. They volunteered their own time; more and more staff became involved. Our teams have proven skills in manufacturing, engineering, design and advanced powertrains, yet they wanted to bring their own traditional craftsmanship to the project. They made Prototype 9 a reality, a result of their ingenuity – they recognized and realized the past, powered by a future-centric electric powertrain at its heart. Prototype 9 blends modern technology and hand-crafted details paying tribute to the forebears of INFINITI.”
Roland Krueger, Chairman and Global President

Prototype 9 was inspired by an emerging era of Japanese motorsport. The custom-built Prince R380, which also will be shown during Monterey Car Week at The Quail, a Motorsports Gathering, broke several land speed records in 1965 before taking overall victory at the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix at Fuji Speedway. Prince Motor Company is considered to be Japan’s original builder of premium automobiles, and its legacy can be traced to INFINITI Motor Company and its current model line. The R380 shown at The Quail is the actual Japanese Grand Prix-winning car, believed to be the only surviving R380.

“We like to think that INFINITI, with its stunning design, high performance capability and forward-looking technology, shares some DNA with the Prince Motor Company, which became part of Nissan Motors. Prototype 9 is a celebration of the artistry and ingenuity inherent in our company.” Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

Where existing and future INFINITI models adhere to the company’s “Q” and “QX” nomenclature, Prototype 9 represents something different. Echoing the company’s origins, the figure “9” is pronounced “kyuu” in Japanese – similar to the English pronunciation of the letter “Q,” which is used for all of the company’s production cars.

Prototype 9: Designers imagine, “what if…?”

“We discussed the idea of ‘chancing’ upon an unrecognized race car, hidden away for decades in a barn, deep in the Japanese countryside. We wanted to explore what this looked like, what it would have been made of. Open-wheeled racers of the age were beautiful machines, elegant and powerful and with a wonderful purity of purpose. It’s an automotive fantasy, but the notion captured our imaginations enough to put pencil to paper.” Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

The starting point for bringing Prototype 9 to life was a conceptual sketch: an interpretation of an INFINITI race car, inspired by roadsters and aircraft of the era yet molded in new materials and advanced technology. From this moment Prototype 9’s transformation from sketch to reality was inevitable.

Albaisa created a sketch of the vehicle, with sleek lines, and aeronautically-inspired bodywork crafted in bare sheet metal. Initially shared only with close colleagues, the idea soon spread among INFINITI’s design team members – with a number enthusiastically calling for the vehicle to be brought to life. The sketch triggered a domino effect – each person who saw it felt it deserved more attention, and soon there was a burgeoning desire within INFINITI to take it beyond the drawing board.

More designers at the INFINITI Design Studio in Atsugi, Japan, began making their own detail contributions – the shape, design and materials that could feature in the cockpit, for example. Chasing a passion for beautiful vehicle design, the team moved to bring the sketch into the physical world.

The vehicle was transformed from a daring idea into scale design studies in clay. Full-size models were soon formed. Although still a secretive “passion project” at this point, word seeped into other parts of INFINITI Motor Company and throughout its parent company, the Nissan Motor Corporation. People noticed something a little different was taking shape at the design center.

Japanese craftsmanship
“The creation of the real world INFINITI Prototype 9 was entirely and coincidentally organic. As we started work on a physical model, word spread beyond the core design team, and other departments started checking in and offering assistance. Eventually, the production team became aware of the project – and brought with them the desire and skills to build it.”
Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

When INFINITI’s production team became aware of Prototype 9, they immediately offered to build it. The model was secretly moved from the INFINITI Design Studio in Atsugi to a secluded section of the Nissan Research Center, Oppama, just outside Yokohama, Japan. Here, the car could be quietly constructed. A team of Takumi – Nissan Motor Corporation’s master craftspeople – was gathered to create the motorsport- and aeronautically-inspired racer.

Finished in a bare sheet-metal skin, Prototype 9 is the result of countless hours of careful construction. The designs of the brand’s contemporary road cars are characterized by deep-stamping production methods, which enable the creation of sharply defined lines and smooth body surfaces. Far from production lines, this out-of-hours project required similarly technical yet more traditional crafting methods.

