Infiniti Q80 Inspiration revealed

Infiniti has revealed a four-seat concept that previews a future rival to the Porsche Panamera. The Infiniti Q80 Inspiration will be unveiled at the Paris motor show this week.

The concept is described as a "low-slung, ingeniously aggressive four-passenger fastback" and previews a production car which will be an Infiniti flagship. According to the Japanese manufacturer, the Q80 Inspiration "provides a glimpse into Infiniti's high-performance and efficient hybrid-electric powertrain implementation".

The Q80 Inspiration is 5052mm in length with a wheelbase of 3103mm. It is 2027mm wide, 1350mm high and rides on 22-inch alloys. As a comparison, the production Porsche Panamera is 5015mm long, 1931mm wide, 1418mm high and has a wheelbase of 2920mm. The Q80’s chassis is light and rigid, combining lightweight acoustic glass and additional sound deadening materials to provide an extremely hushed driving experience. Infiniti says the car would utilise advanced adaptive suspension for a cosseting ride.

As with many contemporary concepts, the Q80 Inspiration does away with wing mirrors to retain the sleek side profile. There's also a teardrop-shaped passenger greenhouse, and the doors open in what Infiniti calls a 'portal' style – what some would call a 'suicide' door arrangement.

Although Infiniti hasn't revealed any images of the cabin, it describes it as having a '1+1+1+1' seating arrangement – in other words, four individual seats – and the occupants are surrounded by premium materials including carbonfibre, aluminium and leather.

Infiniti said the Q80 Inspiration is a design to which the company's four worldwide design studios "will refer regularly" when creating future production models.

Simon Cox, boss of Infiniti's new London design studio added, “The Q80 really is something unique. It has a distinct feeling, especially when compared to our German rivals. We want to be provocative; we want to be different but desirable.”