At first glance, we thought the Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge was just the brand’s carbon fiber-clad attempt at attracting F-Sport fans away from the Lexus booth. And, while there’s a possibility that it’ll just be a racy-looking Q50, there’s also a chance that it could be much, much more than that, if the car makes it to production.
Infiniti revealed the Q50 Eau Rouge to pay homage to its success in Formula One with its Red Bull Racing team. That team is currently ranked No. 1 in the F1 circuit, thanks to some outstanding driving by Sebastian Vettel. So, we think Infiniti may see Eau Rouge more as an opportunity to celebrate their victories, and they’re doing it up the right way. We may finally see an Infiniti that can compete side-by-side with BMW M5 and Mercedes E63 AMG.
Looking at the exterior, the Q50 Eau Rouge is a wider, beefier version of the already-attractive Q50 sedan. The body work, rear spoiler and rear fog-lamp take their inspiration from the Red Bull RB9 race car, and the Eau Rouge is painted a shade of, well, rouge, that’s bespoke to the concept. Inside, the wheel has a little more girth for better grip, and the paddle shifters seem to take their inspiration from Formula One as well.
It’s the little hint that Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen gave us about the drivetrain that really gets, us though. He claims that, if the car goes into production, it will produce “over 500 horsepower and 600-lb/ft of torque,” and that his “engineers have been waiting for a project like this.”
If Infiniti does choose to pursue the Eau Rouge project, we’re speculating that the car might receive the GT-R’s engine transmission, which would give Infiniti its very first supercar…
…and one the whole family can enjoy.
What do you think of the Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge Concept? Let us know in the comments below.
Looking for more Detroit news? Check out the rest of our coverage from the 2014 North American International Auto Show.
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