When you look at Infiniti's current lineup today, it has been reduced to just three luxury SUVs, from the huge QX80 to the sleek QX60 crossover. Infiniti has completely embraced its status as a luxury brand and has leaned into the SUV market, which is the hottest segment in the automotive industry. This is what's best for business, but it's a far cry from Infiniti's golden era between 2000 and 2010.During those times, Infiniti wasn't just a luxury brand, it was an industry disruptor. It had cars like the G35 and G37, which were among the best sports cars in the world. The FX45 was a V8-powered SUV that drove similar to sports cars. In this era, Infiniti made great driving cars that were fast, loud, and had good styling. As the 2010s progressed, the cars became dull, but engineers were already working on a replacement for the iconic G35 and G37 sports cars that would have destroyed the competition. Infiniti Tried To Build Its Own GT-R Nissan USA. In the world of Japanese performance cars, there is one name that reigns supreme above all, and that is the Nissan GT-R. Godzilla has spent decades at the top of the JDM performance charts, beating supercars twice its price. It used the same formula over and over again, with improvements for each new generation, with its legendary twin-turbo V6 and all-wheel-drive system. For years, the GT-R was the undisputed halo car for Infiniti and the benchmark of Japanese performance, but it seemed a new replacement was incoming.Around 2017, sister brand Infiniti realized that there could be space to create a more sophisticated car that could steal the crown from the GT-R. It wasn't going to be an easy task, but this new car was going to be even more advanced than the GT-R. It was so ambitious that the Infiniti team was going to use Formula 1 tech to achieve this goal. Project Black S Would Have Changed Infiniti Infiniti Infiniti already had a car that would be the perfect base for this project, and it was the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400. This was a very attractive coupe with a twin-turbo V6 that made 400 horsepower and already had all the elements needed to turn it into a world-class sports car. But when the prototype was shown, the beautiful Q60 had been transformed into the Project Black S, which looked like a vehicle that could easily fit into Batman's garage. It was matte black with yellow accents to signify this was not your standard Infiniti. It also had some exterior changes.It didn't just have a body kit slapped on it for appearance purposes, it all served a purpose. Most of it served as aero for the car with the functional vents, side skirts, diffuser, and wing. This was a collaborative effort with the Renault Sport Formula One Team. At the time, Infiniti was a major technical partner in F1, and they decided to use that partnership to do something no other luxury brand had done. The plan was to build a hybrid sports car with F1 technology. The team already had test mules running around to show Infiniti meant business. The Crazy Tech Behind This Project Infiniti The technology behind this car was crazy and complex. While most hybrids were originally made to save fuel, this one followed in the footsteps of the Holy Trinity and used it for performance. As previously mentioned, the engine was a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 that made a healthy 400 horsepower. This would be boosted by adding three electric motors. Each one added power but also had different functions:MGU-K (Kinetic): This acted as Regen by using energy from the brakes to charge up the car like a standard hybrid. MGU-H (Heat): Two of these are attached to the turbochargers and help eliminate any form of turbo lag. This meant the car was making sure no form of energy generated from heat was lost while going fast or slowing down. It was a brilliant way of making use of this tech in a road car. It made the car more complex, but it would definitely make the car faster. Performance That Could Rival The GT-R InfinitiThe Nissan GT-R was a car that was on par with most supercars in terms of performance, so the Infiniti Project Black S had to match or exceed the GT-R's power output to even stand a chance. With its hybrid system and twin-turbo V6, it was projected to make 563 hp. The GT-R had a bigger V6 engine and lots of boost to make its own power; the Infiniti would use hybrid tech to do the same.Since the Black S was still a prototype, full information on its powertrain output wasn't readily made available. But on paper, it would be very close between both cars, as the GT-R was a launch monster due to its sophisticated all-wheel-drive system. But if the Black S made more torque, then this race would be very close. The hybrid tech should also give it more pulling power and in-gear acceleration, making sure it would keep on pulling when the GT-R started running out of steam. This wouldn't be a car the GT-R would beat so easily. Why It Never Made Production Infiniti Despite the hype and the functional prototypes, the Project Black S was ultimately shelved in 2021. There were a host of things that came together to ensure this project wouldn't make it to production.Cost and Complexity: The F1-derived hybrid system was very expensive to manufacture, and due to its complexity, it would be even harder to maintain. Bringing this tech to consumers meant it would be very expensive and would easily approach an MSRP of $150,000. This was the base of the second gen Acura NSX and even the final GTRs were at $200,000. This price would be a tough sell for a sports car with an Infiniti badge. Shifting Brand Direction: The parent company, Nissan, is a volume maker, so company resources were shifted towards building SUVs and EVs. Decline in Coupes: Globally, luxury buyers weren't interested in two-door coupes, so bringing a high-end coupe to a market obsessed with crossovers was a huge gamble. Executive Change: Roland Krueger, the Infiniti President who was in favor of this project left for Dyson. Without its primary supporter, there was no one to make sure the Project Black S would make it to production. What This Could Have Done For Infiniti InfinitiIf the Project Black S had made it to production, it would have been like the "LFA Moment". That car wasn't a financial success for Lexus, but a Halo car like that showed what was possible when a brand decides to build the best car possible. The Lexus LFA has influenced subsequent models in design and engineering. The Project Black S would have done the same. It would have served as a halo car for the brand, similar to what the GT-R has been doing for Nissan for decades. Infiniti Just Makes Luxury SUVs Now INFINITI Today, Infiniti has completely dropped enthusiast cars in favor of SUVs and crossovers. It is a brand that now builds handsome, comfortable luxury SUVs that serve the masses. They are excellent vehicles for their intended purpose but do not appeal to enthusiasts in any way. Meanwhile, parent company Nissan gave us a new Z with plans to revive the GT-R. The last sports car from Infiniti was the Q60 in 2022 with no plans to even attempt to make a follow-up. If they had gone ahead with the Black S, it would definitely be a car that would still be on our lips.Sources: Infiniti, Nissan.
