A few weeks ago rumors spread like wildfire through the scrubland that Infiniti would be unveiling a pair of new M models, but our sources inside Infiniti have shut that down, all but calling it fiction. Now new details have emerged that lead us to think it may be the G range that gets the improvements, including a new engine option that's more "performance oriented."
It's hard to knock the current 332-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 engine in the current G coupe and sedan, but there's definitely room for improvement, particularly if Infiniti wants to keep up with the German Joneses. Exactly what that more "performance-oriented" engine might look like, however, is still up in the air.
Possibilities include the Juke's new four-cylinder, direct-injected, turbocharged engine. While it's only rated for 188 horsepower in the Juke, everyone from Hyundai to Subaru has managed to extract something in the neighborhood of 300 horsepower from small-displacement turbo four-bangers. That's less power than the current V-6, and not likely much less weight once you figure in the additional manifold, piping, intercooler and turbo weight, but with an aggressive diet, it could yield a more high-performance overall car.
On the flip side, we could see a turbocharger applied to the V-6, potentially yielding up to 400 horsepower. Yet another option is the V-8 found in the M sedan, though that engine would add weight to the nose and likely prove a tight-to-impossible fit in the G's engine bay. Bottom line, we'll have to wait and see what comes.
But we won't have to wait long: the initial rumors said the pair of new cars would be shown off first at the Pebble Beach concourse, and the latest report pegs retail sales to start in October/November.
The second new model expected from Infiniti this year will be a "volume" model, that pushes Infiniti into a segment where they've "never played before." That likely hints at a smaller car, aimed at fighting the 1-Series and Audi A3-sized cars. Again, the details are still shrouded in the mist, but it can be expected that it'll be based on an existing Nissan platform, using existing engines, but dressed in prettier sheetmetal and trimmed in more impressive interior gear. This volume-oriented car may in fact be the one to get the turbo four from the Juke, offering a more economical entry point to the Infiniti luxury range.
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