Thanks to the folks at Motor Trend, we have the first details on the next-gen Infiniti G Series sports sedan. An interview with an Infiniti insider in Tokyo has brought to light some titillating tidbits on the car, including information on a high-performance model.
We’ll start off with the release date. The next G sedan will go on sale in the 2014 calendar year, along with slew of other products from Infiniti, including the brand’s first electric vehicle — previewed by the LE Concept — and C-segment hatchback. It also plans to open a new plant in Dalian, China.
Now, onto the nitty-gritty of Infiniti’s answer to the 3 Series and C-Class. On the design front, the new G’s front end is said to closely resemble that of the Etherea concept car unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. The car will have a bold and muscular stance, as well as a lower roofline in the style of a four-door coupe. As with the current mode, there will be two body types — sedan and coupe. There was no word on a convertible version.
With design finalized and out of the way, the company’s engineers have since been working on the car’s platform (among other things) which — get this — will be shared with the next-gen Mercedes C-Class. That’s right, Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz have been cooperating all this time, which shouldn’t come as surprise in light of the partnership announcement between Renault / Nissan and the German automaker not too long ago. Compared to the next-gen C-Class, the upcoming G sedan’s wheelbase will be 2 inches longer, giving it around the same interior space as the current car.
Powertrain details have also been finalized. While one or two models will employ a Mercedes powertrain (a four-cylinder diesel), the G sedan’s main engine will be a Nissan-developed direct injection unit based on the current VQ series engine block. The Mercedes-sourced diesel will produce 200 horsepower and around 360 lb-ft (50 KG/m) torque of torque. It is identical in design to the current C220 CDI and S250 CDI, but Infiniti will integrate a new in-house clean diesel catalyzer to further reduce emissions.
As for Infiniti’s answer to the M3 and C63 AMG, there is an all-new 3.7-liter direct injection, twin-turbocharged V6 in the works. Primarily for the brand’s new IPL (Infiniti Performance Line) range of high-performance vehicles, the engine will be produced at the same plant as the Nissan GT-R. The IPL-spec G sedan will produce upwards of 530 horsepower and will be priced in the neighborhood of the GT-R.
You can read the full interview by visiting Motor Trend .