The vehicle’s stunning bodywork is made from steel body panels wrapped around a steel ladder frame. The panels were hammered into shape by the Takumi. For Prototype 9, panel beaters incorporated INFINITI’s signature design elements, such as the double-arch grille, “shark gills” aft of the front wheels, a single-crease hood, and sharp lines that stretch from front to rear.

In every other respect, the car is unashamedly inspired by retro aeronautical designs. Prototype 9 is defined by its smooth, aerodynamic surfaces, long bonnet and short overhangs, an exposed cockpit, and open-wheeled layout. Nineteen-inch center-locking wire-spoke wheels at each corner are even wrapped in period cross-ply competition tires.

As uniquely Japanese in design and craftsmanship as the bodywork, the cockpit adheres to INFINITI’s contemporary approach to interior design. Articulating the same sense of advanced human artistry of INFINITI’s production cars and near-production concepts, Prototype 9’s cabin has been handmade by the company’s interior design teams.

The intimate and focused cockpit is the result of two Japanese approaches to craftsmanship – “mitate” (pronounced “mee-ta-teh”) and “shitate” (“shee-ta-teh”). “Mitate” relates to the practice of curating and bringing together the best possible selection of materials. “Shitate” is the desire to tailor the chosen combination of materials, bringing out their best characteristics.

With this fine attention to detail and finish, the cockpit is wrapped in black leather with contrast red stitching, sewn and finished in such a way as to echo earlier single-seater racers. Subtle Japanese flags are stitched into the integrated headrests of the deep single bucket seat.

In a cabin that features no distractions from the road ahead, the steering wheel rotates around a fixed central hub that houses the driver’s instrument gauges. The hub itself is finished in turned aluminum, an effect found on aircraft throughout the first half of the 20th century. As on the machines that inspired Prototype 9’s design, the effect has been completed by hand, “turning” aluminum shavings into the fascia with the end of a cork. Inspired by the project, this was a finish that the interiors team had not previously had the opportunity to explore.

With a single-minded focus on driving, the cabin features minimal switchgear, with those that remain modeled on cockpit switches.

“The beautiful execution of Prototype 9 represents a combination of artistry, craftsmanship and commitment to a romantic notion of our heritage. It inspired our people to work on Prototype 9 in their own time – as they were completely invested in the project and the details and features originated with them. Prototype 9 has been a labor of love for many of us.”
Alfonso Albaisa, Senior Vice President, Global Design

Prototype electric motor from Nissan’s Advanced Powertrain Department
“While the essence of the INFINITI Prototype 9 is rooted in the past, it runs on a next-generation EV powertrain which looks squarely to the future. It is an excellent example of the ingenuity, craftsmanship and entrepreneurism that characterizes the teams across our company. Prototype 9 comes to life as a dynamic, drivable prototype vehicle at Pebble Beach.”
Roland Krueger, Chairman and Global President

As word of the project reached across Nissan Motor Corporation, a team of powertrain engineers brought their own proposal: to equip the car with a next-generation EV powertrain. The Prototype 9 is the first INFINITI to be powered by a new EV powertrain: a 30 kWh high-voltage battery paired with a prototype electric motor, one not yet seen on a production vehicle.

The motor produces 120 kW (148 hp) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque, and it drives the rear wheels via single-speed transmission. Prototype 9 has a top speed of 170 kph (105.6 mph), and sprints from 0-to-100 kph (0-to-62 mph) in 5.5 seconds, with a maximum EV range of 20 minutes under heavy track use.

courtesy: infinitinews.com

INFINITI and Renault Project Black S Concept

INFINITI and Renault Project Black S Concept

INFINITI and Renault Project Black S Concept

Project Black S Revealed
INFINITI and Renault Sport Formula One™ are pushing the potential of F1™ technologies. Together, we’re embarking on Project Black S, an exploration of the first road-ready F1™ inspired car.

