Infiniti Goes Black With Q60 Project Black S: Comments

[William Maley]

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Infiniti has a habit of teasing high-performance concepts and then not doing anything with them. This trend looks to continue with the Q60 Project Black S that will be debuting next week at the Geneva Motor Show. 

The concept is the result of a collaboration between Infiniti and the Renault Sport Formula 1 team. Starting with an Infiniti Q60 Red Sport as a base, engineers from the two groups paired the twin-turbo 3.0L V6 with an F1-style KERS (kinetic energy recover system) motor generator. Infiniti says this setup boosts horsepower about 25 percent (around 500 horsepower).

For the exterior, Infiniti fitted a new front splitter, side skirts, and rear diffuser made from carbon fiber. There is also a large rear wing and a set of twin titanium exhaust tips.

"INFINITI is the premium car manufacturer within the Renault-Nissan Alliance, and a technical partner to the Renault Sport Formula One Team, so it is natural that we come together to explore the possibility of bringing innovative high-performance hybrid technology to our customers. INFINITI has constantly led the way in making innovative new powertrain technology available, and we're extremely excited by the potential of Project Black S," said Roland Krueger, President of Infiniti in a statement.

We'll have more details on this next week.

Source: Car Magazine, Infiniti 
Press Release is on Page 2

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Introducing Project Black S – an exploration of a new INFINITI high-performance model line

• Collaborative venture between INFINITI and the RenaultSport Formula One Team
• INFINITI investigating Formula One-inspired performance hybrid technology
• Project Black S explores the potential for an innovative new performance model line

HONG KONG – Featuring Formula One-inspired technology, Project Black S is an exploration of a new INFINITI high-performance model line. Developed in collaboration with the RenaultSport Formula One Team, Project Black S will be revealed for the first time globally at a special media event on the eve of the Geneva International Motor Show.

A radical reinterpretation of the Q60 coupe, Project Black S features a stand-out, aerodynamic design, and hints at how a unique-for-the-road performance hybrid powertrain could significantly enhance the dynamics of an INFINITI production car.

"INFINITI is the premium car manufacturer within the Renault-Nissan Alliance, and a technical partner to the Renault Sport Formula One Team, so it is natural that we come together to explore the possibility of bringing innovative high-performance hybrid technology to our customers. INFINITI has constantly led the way in making innovative new powertrain technology available, and we're extremely excited by the potential of Project Black S."
- Roland Krueger, President of INFINITI

The performance hybrid powertrain being explored through Project Black S features an 'energy recovery system' (ERS) to harvest energy, deploying recovered electric power to boost power and torque. The result is instant, significant, lag-free acceleration. Inspired by the dual-hybrid system proven in Formula One, the technology does not yet exist in a current road car.

The reveal of Project Black S in Geneva will help to gauge potential public interest in high-performance derivatives of INFINITI cars.

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[smk4565]

While they do need a 500 hp version of the Q60 to compete with C63, Jag XE and Alfa Romeo, they also need some other performance products.  And Infiniti is lazy in some areas, like their version of the Pathfinder has the Nissan 3.5 liter V6, not the Infiniti 3.7 liter V6, or one of the new turbo V6s.  The Q70 seems like it has been on market forever with no update.  So good to see them bringing a new 500 hp V6 hybrid, I think powertrains like this are the future, and I know they want to tie it to F1, but no way could they put an F1 KERS system on a Q60 it would be too expensive.