Thursday 16th October 2014

Infiniti in the BTCC!

Sod the hybrids says Infiniti as it tries the 'win on Sunday, sell on Monday' marketing approach

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Credit to Infiniti, it's remarkably persistent. Nissan's premium brand hasn't yet enjoyed significant success in the UK, arriving in the UK just prior to a financial crisis without a competitive diesel and even now not making the inroads it perhaps expected.

A touring car that's a four-door saloon? Superb!

So Infiniti is now pursuing an alternative marketing path. With a racing car. No digital steering, no hybrid, just a slicks 'n' spoilers special four-door bashing at Britain's best race circuits. Who said the old methods couldn't cut it?

And it has to be said, the Q50 Next Generation Touring Car looks brilliant. Isn't it nice to just see a four-door saloon touring car? Like the good old days and that. Given the Haymarket partnership there should be a PH sticker on the car somewhere with the Autocar and What Car? logos but there's time before the start of the season. Even in its current fairly minimalist livery the Q50 ticks all the right touring car boxes for visual drama.

Just as intriguing as the car itself is Infiniti's team set up for its BTCC campaign. The 'Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing' team will be a not for profit organisation raising awareness and funds for the 'Support Our Paras' charity. The organisation is a new amalgamation of Parachute Regiment Afghanistan Trust and the Parachute Regiment Charity, the two main Parachute Regiment charities. The team will feature a number of injured paratroopers working on the cars over a race weekend.

And it's for a good cause as well

The Support Our Paras racing team is independent but backed by Infiniti. Two cars will compete in next year's championship driven by Richard Hawken and Derek Palmer Junior. Derek Palmer Senior is Team Principal and said of the announcement: "Of course we are aware of the challenges ahead of us but... we believe we have the power to deliver results in the BTCC."

Infiniti too is predictably keen about having a go at motor sport in the UK. North Europe Regional Director Steve Oliver said: "To have an Infiniti on the starting grid in the BTCC next year will be an exciting event on its own, but to have the car represent the Parachute Regiment's main charity makes it exceptionally worthwhile".

All very worthy and laudable. Moreover, to have another car on the BTCC grid has to be good news for motorsport fans. What will a BTCC campaign do for Infiniti's image in the UK?Does motorsport still sell cars in the showroom? We'll find out in 2015.

[dlockhart]

will this be prepped and raced by infinity or will it be give to prodrive ?

[Dannbodge]

That's a cracking looking car.

[GTEYE]

I'd actually forgotten Infiniti were sold in the UK, can't remember actually seeing one on the road.

I'd also forgotten about the BTCC, so not sure this will really help them.

Worth a punt though!

[LotusOmega375D]

Looks cool.

I don't know if I've ever seen an Infiniti on the road. I sometimes think I have then I look a bit closer and see that it's just some sort of Mazda.

[Mannginger]

Good looking car, I do much prefer 4 door touring cars than hatchbacks!

[UltimaCH]

Great to see a new car on the block, as they say... Roll on 2015!

[Killer2005]

Looks good, brings new technology to the BTCC, puts the Infiniti name out to the general public, and supports the Paras.

Win win situation for everyone involved really.

[DaveGoddard]

We will be interviewing the new team live at 8pm this evening on Downforce UK Radio.

[TheAngryDog]

Bring back the four door saloons and proper racing. Nice to see Infiniti using this car, I hope they do well.

[marcosgt]

Killer2005 said:

Looks good, brings new technology to the BTCC, puts the Infiniti name out to the general public, and supports the Paras.

Don't we all do that via our tax????

M.

[Mini 360]

marcosgt said:

Don't we all do that via our tax????

M.

Yes but barely at all if they are injured. The charity will benefit from this more than the actual parachute regiment.

[redroadster]

Yes a touring car that's actually looks like one,should help brand awareness hope it goes well.

[Mound Dawg]

When I saw the title I thought "So that's what Finger Boy will be driving next year"!

[Nikko 40691]

Mound Dawg said:

When I saw the title I thought "So that's what Finger Boy will be driving next year"!

You weren't the only one!

[MG CHRIS]

Couple of points it wont bring an extra 2 cars on the grid it will be at expense of another team the limit for certain tracks is 32 so that the limit for the btcc atm there are 31 cars entered this season with 1 held back to gow.
Also it wont bring any new technology to the series as its pretty much a spec series apart from engine body etc.

Its great news to the series and for it be manufacture backed as well is a boost to the series and on top of it is the support for the paras too. Slight disappointed that plato isn't driving with them as he was making noises of moving to a rwd team which this will be.

[Reardy Mister]

Infiniti must have seen the amount of boring, grey, entry level exec cars sold in UK and thought they were going hit the jackpot. Unfortunately they forgot they weren't German.

Good to see an additional manufacturer in the series, but I don't think it will help flog Japanese boring, grey, entry level exec cars.

[xRIEx]

marcosgt said:

Killer2005 said:

Looks good, brings new technology to the BTCC, puts the Infiniti name out to the general public, and supports the Paras.

Don't we all do that via our tax????

M.

Yes, in the same way NSPCC is unnecessary because Social Services does such a stand up job.

[new666uk]

Meanwhile back on topic...

Will we ever see the glory days of the 90's with a huge roster of manufacturers beating the paint of each other each race with vehicles as varied as FWD, RWD, 4WD, saloon, estate, Alfa.

The current BTCC is moving slowly towards that having been in the doldrums for a while and it almost felt like a one manufacturer event briefly. Well done Turkington and team Ebay Motors.

[hondansx]

So is it a genuine works car? BTCC certainly needs this... wasn't it just two works teams this season? Too many billys and not enough proper drivers.

[ChemicalChaos]

new666uk said:

Meanwhile back on topic...

Will we ever see the glory days of the 90's with a huge roster of manufacturers beating the paint of each other each race with vehicles as varied as FWD, RWD, 4WD, saloon, estate, Alfa.

No.

A) because of the fking stupid spec engines, spec subframes, spec track width and spec aero... instead of wailing V6's vs snarling 5-cylinders vs screaming 4-pots that gave a little bit of manufacturer individuality to each car along with different sized and shaped spoilers. I predict it will, in fact, eventually go the way of the WRC when they introduced the WRC "spec" cars instead of requiring an adaptation of a holmogated road car.

B) manufacturers have far, far less interest in it these days as you can no longer win on sunday, sell on monday. Thank the fking tts at the fking ASA for that one. "Think of all the children that will be killed by every single person suddenly attempting to emulate their BTCC heroes once they see an advert with motorsport connotaions"......