Infiniti to launch entry-level coupe based on new Z-car

Nissan is hard at work developing its next-generation Z-car for launch next year, but according to latest reports the car’s mechanical package will eventually spawn a brand new coupe for the upmarket Infiniti brand. Nissan execs hinted at the project at the Nissan 360 media event in Portugal last month, revealing to journalists a wall mounted teaser depicting the side profile of the upcoming car.

On the opposite wall hung an impression of the next-generation Z-car, which should arrive next year with a larger and more powerful 3.7L V6 engine. Speaking with Edmunds, a Nissan source confirmed a new Infiniti coupe will be showcased in concept form within the next 12 months and if given the green light would likely be powered by a new 2.5L V6 engine so as to not compete with the G37 range.

The new Infiniti coupe would be roughly the same size the BMW Z4 and Porsche Cayman and in keeping with its premium image it will feature a more luxurious interior and softer suspension setting than the new Z-car on which it's based. Such a car would improve Infiniti’s standing in fuel-conscious Europe where its German competitors have a much more diverse range of models with engines ranging from four-cylinder units right up until V8 and V10 powerplants in a single model-line