A Passionate Partnership
In 2016, INFINITI made the move to become technical partners with Renault Sport Formula One™. Harnessing our expertise in hybrid advancements and combining engineering efforts, together we co-developed the Energy Recovery System, one of the most sophisticated technologies in motorsport.

F1™ Continues on the Road
We never stop pushing performance. By harvesting both kinetic and heat energy, the Energy Recovery System powers the Renault Sport F1™ racecars on the track. Project Black S is the opportunity to explore the potential of bringing this technology to the Q60 Coupe. Delivering greater power, torque and immediate acceleration on the road.

Performance Powered By Design
With the Q60 at the heart of our venture, we begin to reimagine the future of performance on the road. Our vision for Project Black S begins with a high-performance aesthetic.

Dominate the Road
A large fixed rear wing channels the wind to propel Q60 assertively forward. Made of carbon fiber, it maximizes speed and aero-efficiency so the vehicle hugs the road at every turn.

Opening the Road Ahead
Always going against convention, INFINITI is driven to pioneer new ways of enhancing your performance. Project Black S explores F1™ technologies, in an effort to provide maximum power for potential road vehicles.

Resistance is Futile
Project Black S takes Q60’s uninhibited design and performance to the next level. Flared wheel arches and enlarged air intakes enhance aerodynamics, with an enviable – even aggressive – look.

courtesy: www.infinitiusa.com

2017 INFINITI Q60 Coupe

2017 INFINITI Q60 Coupe

Design That Knows No Bounds

Daring curves, deep creases, and flowing lines intensify Q60’s low, wide, powerful stance. Signature elements like eye-inspired headlights and a double-arch grille make it unmistakably INFINITI. Progressive and modern, yet dynamic and moving, this is a new kind of sports coupe.

An Elevated Design Expression

The dynamic proportions make a purpose-built statement. Low enough to stick to the ground. Wide enough to deliver greater stability. With a low hood height for an unobstructed view of the road so you truly feel connected to everything around you.

See Farther

Eye-inspired LED headlights give a provocative stare that can be seen from both the front and side. The optional Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS) improves visibility at intersections and around curves by sensing your steering and turning the headlights. Together with LED auto-leveling headlights, AFS helps you see not just ahead, but around as well.

Stability At High Speeds

Q60 features a front and rear “Zero Lift” design that helps keep the vehicle stable at high speeds (It helps keep the vehicle from lifting at high speeds, which can make changes to the vehicle’s stability and steering). It also helps keep the vehicle more stable in cross-wind situations.

Easy Entry. Easy Exit.

Every time you get in, you’ll appreciate the flexible doorstop that can hold open in most any position. No more door springing back on you, trying to close. Your foot, now free, doesn’t need to brace the door.

A Body Of Art Crafted Expressly For You

The moment you enter, you will understand what true craftsmanship is. You can choose between available features like dark wood trim, black carbon fiber trim or silver optic fiber trim. Tailored to accentuate the human form, the cabin celebrates the driver with bold thinking and fine modern materials.

Tailored And Accented

Craftsmanship is obvious in the laser-cut holes, which permit tighter stitching and more dynamic free-flowing shapes.

Exquisite Comfort

Crafted to blend comfort with science, the all-new driver’s seat performs on a higher design level. Feel the sport-inspired difference. Deep bolsters and an integrated headrest hold you securely in place. While zero gravity research led to a form and cushioning seat design that helps reduce fatigue on long drives.

Natural Grip

Your hands move in unique ways and a steering wheel should reflect that. This one does. Sport-inspired thumb grips and paddle shifters are just the right shape for performance driving.

You Can Hear It Here First

The available new Bose® Performance Series Audio System with Advanced Staging Technology makes its worldwide debut in the all-new INFINITI Q60. The genuine metal and aluminum speaker grilles offer a touch of style and craftsmanship to the interior while visually differentiating the upgraded audio system. You’ll experience true concert-like sound through speakers that create a wider soundstage.

Visual Reward

With Fine Vision electroluminescent gauges, see how quickly the needle moves under any lighting condition. The contrast delivers information clearly, helping to improve visibility at a glance.

