Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge Reportedly Nearing Production Approval
Infiniti is said to be close to green-lighting the Q50 Eau Rouge, a 542bhp, GT-R-engined performance saloon, with Formula One links and development input from Sebastian Vettel.
Infiniti is understood to be moving forward with plans to produce the Q50 Eau Rouge, its most ambitious performance saloon to date, according to reports from company insiders in April 2014. The car, first shown as a concept earlier that year, is tipped to receive the green light for production, with only final internal approval standing in the way.
GT-R Powertrain for the Road
The Q50 Eau Rouge concept drew immediate attention for its use of the 3.8-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine from the Nissan GT-R. In the concept, the unit produced 542bhp at 6,400rpm and 628Nm of torque, figures that would place the Q50 Eau Rouge at the sharp end of the super-saloon market. This engine, paired with all-wheel drive, would set the car apart from rivals such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63, which use their own V8 or six-cylinder units.
The Eau Rouge’s chassis and suspension were also developed with input from Formula One world champion Sebastian Vettel, who served as Infiniti’s Director of Performance at the time. Infiniti released footage of Vettel testing the prototype at Millbrook Proving Ground, signalling the brand’s intent to link the car with its Formula One involvement.
Design and Formula One Influence
The car’s name is a direct reference to the famous Eau Rouge corner at Spa-Francorchamps, underlining its Formula One connections. Infiniti’s design director, Alfonso Albaisa, indicated that the production version would retain the concept’s aggressive styling, though additional colour options would be offered. The bodywork, inspired by the Q50’s involvement as the safety car in Formula One, featured wider arches, carbon fibre detailing and a more purposeful stance than the standard model.
At the time, Infiniti had not confirmed a final production date or price, but sources suggested that the internal momentum behind the project made a production run likely unless a major obstacle emerged. The Q50 Eau Rouge would mark Infiniti’s first direct challenge to established high-performance saloons from German rivals, leveraging both Nissan’s engineering and its Formula One partnerships.
What Q50 Eau Rouge Could Mean for Infiniti
If approved, the Q50 Eau Rouge would serve as a halo model for Infiniti, intended to raise the brand’s profile among enthusiasts and in key markets such as Europe and North America. The use of the GT-R engine and the F1 connection were seen as ways to differentiate Infiniti from its Japanese and European competitors. For dealers, a production Q50 Eau Rouge would provide a flagship model to attract new customers, while for Nissan’s performance engineers, it represented a rare opportunity to apply GT-R technology to a mainstream saloon.
- Q50 Eau Rouge would compete with BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C63 and Audi RS4
- First Infiniti saloon to use Nissan GT-R engine
- Direct Formula One development input
