(continued from above)
Encapsulating everything that Infiniti stands for - including no-compromise
hybrid power and maximum driving pleasure - in a car 14 feet long, Etherea
proposes a bold new approach to the premium compact segment. Its dynamic
character and highly sculptural, near mono-volume form provide a silhouette
unlike anything currently in the class.
Francois Bancon, General Manager
of Exploratory and Advanced Product, said: "We think the market - and buyers of
compact cars - is ready for a car like this, especially in Europe. As a vehicle
to single out its owner as progressive, self confident and a little off the
beaten path, Etherea fits very well with what Infiniti is all about."
High Performance
Etherea's segment-busting appeal is based on the
coming together of several vehicles styles. It is part elegant coupe, part
spacious sedan, part practical hatchback and even part tall crossover. And being
an Infiniti, there is also a large helping of sports car in the way it drives.
Like all Infinitis, Etherea puts driving pleasure high up alongside design.
The concept car has been designed for a potent yet highly efficient hybrid
drivetrain based around an in-house platform and the innovative one electric
motor/twin clutch system used in the Infiniti M35h, the marque's first hybrid
currently going on sale around Europe.
A supercharged 2.5-liter
4-cylinder petrol engine developing 245 horsepower provides quick response and
strong acceleration throughout the performance range. Boosting power when more
is needed, and providing silent, emission-free driving at low speeds, is an
electric motor. The transmission is a continuously variable (CVT) type and, in
an Infiniti first, drive is to the front wheels.
Like the M35h, the
hybrid powertrain is designed to use clean electric power more often, for longer
periods and at higher speeds than hybrids generally manage, endowing Etherea
with a hybrid's advantages out on the open road as well as in busy city streets.
This maximizes efficiency and cuts CO2 emissions even further while imposing no
compromises on the driving front.
Independent suspension, regenerative
braking and advanced drive-by-wire electric/hydraulic steering further enhance
the balance between performance and greenness.
Infiniti Etherea Concept: Review (2/2)