The humpbacked Panamera sells well because it’s a Porsche and does all of the technical stuff so brilliantly that you end up overlooking the bulbous yet shapeless rear end – you said the facelift didn’t cure its image problem. Now, Infiniti is looking to grab a small slice of its pie with a different yet competing model that could see the production line around 2017 to 2018.
UK magazine Autocar says it won’t be officially aimed as a direct rival, and even the Infiniti CEO, Johann de Nysschen, is fully aware that they would be going nowhere if they aimed straight for taking down the established colossi, without building up a solid range (and stable, positive world-wide reputation) first.
The Japanese brand’s plan is to have a uniquely styled machine that’s “appealing and different,” yet it will also have to make its flagship status in the range clear. A Daimler-sourced platform is quite probable.
Another top-end vehicle that might be produced is a mid-engined hybrid supercar inspired by the Emerg-E Concept that was shown in a working form following the release of a static concept However, Nissan and Infiniti CEO Andy Palmer told the publication that it has not yet received the green light.
“We don’t want to get too far from the centre of gravity of the brand,” said Palmer. “We have the [mid-engined] halo car in the plan, but it is not signed off yet. Sales of saloons such as the Q50 and SUVs like the QX60 will have to be going well, and then I can go to our approval committee.”
The Mercedes-Benz SLK and BMW Z4 roadster are also apparently models currently on the minds of Infiniti execs, but their interpretation of a rival will have to wait until after 2020, when the current product offensive that includes the Panamera rival ends.
The report also mentions another model that could make it into series production before 2020, a new seven-seater SUV – I just hope they get the aesthetics on that one, because their current three-row offering I think is down there with the SsangYong Rodius in terms of visual appeal (that would be the Infiniti JX).
By Andrei Nedelea
Note: Infiniti Emerg-E Concept pictured in the gallery
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