Accelerate Your Potential And Performance

This is power through innovation, where the forces of advanced technology blow past limits. Three turbo engines, including a first-ever INFINITI twin-turbo, culminate in jaw-dropping performance.

It’s Not Just A Car, It’s An Experience.

It all begins with the available twin-turbo V6 that can put up to 400 horsepower on the road. It’s a lot of power, and INFINITI has developed some cutting-edge technologies that let you harness all of it.

ALL-NEW 3.0-LITER V6 TWIN-TURBO 400-HP ENGINE

With the new V6 twin-turbo, torque builds quickly and power pours out like an endless flood. Acceleration is instant and feels limitless. Gasoline Direct Injection, water-cooled air charging, a turbo speed sensor and advanced turbine blade design make for quicker response and a higher peak.

ALL-NEW 3.0-LITER V6 TWIN-TURBO 300-HP ENGINE

Tap into 300-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, faster than you ever imagined. A variant of the new V6, it propels you beyond measure, courtesy of a lightweight aluminum engine, friction-reducing technologies, plus new cooling and valve timing systems.

ALL-NEW 2.0-LITER I4 TURBOCHARGED ENGINE

Feel the rush of a turbo. Experience the fuel economy of a four-cylinder. With optimal power and efficiency, you glide forward confidently. The turbo spools quickly to produce 208 hp at 5,500 rpm and outputs a stirring 258 lb-ft of torque.

Handle With Instant Adaptability

The all-new Q60 recalibrates the balance between comfort and performance into something revolutionary. Change from comfort-biased to dynamic ride with the push of a button and release a highly personal and responsive experience. Without you doing a thing, the system continually adjusts to corners and road imperfections. It all happens digitally.

It Puts the Future of Driving in Your Hands

After many years of research and development, Q60’s optional Second-generation Direct Adaptive Steering® is here to revolutionize how we drive. This system digitally and instantaneously transmits your steering input directly to the wheels, without a mechanical connection. Its digital processing power lets you steer quicker and smoother than you ever imagined. When you are driving on rough or uneven roads, the system is constantly, automatically making subtle adjustments to give you an increased feeling of stability, while decreasing feedback and vibration through the steering wheel.

Choose Your Drive

With up to 336 customizable driver settings, the INFINITI Drive Mode Selector takes performance and control to a more refined level. Select between Standard, Snow, ECO, Sport, Sport+ and Personal modes. Then further tailor your drive by tuning steering, engine and suspension inputs. The result is one that suits the moment and more importantly, can be personalized exactly to your liking. Expand your experience beyond road conditions and preset factory settings.

Monitor Your Surroundings

INFINITI’s innovative Forward Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection not only measures the distance between you and the vehicle in front of you as well as the speed of both vehicles – it now also may help detect pedestrians, helping the driver identify a potential collision. The system works by providing an audible and visual warning. If the brakes are not engaged, they will be partially applied, even fully braking if necessary.

Maintain Your Lane

With this optional feature, if you move toward an occupied lane, the steering wheel vibrates. A brief steering input will also be provided to help guide your all-new Q60 back to your current driving lane.

Heightened Awareness

The optional Around View® Monitor [*], delivers advanced yet intuitive technology, helping to make parking easier. Four cameras positioned around the vehicle give you a virtual 360° bird’s eye view on your display. INFINITI has now enhanced the system with Moving Object Detection — alerting the driver to moving objects detected within the display image. Offering a new perspective of the world around you, your INFINITI helps you navigate even the tightest spaces.

Safety Beyond What You See

INFINITI’s available Blind Spot Warning System helps alert the driver to vehicles detected in the blind spot area. An indicator light illuminates if the presence of another vehicle is detected in the blind spot area. If the driver engages the turn signal, the indicator flashes and an audible warning sounds.

In Touch With Your Connected World

Your life is always moving, and the available INFINITI InTouch™ seamlessly brings your world into your car. Stay ahead and connected with text, your calendar, navigation and music. INFINITI InTouch™ makes your world flow.

courtesy: www.infinitiusa.com