A HYBRID sports car with a gorgeous, sleek design and a focus on driveability is considered one of great ‘what ifs’ of recent years.
Unveiled to the public at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, many gearheards question why the Infiniti Emerg-e never made it to production.
The Infiniti Emerg-e was first revealed to the public at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show[/caption]
The sports car showed off a gorgeous, sleek design and a focus on driveability[/caption]
But sadly, the Emerg-e never made it to production[/caption]
Based on the Lotus Evora, the Emerg-e was developed by Nissan‘s UK-based tech center in a collaboration with Lotus and Jaguar-Land Rover.
With a focus on making a driver-oriented sports car that combined Nissan’s new-found drive for electrification, the Emerg-e borrowed the British brands’ elegant styling and eco-friendly power.
In terms of looks and chassis, the Emerg-e was pure Evora – a small sports car loved for its handling and driving experience.
However, underneath, it had Infiniti power, with a 1.2-liter Nissan HR12 SOHC inline-three engine that made 47bhp, but only acted as a generator for recharging the car’s lithium-ion battery pack.
With a maximum driving range of 300 miles, or 483 km, on a full charge, the powertrain’s battery was also chargeable using an external power source.
In total, with two electric motors and the range-extending ICE, the Emerg-e was capable of 402bhp.
Reportedly, Infiniti engineers spent months testing and refining every aspect of the car’s performance before its prototype model was officially launched.
A famous test run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed followed, with Formula One drivers Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber each getting behind the driving seat.
It was here that the stats were revealed; 0-62 mph in around four seconds, with a top speed of 134 mph.
Top Gear also got their hands on the car for a feature in 2013 at the Alpine Course at the Millbrook Proving Ground, and it was roundly applauded for its excellent driveability.
From here, it was then hinted that Nissan executives considered a limited production run, but they ultimately chose against making it available to the masses.
To Infiniti and… beyond?
Launched in 1989, Infiniti was unveiled by Nissan as their very own luxury brand – much like Honda’s Acura and Toyota’s Lexus.
Initially designed to focus on the North American market, Infiniti has since gone global – but has never quite been as popular in Europe as Nissan probably hoped.
Indeed, the brand even withdrew completely from the UK market in 2020.
In the US, Infiniti has sold more than 2.5 million vehicles since 1989, and over the years have wowed fans with a host of new products and several exciting concepts.
In recent years, the Japanese brand has done particularly well with sales of the Q50 mid-sized car and the QX60 large crossover, while in the coming years they, like many other car brands, are shifting to electric vehicles, with all new cars being either hybrids or electrics.
The reasons behind this decision were never made public, although Auto Evolution suggests the car’s “production costs and the long-term feisability of the powertrain” were both stumbling blocks.
12 years on, the potential of the Emerg-e stands as a reminder of the kind of cars drivers could have from the Japanese marque.
This comes as an ultra-rare McLaren supercar with just 1,000 miles on the clock is set to go up for sale at a massive price.
The remarkable motor was originally believed to be a one-off snapped up by a billionaire.
And elsewhere, an airport with 25 cars parked up and left abandoned over a number of years has revealed what happened when they tracked down one of the owners.
The hybrid vehicle could hit a top speed of 134 mph, with a 0-62 mph of around four seconds[/caption]
It was put through its paces at the Goodwood Festival of Speed hillclimb[/caption]
It is thought production costs and the long-term feisability of the powertrain put off Infiniti from mass producing the car[/caption]
