Nissan considering Infiniti GT-R

[350Zed]

Autoblog Posted Feb 11th 2008 10:29AM:

Back in April '06, we reported on the disappointment expressed by Infiniti dealers over the decision to make the new GT-R exclusively a Nissan. But retailers of the company's premium brand, now branching out of North America and into markets in Asia and Europe, may have their prayers answered as Nissan considers creating an Infiniti derivative of the supercar.
The report comes from an interview with Nissan's design guru Shiro Nakamura in the January issue of Britain's Car magazine. "We have developed the platform and the transaxle powertrain – an Infiniti version is a future possibility," says Nakamura. "I have not done a study yet, but we are thinking about it." Promising words, though hardly the kind of confirmation dealers can bank on at this point, especially ones in the U.S. But with Infiniti dealers worldwide split over the direction of a potential new Q sedan, a GT-R derivative could do wonders as the brand's new flagship model, positioned above the G37 coupe, which is sold in Japan as the Nissan Skyline.



Source:
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/11/n...infiniti-gt-r/

[dec55]

Just slap a twin turbo on a Infiniti...G35 TTs will be enough to satisfy most folks.

Thanks for the article..

[RBull]

Wouldn't surprise me if that happens.

[IvoryGT]

same article i was going to post.

nice find. good to know and I really question where they going to get the body now they have already developed a GT-R. Maybe a REAL SKYLINE GT-R?!

[350Zed]

Originally Posted by IvoryGT

same article i was going to post.

nice find. good to know and I really question where they going to get the body now they have already developed a GT-R. Maybe a REAL SKYLINE GT-R?!

I would bet that they do some simple badge-engineering here, i.e., increase production of the existing Nissan GT-R, and simply offer the same car with a more luxury-oriented options package.

[SDGeneralCounsel]

Originally Posted by dec55

Just slap a twin turbo on a Infiniti...G35 TTs will be enough to satisfy most folks.

Thanks for the article..

Exactly Give us the Skyline GT-T!!!!

[dofu]

Four door GT-R renamed as the new Q?

[hskhan]

Dofu seems about right - what if it's a coupe sedan? To compete with the Merc CLS?

Some guys on japancarblog.com have even got some possible renders of what the car might look like.

http://japancarblog.com/2008/02/niss...-infiniti-gtr/

[sliderg35]

Ouch! - that Q version sure takes the "R" out of GT-R.

[chinabean]

hideous. the rear is just ugh... the front is like ehhh..but thats like molesting it big time

[dofu]

I kinda like the new four door the way it is in that rendering... It definitely looks better than the new G35 or G37. But then again, the new G's looked good in the renderings too...

[Sportcoupe35]

the GT-R seems pretty damn luxurious inside as it is. Leather looks top notch and the materials look great too. Other than little things like climate controlled seats, radar guided cruise control and stuff....the interior doesn't need much.

As awesome as it would be to have a GTR Infiniti, I don't to see Infiniti sharing cars with Nissan again. I like how the G35, G37, FX, and EX although looking similar are different cars from their Nissan siblings. The QX is pretty much a rebadged Armada.

[jaspergtr]

agreed there are amenities inside, not luxury, but a lot of convenient items.

the radar guided cruise control needs to stay out (or have an off default w/a seperate button to engage). that thing annoyed the crap out of me!

regarding the qx, there are many, many more standard features in the qx than the armada, and some options that aren't even available (i can't talk my wife into getting the armada, she wants the qx). although the chassis is identical, the qx suspension is quite different, and offers ride quality far beyond what an armada has.

[350Zed]

Originally Posted by hskhan

Dofu seems about right - what if it's a coupe sedan? To compete with the Merc CLS?

Some guys on japancarblog.com have even got some possible renders of what the car might look like.

http://japancarblog.com/2008/02/niss...-infiniti-gtr/

This looks like more unsubstantiated Japanese car rag BS to me.

The rumor mill has the future Q coming back as a BMW 7 series fighter, not a shot at the likes of the BMW M5 or the Maseratti Quatrroporte, as the above picture implies.

Source: leftlanenews

Nissan's premium Infiniti brand remains without a flagship model following the demise of the Q45 in 2006. The full-size car was positioned against the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes S-Class. While Nissan's top executives are undecided on building a new Q, Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn is said to be warming up to the idea.

While the CEO is still "not convinced" Infiniti needs a new 7-Series-fighter, Mark Igo, Infiniti North America vice president and general manager, told Automotive News he thinks Ghosn is starting to "feel pretty good about it."
Mr. Igo said he is certain a new Q would help boost Infiniti's image, so he — along with many dealers — is pushing the company for a new range-topper.