Infiniti create ‘Prototype 9’ concept
In the main, concept cars predict what will happen with automobiles in the future, but Infiniti, Nissan’s high-end sub-brand, has created a concept that looks to the past.
Asking – and answering – the question of what an open-wheel Infiniti racer from the 1930s or ’40s would look like, designers, engineers and craftspeople from Nissan and Infiniti created ‘Prototype 9’, which made its global debut at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in the US this August.
Infiniti asks ‘What If?’
While established automobile marques have, in some cases, more than 100 years of history to call upon, Infiniti has less than thirty.
Created by Nissan as a premium sub-brand (in the same way that Lexus is the premium Toyota), Infiniti launched in the US in 1989, so doesn’t have the extensive back story of marques like Ford, Chevrolet, Renault or Mercedes-Benz.
Rather than being a hindrance, the Infiniti design team saw this as an opportunity. With no constraints from their own history, they could imagine and create anything they liked.
As the start point for their creation, Infiniti looked back more than four decades before their foundation.
“It started as a discussion – what if Infiniti had created a race car in the 1940s?” explained Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti’s Senior Vice President, Global Design
“If one were to imagine an open-wheeled Infiniti racer on the famous circuits of the era, such as Japan’s Tamagawa Speedway, what would that look like?
“The sketches were stunning and the idea so compelling that we had to produce a prototype. As other departments became aware of this, they volunteered their time to create a working vehicle.”
Roland Krueger, Infiniti Chairman and Global President, added: “More and more staff became involved. Our teams have proven skills in manufacturing, engineering, design and advanced powertrains, yet they wanted to bring traditional craftsmanship to the project. They made Prototype 9 a reality.”
The name for the concept comes from the Japanese pronunciation of the number 9 - ‘kyuu’ - which is similar to the anglicized pronunciation of the letter Q used for Infiniti production cars.
Start with a Sketch
A conceptual sketch created by Albaisa - an Infiniti race car inspired by roadsters and aircraft – was the starting point for Prototype 9.
Showing influences of Mercedes and Auto Union open-wheelers from the 1930s, Albaisa’s sketch was shared among Infiniti’s design team, who made their own detail contributions, before the idea was transformed into a full-size clay model.
“As we started work on a physical model, word spread and other departments started checking in and offering assistance,” Albaisa explained.
“Eventually, the production team became aware of the project – and brought the desire and skills to build it.”
To make Prototype 9 a running reality, a team of Takumi – Nissan’s master craftspeople – hand-formed steel body panels over a one-off steel ladder frame and also scratch-built elements like the double-arch grille and cockpit.
Befitting a ’40s-era racer, the suspension is simple, consisting of a rigid front axle with leading arms and a transverse leaf spring, with a De Dion rear, also with a transverse leaf spring, aided by hydraulic dampers under the sleek body.
Steering is fully manual with no power assist, and while the brakes are 252mm discs - ventilated at the front and solid at the rear – there is no power assist. Wire-spoke 19-inch centrelock wheels add to Prototype 9’s retro vibe, as do the cross-ply competition tyres.
In the single-seat cockpit, Infiniti’s interior design teams trimmed the seat in black leather with contrast red stitching and subtle Japanese flags incorporated into the headrest.
One of Albaisa’s most interesting design touches - the steering wheel that rotates around a fixed central hub housing the instrumentation - was also made a reality, with the gauges fitted into a hand-turned aluminum surround.
Befitting a racecar from more than 70 years ago, cockpit fittings are minimal, with toggle switches and a side-mounted gear shift lever.
Modern Power
While Prototype 9’s design is all about the past, the motive power points to the future in the form of a “next generation” EV powertrain.
The prototype electric motor developed by Nissan engineers is matched to a 30kWh high-voltage lithium ion battery and produces a claimed 120kW and 320Nm, driving the rear wheels.
According to Infiniti, this gives Prototype 9 a 170km/h top speed and 0-100km/h sprint time of 5.5 seconds, but “heavy track use” limits battery life to just 20 minutes.
Described by Krueger as “an excellent example of the ingenuity, craftsmanship and entrepreneurism that characterizes the teams across our company,” Prototype 9 made its debut as a drivable prototype at Pebble Beach, alongside concepts from Mercedes, BMW and other marques.
“The Prototype 9 represents a combination of artistry, craftsmanship and commitment to a romantic notion of our heritage,” said Albaisa.
“Our people were completely invested in the project and the details and features originated with them. Prototype 9 has been a labor of love for many of us.”
