Report: Nissan working on four-door Infiniti based on GT-R

Earlier this year reports emerged claiming Nissan was seriously considering an Infiniti version of the GT-R supercar. The first hint came when Nissan’s global design Chief Shiro Nakamura revealed that managers were looking at the feasibility of a new high-end flagship saloon, and further speculation arose when a dealer in the United States confirmed that a meeting in Japan took place to discuss possible options for the future sedan.

The GT-R is loosely based on Nissan's flexible FM platform but it contains so many unique elements that developers have a separate name for the platform - PM premium midship. An inside source at Nissan has revealed to AutoExpress that the car is in the works and that while it will be based on the GT-R it will miss out on the super-coupe’s 473hp (388kW) twin-turbo V6 engine to help bring down the cost. Instead, it will run a 420hp (313kW) version of the 5.0L V8 engine found in the FX50 SUV.

The Infinti four-door GT-R will be targeted at high-performance saloons like the BMW M5 and upcoming Porsche Panamera, and will share the GT-R’s ATTESA-ETS AWD system and six-speed dual-clutch rear transaxle. Performance will come second to luxury however, so expect much softer suspension settings and slower gearshift times.

The launch date is expected to fall in the first half of 2011, with sales in both the U.S. and Europe as well as Japan.