Turns out the 560-horsepower Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge isn’t just an attention-grabbing concept; Infiniti has sent the car to prototype stage and put Formula 1 champion – and Infiniti Director of Performance – Sebastian Vettel behind the wheel.
Giddy-up.
In the video below, you can see Vettle hammering the forthcoming Q50 Eau Rouge prototype – essentially a four-door luxury GT-R – around the Millbrook Proving Ground automotive testing facility in the U.K.
Infiniti promises to unveil the prototype at the Beijing Auto Show on April 20th, bringing it one step closer to your driveway.
If you’re wondering why Infiniti is going forward with the Eau Rouge, there are – as far as I can figure –two reasons.
Firstly, the Q50 isn’t doing well in sales; customers don’t know it exists. So in order to draw attention to the new mid-size luxury sedan, luxury arm of Nissan is big guns.
Secondly – and perhaps more intriguingly – Infiniti seems keen to take on the Germans performance sedans, like the BMW M3 and the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG. Makes sense. If you got ‘em, smoke ‘em. Infiniti would be mad not to utilize the GT-R drivetrain for its own nefarious needs.
While the prospect of a production Eau Rouge excites me, I am trepidatious. I absolutely love the GT-R drivetrain but I just never cared much for the packaging. Sure, for $90,000, you get supercar performance. For that relatively measly price, though, tag, you also had to suffer a suspension carved from granite and deafening road noise.
A four-door lux version of the GT-R could essentially solve all my complaints with the car. So, to Infiniti, I say: shine on, you crazy cats.
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