Infiniti Eyes “True Performance” Cars That Rival BMW M and Mercedes-AMG

Infiniti wants a piece of the performance pie
Over its three-decade history, Nissan’s luxury arm, Infiniti, has been known by fans and enthusiasts alike for releasing some subtly sporty models, including the Z-derived G35 and G37 coupes and sedans, as well as the FX-series of crossover SUVs.

Although the Infiniti brand has spent the last few years in the shadows of the current luxury car market while Nissan experienced a massive operational dilemma, officials at the brand say that it is ready to launch an ambitious new initiative to help bring customers back into its dealerships. Per a new report by Automotive News, Nissan officials, including America’s product planning chief, Ponz Pandikuthira, said that the company intends to build a “true performance” car, specifically one that is formidable enough to go against models like BMW’s M division and Mercedes-AMG.

According to him, competing in this segment will task Infiniti with delivering a car with a delicate balance of power and refinement, noting that its customers “want ultimate performance but don’t want to compromise on luxury, quietness and fine design.”

In the same interview, Nissan Americas Chairman Christian Meunier said that providing prospective buyers with a portfolio of low-production, high-performance cars could help Infiniti do something that he recognizes it hasn’t done in a while: drive excitement towards the brand. He acknowledges that creating desirable “halo cars” could be the bait that could bring buyers into dealerships. “It’s about creating a halo; something that people aspire toward,” Meunier said. “You want to have a product that is the best in class, especially in the premium segment.”

A faster QX80, anyone?
Infiniti’s new high-performance venture seeks to develop hot variants of the brand’s current and future models, namely the big QX80 SUV, as well as the planned Q50S sedan and QX65 crossover. The Japanese luxury brand is reportedly in an advanced planning stage and is collaborating with Nissan’s storied Nismo motorsports division to develop these low-volume, high-performance models.

Infiniti will leverage Nissan’s extensive engine portfolio to create these high-horsepower beasts; however, Infiniti Americas Vice President Tiago Castro told Autonews that they seek to deliver “true performance,” and not under-the-hood upgrades that add a few horsepower over the stock versions of the cars, which he recognizes as a tall order. “It’s easy just to do another 20 hp, but how do you deliver 50 percent more horsepower with reliability?” Castro said.

Infiniti’s plans aren’t a complete shot in the dark. It first showcased its performance potential in August, when it revealed the Infiniti QX80 Track Spec, a concept SUV that was displayed at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance during Monterey Car Week. According to Infiniti, the Track Spec uses the same twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 engine as the “normal QX80,” though it makes 650 horsepower, or about 50% more output.

According to Infiniti, its engineers achieved these numbers without doing much internal engine work like replacing camshafts, rods, or pistons; the only mods it did were installing a new turbocharger system and a bigger intercooler, bigger fuel injectors, a ram air intake, and a new freer-flowing exhaust. “We discussed strengthening internal components to sustain the additional power that we’re putting through the vehicle,” Castro said.

Infiniti tried this nearly 15 years ago
Despite this being a potentially exciting new venture, this isn’t exactly Infiniti’s first rodeo with a high-performance line. From 2010 to 2014, Infiniti produced the aptly named Infiniti Performance Line, a short-lived venture that, at the time, it said was aimed “to push the premium performance envelope for INFINITI buyers seeking a higher level of exclusivity and driving exhilaration.”

The lone vehicle in the IPL portfolio was the IPL G Coupe and convertible, an upgraded version of the G37 that featured revised suspension, steering, brakes, new front and rear bumpers, side skirts, a rear spoiler, and an exclusive set of 19-inch wheels wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza RE050A performance rubber.

In addition, the ECU of the G37’s VQ37HR 3.7-liter V6 engine was recalibrated to adjust its redline to 7,400 rpm, and fitted with an IPL-exclusive high-flow exhaust, which was designed to increase exhaust flow and “provide an appropriate performance exhaust note.” As a result of these changes, the IPL G Coupe gained 18 horsepower and six lb-ft of torque for a total of 348 horsepower and 276 lb-ft of torque. Although this model is in its past, Infiniti Americas Vice President Tiago Castro noted that this is not what they’re going for.

“IPL launched with the same vision, but then the car had only 18 hp more,” Castro told AutoNews. “What I don’t want to do is exactly that.”

Final thoughts
According to Autonews, Nissan Americas’ product planning chief, Ponz Pandikuthira, stated that the supply of these limited-edition, high-performance variants will be capped at just 1,000 cars over a two-year production run, or about 500 per year, noting that “Exclusivity is what buyers in this segment crave.”