CASCAIS, Portugal — At a drive session in Portugal in May, Nissan showed journalists the ultimate teaser. As we entered a design presentation and reception, two full-size side profile motifs protruding out of opposite walls in the auditorium, and hidden behind white sheets, pointed to not just one, but two new sport coupes — the new Z car, but also a baby Infiniti coupe based on the Z.
As we probed one Nissan source for answers, we learned that while the new Z will land in showrooms in 2009, the Infiniti coupe will "turn up in concept car form at a motor show within the next year." And this new Infiniti will sit on the same platform as that employed by the Z. That's all Nissan would give away.
Whether the new coupe will debut at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show or the Geneva show in March, given that Infiniti has just launched in Europe, is unknown. But one thing we did confirm is that we will see the coupe on North American streets by late 2010, and in European showrooms soon after that.
From what we could gather, the new baby Infiniti two-door will rival the
BMW Z4 and
Porsche Cayman for size and will be a rear-wheel drive two-seater hardtop. But unlike its hard-core Nissan Z brother, the Infiniti will lean more toward the luxury end of the scale, with a softer ride and more leather.
Expect a 2.5-liter V6 for this coupe, which will be the smallest model in the Infiniti range.
What this means to you: Expect to learn more in the coming year as the future Infiniti gets closer to launch. —
Peter Lyon, Correspondent
