- 1. Q50 Eau Rouge
- 2. Emerg-E
- 3. Vision Gran Turismo
- 4. Q60 Black S
- 5. QX Inspiration
- 6. Qs Inspiration
And chances are they never will.
Read in this article:
- Q50 Eau Rouge
- Emerg-E
- Vision Gran Turismo
- Q60 Black S
- QX Inspiration
- Qs Inspiration
Throughout the brand's short existence, there have been many Infiniti concept vehicles that remain only concepts. Despite hints to the media that some could make production, the best concepts have yet to do so. And that's a terrible shame. Infiniti's attempts at being the “Zen” brand have failed, allowing its South Korean luxury rival, Genesis, to assume that role instead.
Genesis has executed that mission tremendously well, leaving Infiniti to wonder where the heck it went wrong. Its parent company, Nissan, simply didn't know how to give Infiniti an identity. Infiniti's loss is Genesis's gain.
Infiniti will reportedly launch its first all-electric model in 2025, but it may already be too late by then. There could be a whole discussion about where Infiniti went wrong, but we'll save that for another time.
Right now, we want to explore six of the best past Infiniti concept cars with so much promise whose fires have been permanently extinguished. Every one of these could have helped Infiniti reach its full potential.
1. Q50 Eau Rouge
We're still not over this one and probably never will be. The Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge debuted at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show. Based on the Q50 sedan, the Eau Rouge was a 500-horsepower and 600-lb-ft of torque luxury muscle sedan aimed directly at the likes of the BMW M5.
A heavily revised 3.7-liter twin-turbo V6 from the Nissan GT-R was under its hood. Infiniti claimed almost every exterior panel was bespoke, with only the front doors and the arch of the roof pillars retained from the regular Q50. Some additional upgrades included 21-inch alloys, dual-exhaust, carbon-fiber wing mirrors, and a rear brake light borrowed from Red Bull's RB9 Formula One car. Additional F1 nods came from the sculpted front wing and rear aerodynamics package. Meanwhile, the interior boasted a high-grip sports steering wheel, F1-inspired paddle shifters, red carbon-fiber trim, and dark chrome accents.
As the brainchild of then Infiniti president Johan de Nysschen before his move to Cadillac, the Q50 Eau Rouge's production chances were gone when de Nysschen was fired a few years later.
2. Emerg-E
We wouldn't blame you for forgetting about this Infiniti concept. The Emerg-E emerged (sorry, we had to) in 2012 at the Geneva Motor Show as a potential halo model. Infiniti was ahead of the curve because the Emerg-E was electrified. What's more, it had an ideal mid-engine, twin-electric motor setup with a total of 402 hp. Range? Only 30 miles on electricity alone but it had a secret weapon: a three-cylinder combustion engine that served as a range extender.
Design and development took place in Europe as Infiniti was attempting to become a dominant luxury player in that region. Bear in mind Infiniti only went on sale in Europe beginning in 2008, so the Emerg-E was a bold attempt to boost its image. Infiniti left Europe in 2019 due to – you guessed it – dismal sales. And when that happened, any chance of the Emerg-E making production died too.
3. Vision Gran Turismo
There was a time when Infiniti was reportedly considering a supercar halo model, and the Vision GT concept could have been in it. Unlike the above two concepts, the Vision Gran Turismo made the leap from PlayStation 3 to the real world when it was first shown at the 2015 Shanghai Auto Show. The Infiniti concept coupe lacked an engine and other essentials for any production car, but the sleek design could (and should have) been developed into a road-going grand tourer. Even if it had been built in limited numbers, it could have significantly helped Infiniti's standing and provided a rival to the Lexus LC.
Instead, this Infiniti concept was limited to the virtual world through the Gran Turismo 6 video game. Infiniti did have a “production what if” in mind because it had a front mid-ship/trans-axle powertrain design that enabled a 45:55 front/rear weight balance. Combined with under-floor airflow control, front and rear diffusers, and a unique rear spoiler, this concept had so much potential to be something more.
4. Q60 Black S
This is one of our favorites. The death of the Q60 Black S concept continues to break our hearts. Why? Just look at the specs: a 400 hp twin-turbo V6 paired to an F1-inspired dual-hybrid system, at the time a world-first technology. Infiniti actually debuted two versions of this concept, later a prototype, in 2017 and 2018, respectively. It was based on the now-deceased Q60 Coupe, the two-door version of the Q50, and featured heavy doses of carbon fiber body panels finished in a black satin matte lacquer with black and darkened chrome trim. Designers rightly added yellow highlights as a visual link to the Renault Sport F1 team.
Take note of the large front air intakes, front splitter, and rear diffuser. Every exterior component, from the aero blades in the side sills to the aggressive rear spoiler, was designed and engineered for maximum aero efficiency. It wasn't a cheap project, and it died when Infiniti left the European market the following year. This was everything the Q60 Red Sport 400 could have been, but never became.
5. QX Inspiration
This could have been the start of something big. Perhaps it still can. Time will tell. The QX Inspiration all-electric Infiniti concept SUV arrived at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show and, oddly, it had the same name as a previous sedan concept that debuted at the same event the year prior. However, the sedan was not a BEV.
This second concept was a mid-size SUV that picked up where its immediate concept predecessor left off in terms of styling. If, like us, you see hints of the long-gone but not forgotten Infiniti FX crossover, you'd be correct. The luxury brand attempted to capture some of the FX's attitude by blending flowing lines with a cab-rearward silhouette. The best example is the long hood, a direct nod to earlier Infiniti's V6 and V8 engines. The exterior color, called Liquid White, was chosen because it resembled the winter snow that falls on Mount Fuji in Japan. Along with its 22-inch wheels, the QX Inspiration had a lot going for it, and the design still looks great four years later.
6. Qs Inspiration
Want to know what the next-generation Infiniti performance sedan might look like? Here it is. The Qs Inspiration debuted at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show, and it looked far more production-ready than some past concepts. Naturally, this got our hopes up. We should have known better. Four years later, and so far, nothing. The Qs Inspiration, like the QX Inspiration, is all-electric and features an elevated driving position. Instead of opting for the popular four-door coupe design, Infiniti decided to “reinterpret the traditional three-box sedan design.”
It also emphasized the Japanese spatial concept of “Ma,” meaning smooth, muscular spaces between sharp bodywork lines. The smooth front panel's illuminated brand emblem is another highlight. We also really like the short front and rear overhangs, blacked-out A-pillars, and the 22-inch aluminum alloy wheels. So, is this a Q50 successor in the making? We thought so at the time, but now we're in serious doubt. There's still hope, though, as an electric Infiniti sedan will be produced in Mississippi later this decade, meaning of all the Inbfiniti automotive concepts in this feature, this one is the one with the highest likelihood of actually arriving.
Keyword: 6 Stunning Infiniti Concepts That Never Made Production