Infiniti Essence

[sirwilliam]

LINKY

[snaab]

Surprisingly, I liked it. I didn't know what to expect, but I'm really happy with that design. I even like the name, Essence.


But then I saw the bit about the battery. I'm sure it's seamless, and great and all, but I'm dragging my feet on that one. I hope you can opt out of that deal.

[Mr Kleen]

I dig it, but I read that Nissan has put it on hold.

[Sabre]

It is very pretty... wonder when/if it will come out... for real.

[Libra Monkee]

It looks like an Aston.

[avriette]

Power comes from a twin-turbocharged 3.7-liter V-6. It's not exactly the engine from the Nissan GT-R, but it's close. The initial specs call for 434 horsepower with a 7500-rpm redline, but the final car promises a total output closer to 600 horsepower. This is done with the addition of a hybrid drive system that integrates a 158-hp electric motor in parallel. It combines the two power sources by way of clutches installed ahead of the transmission.

This sounds like a really expensive car to own. I can't imagine these pieces play too well together under any kind of spirited driving. I love that Nissan has done something luxurious (rather than just testicle-flattening) with the powerplant they've developed (we never really saw a luxury car with an RB26DETT in it). Hopefully we'll one day see something like the Bentley Brooklands pushing out (eeks) 775 ft-lbs of torque at, meh, 3k or so, only made in Japan, and doing said wicked things with great gobs of boost.

Or maybe there are problems with the world economy right now and we'll be lucky to have plasticky 9v-powered cars in ten years.

[zaxrex]

I don't know if I could see over the hood. Driving might be dangerous, or need a wraparound LCD display to show the camera views mounted in the bumper...