- Four-door full-size fastback with "4x1" seating
- Aluminum and carbon composite bodywork features romantic, artisan flair and intricate detailing
- Portal-style doors reveal cocooning, uncluttered interior space
HONG KONG – Romance in automotive form is back.
The INFINITI Q80 Inspiration draws attention with its extraordinary presence.
At five meters long and two meters wide, this is a full-size concept vision of a range-topping INFINITI. Organic forms and poetic artisan design converge with the latest composite materials, while portal-style doors invite a cocooning "4x1" seating experience with a full spectrum of leather finishes, Alcantara and metalwork, clutter giving way to peaceful expanses.
"Q80 Inspiration truly disrupts the class norm and has the power to excite like no INFINITI design before it," said Alfonso Albaisa, INFINITI Executive Design Director.
"This is our most premium, progressive and stirring concept yet. Seeing this vast and imposing car for the first time can suck the air from your lungs. Like a blow to the stomach. Q80 is currently the highest number in the INFINITI range – the halo, the icon, the very nucleus of our road cars. As such it is justifiably grand in every aspect."
From first sketches some 15 months ago to the final vision now shown, the INFINITI Q80 Inspiration was always destined to push the very top tier of motoring experiences into new realms of artisan craftsmanship, borne on cutting edge technology.
"Long and sleek, fastback in silhouette, the Q80 Inspiration delivers feminine elegance and muscular menace in well-matched measure, and an inner space that not only cocoons and engages the driver, it celebrates the rear seat guests, too," explained Albaisa. "This interior makes a strong statement in romantic luxury."
The INFINITI Q80 Inspiration kindles admiration. Full-size in both width (2010mm/79.1 inches) and length (5060mm/199.2 inches), yet just 1340mm/52.8 inches at its highest roof contour, the Q80 is grand sedan-like in exterior and interior dimension, yet a svelte, rear-canted fastback in its tip-to-tail relief.
Organic, active and aerodynamic front grille
Framing the INFINITI emblem is a full-scale, chrome-edged front grille that innovatively blends dramatic style, cooling and aerodynamics. Organic and three-dimensional, like the pulsing gills of a cruising whale, at town speeds the gills part to flow air into the engine, sealing again as the road opens to direct air over the wide, curving hood.
Once rolling across the hood, the cool air "drags" hot engine bay air out of slender, finely meshed, full length hood vents. The eye may observe these vents as attractive style lines, but they too cool a turbocharger each.
The intricate manufacturing details employed in the front grille set the tone for what is INFINITI's bravest, most striking concept car yet.
The eyes have it: the next generation of intelligent LED headlighting
Branching gracefully up and away from the expansive front grille are a pair of intelligent LED headlights. Inspired by INFINITI's signature human eye, set with an accusing stare and widely dilated pupils, it is the exterior framing that emits the bright white LED light.
Each powerful LED is independently controlled for brightness, and in some cases direction, to illuminate the way ahead in the most efficient and revealing manner.
Linked to the car's satellite navigation system, these headlights already understand what road contours await and automatically concentrate and adjust brightness for best effect – showing consistent, white light to those onboard, greatly reducing travel fatigue.
C-pillars of creativity: design touches deepened into functional elements
Crescent-cut C-pillars are an INFINITI design hallmark, and for Q80 Inspiration they take a dramatic starring role for form and function – not only as leading flourishes for the powerfully sculptured flanks of the concept, but also as cool air intakes for the hybrid boost battery pack.
As the slender side glass drops, the C-pillars are all the more arresting, standing proudly solo above those wide rear arches, chrome-trimmed and abruptly forward-facing, in an overall body form that is so sleekly rearward flowing.
Portal-style doors: the gateway to an intricate artisan interior
Opening triumphantly wide, the INFINITIportal-style doors reveal the luxury, glamour and understated verve of the very finest of INFINITI inner spaces.
The sense of interior occasion starts here.
The front door has a traditional front-edge hinge and the rear door a rear-edge hinge, making ingress and egress gracefully simple, framing the side view of the crafted leather and metal romance with the seductive arc of the car's roofline.
Four passengers with an equal share
The driver of the INFINITI Q80 Inspiration is engaged and enveloped by technology and luxury – the best seat in the cabin for those who love to drive. The three other passengers in the car are equally celebrated.
To coin a fresh phrase for this segment-defining new concept, the "4x1" interior brings everything to everyone onboard, when and how they want it. Configurable, borderless and human-centric.
Minimal physical interfaces fall effortlessly to the driver's fingers. A flat-bottomed, pistol-gripped steering wheel invites interaction via thumb controls – the only switches needed – while an elegant billet controller operates the automatic gearbox on the driver's right side, mounted on the curving full length center piece.
Each bucket-style seat stands alone, quilted and body-molding, while the softest of Alcantara suede couples that cushioned quilting with thick, high-texture saddle leather for a rich feast of sight, scent and touch.
Buttons and dials make way for smooth, leather-wrapped surfaces that stretch uninterrupted from door to door. The technology is there but it is on demand, unseen until requested.
For the driver, the HUD (head-up display) projects crisply onto the eye-line of the windscreen the critical information of their choosing, augmented for that driver with assisting and enhancing autonomy, again at their chosen level. A small, personal touch screen for all seats is a borderless gateway to the Q80 Inspiration's technology, conveying personal data and environmental information.
Cutting edge technology complements the beauty of physical detailing elsewhere inside the INFINITI Q80 Inspiration.
Minutely laser milled aluminum satin surfaces and trim pieces please the eye and the fingertips, while horse hair in the front row carpet adds to the lushness. The soft leather in some areas is specially stiffened to give it a mosaic look and feel.
Micro-stenciling is applied to the surface of the speaker cones to better channel and project the music sound around the cabin. The exhaust sports the same acoustic enhancement.
Futuristic INFINITI design looks forward to fruition
This INFINITI concept car will inspire dreams of delightful road-trip getaways. Incredible as it may look, the Q80 Inspiration is a thoughtful vehicle with forward-looking technology and efficient high performance objectives. Pushing the boundaries, INFINITI Q80 Inspiration is designed for the ultimate in driving enjoyment.
About INFINITI
INFINITI Motor Company Ltd. is headquartered in Hong Kong with sales operations in over 50 countries. The INFINITI brand was launched in 1989. Its range of premium automobiles is currently built in manufacturing facilities in Japan and the United States. Production in China and the UK will start soon along with the expansion of the brand's portfolio. INFINITI plans to also expand manufacturing into Mexico by 2017.
As the Title Partner and Vehicle Performance Partner of INFINITI Red Bull Racing, INFINITI has a far-reaching technical collaboration with the Formula One team, and Sebastian Vettel, its four-time World Champion driver, serves as INFINITI's Director of Performance.
More information about INFINITI and its industry leading technologies can be found at www.infiniti.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
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Contacts:
For INFINITI U.S. Communications, contact:
Nick Twork
Director Corporate Communications
INFINITI Americas
(615) 725-4038
nick.twork@infiniti.com
Kyle Bazemore
Senior Manager
INFINITI USA Communications
(615) 725-3210
kyle.bazemore@infiniti.com
For INFINITI Global Communications, contact:
Matthew Davis
Director, INFINITI Global Communications
INFINITI Motor Company Ltd., Hong Kong
Phone: +852 3948 0127
Mobile: +852 9542 1711
Email: matthew.davis@infiniti.com
Jon Walsh
Senior Manager, INFINITI Global Communications
INFINITI Motor Company Ltd., Hong Kong
Phone: +852 3948 0129
Mobile: +852 9447 9705
Email: jon.walsh@infiniti.com
