DETROIT – A blend of Formula One inspiration and high performance is the impetus behind the Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge concept, which was unveiled Tuesday at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
According to Infiniti, the concept represents the luxury line’s “design vision of a high-performance variant of Q50.” Called the Eau Rouge, the car is named after the infamous corner at the Spa-Francorchamps F1 race circuit in Belgium.
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The fast-looking and very red Q50 Eau Rouge features aerodynamic styling treatments and design elements that Infiniti says are influenced by its partnership with the Red Bull Racing F1 team. Highlights include a deep carbon-fibre front splitter, rear diffuser and side sill skirts, carbon-fibre roof and door mirror casings, 21-inch lightweight forged alloy wheels and a dual-exit exhaust system below a large integrated rear spoiler.
The Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge is unveiled during a press preview at the North American International Auto Show
Brian Harper, Driving
“The design has a number of distinctive Formula One inspired touches. In particular, the sculpted front wing assembly and the rear aerodynamic packaging take their cues from the [Red Bull] RB9 race car,” says Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti’s executive design director.
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“Performance is a key pillar of Infiniti’s DNA,” adds Albaisa. “And this car expresses a deepened design interpretation of that. The Q50, with an abundance of technologies, provides a great basis for an extreme performance version, embodied in the design of Q50 Eau Rouge.”
The Infiniti Q50. The Montreal Show runs from Jan. 17-26
Paul Sancya, AP Photo
“If we built this car I would expect it to feature over 500 horsepower,” says Johan de Nysschen, president of Infiniti Motor Company, adding that, if was solely up to him, the Eau Rouge would go into production.
“Through our various alliance partners we have access to a range of engines featuring this performance capability, which, with a fair amount of engineering effort, can be developed to exhibit Infiniti character and accommodated within the Q50 engine bay,” de Nysschen says.
“I think our engineers have been waiting for a project like this.”
