Monday 14th August 2017

Infiniti Prototype 9 at Pebble Beach

What's the next logical concept step for a company formed in 1989? A 1940s-style electric racer, of course!

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Credit to Infiniti, you never quite know what you're going to get with Nissan's premium offshoot. There have been concepts to take on M3s, concepts to take on the Mercedes CLS and now this: a concept for, well, who really knows?

The Prototype 9 is an electric racing car, designed to evoke the spirit of 1940s F1 cars. It has 148hp (with power from a new 30kWh battery), weighs 890kg and will hit 62mph in 5.5 seconds. At racing speed its batteries are said to last 20 minutes.

They're the basics. The meaning? "Prototype 9 is emblematic of Infiniti's entrepreneurial spirit and passion for stunning design", apparently, the car a celebration of Infiniti's "ingenuity, artistry and craftsmanship." Hmm. There's no denying the Prototype 9 looks fantastic, a gorgeous recreation of an incredible era, though it is quite hard to see the point. Even the Prince R380, the car that won the 1966 Japanese Grand Prix and the brand Infiniti most strongly identifies with, wasn't around until 1965, and this is designed to look like it's from two decades earlier. We're all for recognising the past, though it seems an odd strategy when your brand wasn't part of it.

Still, there's plenty to be interested by with this Prototype 9. That battery and electric motor combo are new, not yet seen in a production car and so promising much for the future. The car was built by a team of Takumi, the Nissan master craftspeople that assemble GT-Rs as well, at the Nissan Research Centre in Oppama. They have hammered the Prototype 9 steel panels into shape, the design said to have aeronautical inspiration. They have put together the interior too, stitching up the upholstery and turning aluminium shavings into the fascia with the end of a cork... Can't fault the detail!

A lot of effort has been put into this Prototype 9, clearly, and it is actually drivable too. Could make for an interesting one-make series... Expect the powertrain to feature in production models soon, if not powering a single-seater race car designed to look like it's 70 years old!

[ducnick]

Totally pointless but I like that a lot!

[SDB660]

At least it is different. Auto Unions have always looked a bit odd IMHO so why not go same route if an Infiniti? Fake drums (?) to cover discs look good.

Edited by SDB660 on Monday 14th August 10:48

[smilo996]

As above.

[Gemster041]

What does Infiniti do when they have absolutely no heritage (or even a brand image?) to call upon...pretend you do. Utterly pointless.

[AER]

The front's a bit of an ungainly mess but the rear is delicious!

[SDB660]

Gemster041 said:

What does Infiniti do when they have absolutely no heritage (or even a brand image?) to call upon...pretend you do. Utterly pointless.

Autocar says it was an idea that became a project Infiniti designers and engineers gave their own time to do. Like it or loath it inc brand scenario, at least they did something. Can we applaud, or give a luke warm slow clap, to that?

Edited by SDB660 on Monday 14th August 12:03

[forgot my old username]

Gemster041 said:

What does Infiniti do when they have absolutely no heritage (or even a brand image?) to call upon...pretend you do. Utterly pointless.

you do know they're owned by Nissan?

[SmartVenom]

I like it and I don't see why a concept has to have a purpose. It can just be, otherwise it's a prototype.

However, I'm not sure 20 minutes battery is enough. A sprint race is generally 15 minutes, plus a green flag lap, plus getting to the grid. Could easily run out of power on the final lap!

[Cable]

I'm liking that, and who cares if they weren't originally a part of the race series that this takes its inspiration from? Can't something be beautiful just for the sake of it?

[PhantomPH]

All these ridiculous "pointless" comments (including in the article) are stupid.

The article states why they are doing it and by definition this gives it a "point". Even if that 'point' is because they want to make that particular item.

By choosing to share it's creating with the public, it allows those of us who appreciate anything automotive and enjoy things which look pretty damn good to enjoy it as well. Again giving it a 'point'.

[unsprung]

A creative exercise with commercial value. A fresh interpretation of a universally-known automotive standard. Like rock musicians who recast a familiar riff from another genre.

Completely apart from this design and engineering exercise... I did think that it could be fun to create an entire backstory for the brand -- to insert it throughout history (in the manner of Zelig and Forrest Gump). Just as sort of a laugh.

[thegreenhell]

AER said:

The front's a bit of an ungainly mess but the rear is delicious!

Absolutely.

I'd have said it was more 1930s than 40s. There's more than a hint of Mercedes W25 in that rear.

[vz-r_dave]

PhantomPH said:

All these ridiculous "pointless" comments (including in the article) are stupid.

The article states why they are doing it and by definition this gives it a "point". Even if that 'point' is because they want to make that particular item.

By choosing to share it's creating with the public, it allows those of us who appreciate anything automotive and enjoy things which look pretty damn good to enjoy it as well. Again giving it a 'point'.

It's PH, the forum harbours pedantic morons who like to be as negative as possible because they hate their lives...... ; ) haha

[sad61t]

They should put it in for a hillclimb season.

[Glasgowrob]

utterly stunning, and hats off to them for creating it, especially if it was done in their own time,


sows Theres obviously a great sense of belonging among the engineers to give up their evenings and weekends to work on something like this,


and pistonheads, shame on you, mentioning the amazing interior and not a single pic

[Glasgowrob]

well seeing as your too lazy







god that is pure filth, i'm in love

[gigglebug]

SDB660 said:

Fake drums (?) to cover discs look good.

Edited by SDB660 on Monday 14th August 10:48

Are they more likely to be wheel mounted motors which will double as brakes? No sign of calipers within the wheels as far as I can see.

Its a very good looking thing. Would one of the 3 cylinder turbo engines that are pushing out similar bhp coupled with everything required for it work, I'm thinking ancillaries with fluids, transmission, brakes (assuming the electric motors are fulfilling that role) and a tank with fuel be significantly lighter, or even lighter at all, than a smallish battery, a few motors and everything required for it work?

[oversteerer]

Imagine if Nissan had the guts to sell it as a Caterham or Lotus competitor. I think they would sell

[kambites]

What a wonderful thing.

[vz-r_dave]

oversteerer said:

Imagine if Nissan had the guts to sell it as a Caterham or Lotus competitor. I think they would sell

It wouldnt look half as elegant with arches/wheel covers