While Infiniti’s proposed ‘Eau Rouge‘ range of performance models never eventuated, the company has confirmed that it will simply apply an ‘S’ badge to its performance vehicles.
During discussions with Auto Express, Infiniti president Roland Krueger said “There is a little red S on the Q60, and you will find it going forward on all our performance vehicles.”
The Q60S makes use of a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine delivering 400 hp and promises to be an alternative to the BMW M4. At the same time, the Q50S should hit the market, then providing the company with a rival to the four-door M3.
Further down the road, Infiniti’s new QX50 SUV could also receive an S badged derivative although it isn’t clear what engine may power such a model.
To differentiate different S-branded models, Infiniti will use a silver-colored S for those with simple performance and visual modifications while a blue S will be featured on those powered by a punchy hybrid powertrain. The red S will adorn all other models. In the coming years, things may extend beyond the S name, including more hardcore and track-focused cars.
“This is a more subtle approach,” Krueger said. “It is connected to the engine performance and suspension. Given the resources we have it is the right thing to do. We will establish these models first and then take the next step. We are aware what other brands are doing [AMG and M].”
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