Tuesday 12th April 2011

Infiniti Reveals Spanish Rally Car - Sort Of

Actually it's a course car, but it's still a pretty odd choice for the Spanish rally championship...

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Infiniti is not really the sort of brand you really associate with motorsport, but Nissan's luxury arm is increasingly paddling in the shallows of the motorsport pool. The latest dip-of-toe is into rallying, where a G37 S coupe will be the 'Work Car Zero' (essentially a course car) for the Rallies Championship of Spain.

Infiniti has in the past supplied (or at least labelled) engines for the Indy Racing League back in the 90s, and also sponsors the Red bull F1 team, but rallying is new territory.

Now, a cruis-ey GT might not seem like the ideal choice for a rally course car, but the model supplied to the Royal Spanish Motorsport Federation is the six-speed manual, and offers 320hp, a decent 266lb ft of torque and a standard limited-slip diff, so it's perhaps more apt to such a role than you might expect.

The Infiniti Car Zero also has a few modifications to help it in its rallying role, including a roll cage, Bilstein dampers, uprated brake pads, Sparco racing seats and harnesses, an on-board fire extinguisher system and Michelin Pilot SuperSport tyres. Oh, and some extra headlights and a rather natty paint job.

[Goodfella 555]

The first ever luxury rally car. Eh?

[mightymouse]

Goodfella 555 said:

The first ever luxury rally car. Eh?

Agree ....I don't think so

[chazwozza]

Bizarre.

[SleeperCell]

Goodfella 555 said:

The first ever luxury rally car. Eh?

I suppose not really luxury but worth posting, and it's for sale if you're really insane...

http://www.carclassic.com/Rolls_Royce_Corniche_I_C...

[Goodfella 555]

SleeperCell said:

I suppose not really luxury but worth posting, and it's for sale if you're really insane...

http://www.carclassic.com/Rolls_Royce_Corniche_I_C...

Excellent

[Mavican]

Infiniti are sponsoring Red Bull this season, so it looks like they're heading that way marketing wise.

[soad]

Extra headlights sure look good!

[bobberz]

You guys know that only the first of April is April Fools, not the whole month...

That's a rather large car to negotiate a rally stage. The tires don't look knobbly enough, either. Or is this a tarmac only series?

[Ephraim]

bobberz said:

You guys know that only the first of April is April Fools, not the whole month...

That's a rather large car to negotiate a rally stage. The tires don't look knobbly enough, either. Or is this a tarmac only series?

Most Spanish rallies are tarmac, in the main. I actually think that this looks quite nice. Sorta reminds me of the old rally 911s.

[Godzuki]

Why does Infiniti entering a rally introduce mirth? The coupe S is pretty much a 350Z with a different body. Would this be news if a 350Z was entering a rally? I think not. Can't see the problem myself. 3.7 V6, RWD, tarmac rally. What's wrong with that?

[bob1179]

Goodfella 555 said:

SleeperCell said:

I suppose not really luxury but worth posting, and it's for sale if you're really insane...

http://www.carclassic.com/Rolls_Royce_Corniche_I_C...

Excellent

Does this not remind anybody of the Sheiks car in Cannonball Run?

[mat205125]

Ephraim said:

bobberz said:

You guys know that only the first of April is April Fools, not the whole month...

That's a rather large car to negotiate a rally stage. The tires don't look knobbly enough, either. Or is this a tarmac only series?

Most Spanish rallies are tarmac, in the main. I actually think that this looks quite nice. Sorta reminds me of the old rally 911s.

I'm not sure of the rally series, but there are Aston Vantages, and 911s out there rallying around Europe .... A tarmac rally class for "Group N" level GTs and Supercars would be wonderful. If they were to run the Corsica stages after the WRC, and support classes, then I'd be down to the travel agents like a shot!

[iamrcb]

The course car for the Wales rally GB is a Volvo S60

[mat205125]

One of the Malcolm Wilson prepared cars that have been used in the past as recce cars for the works drivers?