Infiniti Q80 Inspiration Concept to make production

Nissan’s luxury arm Infiniti is looking to expand its range with a luxury four-door coupe to rival the Mercedes CLS, BMW 6 Series Gran Coupe and Audi A7. And the Q80 Inspiration concept, seen at the Paris Motor Show, reveals how it will look.

Francois Goupil de Bouille, vice president at Infiniti, revealed to Auto Express he hopes to see 90 per cent of the concept car make the transition into a showroom model, adding: “We want to push the boundaries as much as we can.”

The Panamera rival will be on the road by 2020 and could also arrive with new hybrid powertrain options as Infiniti plans to plough ahead with the technology.

Measuring 5,052mm long, 2,027mm wide and 1,350mm high, the Q80 is 112mm longer, 146mm wider and 66mm lower than the Mercedes CLS, while its 3,103mm wheelbase is also 256mm longer. The concept sits on 22-inch five-spoke alloys – likely to be shrunken down for production.

The Infiniti Q80 concept gets a 550bhp hybrid powertrain, which combines a 450bhp twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine and an electric motor. This means fuel economy of about 43mpg and emissions touching the 129g/km mark, despite a 155mph top speed and a 0-60mph time of less than 4 seconds.

This engine is a precursor to a new family of engines for the brand that will be introduced over the next two years - and Infiniti plans to double its engine range over the next 5 years as well.

The adaptive hybrid system can boost the engine power to 550bhp when required, but the car also has an adaptive transmission that can automatically switch to all-wheel drive to improve grip. The drivetrain also has the option of being manually switched to 4x4 mode and power is transferred to the wheels via a 9-speed automatic gearbox.

• Paris Motor Show 2014: preview

The Q80 also features autonomous driving technology, which uses a system of cameras, lasers and sensors to help the driver tackle different situations on the road. It can be used to help navigate a path through heavy traffic, or to cruise smoothly on a motorway trip. The driver still operates the controls, but the car can make the decisions easier for them.

The Q80’s dramatic styling is sure to turn heads. The roofline flows seamlessly into the bootlid and a unique panoramic roof stretches the full length of the car, finishing in a point between the slim rear lights. No wing mirrors or door handles are fitted, to help streamline the profile, while a vent behind the rear wheel smoothes airflow along the side of the car. The car also gets active LED headlights and a wide front grille with hints of the Infiniti family face.

Interior materials include carbon-fibre, aluminium and leather sculpted into a “4x1” seating layout with four individual seats. The interior gets touchscreens in front of the rear passengers, plus a head-up display for the driver.

Click here to see the other great cars at the Paris Motor Show 2014...