Infiniti Chief Confirms New 550-HP Super Sedan
BY NELSON IRESON
Infiniti's somewhat oddball (at least at first blush) naming scheme, announced this week, will change everything in its range to either Q- or QX-prefixed models. But whatever the new models are called, you can get behind this idea: A 550-horsepower, forced-induction V-6 in a flagship sedan.
That sedan will be based on what we now know as the M sedan, but it'll likely be named Q80, slotting in just above the future 2014 Q70, which is the current M56.
So why did Johan de Nysschen, Infiniti's new-ish president, make this disclosure? It was an attempt to explain the reasons behind the new naming scheme. As de Nysschen put it, "I'm sure you will agree, it would be a bit odd to have a powerful, luxurious and refined V8 powered Infiniti M56, then position a new high-tech 550+ horsepower performance flagship for the Infiniti M range above it, using a potent charged induction V6, but then call it Infiniti M30, which we would be obliged to do, following our current naming logic."
Fair enough, Johan. That's actually a good argument. Of course, you could have done as the Germans do, and make the displacement aspect of the model name a "virtual" figure for forced-induction engines, a la the BMW 335i, etc. Add forced induction to a 3.0-liter V-6 and call it the M60. Problem solved.
But we're done debating nomenclature; we're just excited to see this XF-fighting super sedan.
As de Nysschen's explanation intimates, the new flagship will have a 3.0-liter V-6 with some sort of forced induction. We'd assume that to be twin turborcharging, a technology the parent company is very familiar with thanks to the Nissan GT-R. Of course, getting 550-plus horsepower out of an engine that displaces 800 cc less than the GT-R's similarly-rated engine might be a bit of a challenge--but that's the implicit statement in the Infiniti chief's words, so we'll take him at face value for now.
Other choice tidbits from de Nysschen's explanation include confirmation of models both above and below the current range of vehicles, indicating the collaboration with Mercedes for a smaller luxury sedan are in full swing.
We'll keep you updated on Infiniti's flagship plans as they develop, as well as any naming considerations, over the coming weeks.
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