-Prototype 9 โ€“ and the crucial question, "What ifโ€ฆ". -

What if INFINITI was born in the 1940's when races were competed with roadsters, like the ones at the Tamagawa Speedway in Japan? This simple question had a domino effect on the design team at INFINITI and after countless hours of voluntary overtime by a team of passionate employees, Prototype 9 was born.

The eye-catching vehicle is a combination of past and future in one car. It is a sleek, open wheeled electric retro roadster prototype inspired by an emerging era of Japanese motorsport.

"Similar to INFINITI vehicles on the road today, Prototype 9 required a combination of high tech pioneering spirit and obsessive traditional artistry. The panels were hammered into shape by the amazing craftsmen and artisans found so often in Japan: the Takumi. The vehicle's stunning bodywork is made from steel body panels wrapped around a ladder frame." โ€“ Karim Habib, INFINITI Executive design director.

Panel beaters incorporated INFINITI's signature design elements, such as the double-arch grille, 'shark gills' behind the front wheels, a single-crease hood and sharp lines that stretch from front to rear.

Articulating the same sense of advanced artistry as INFINITI's production cars and near-production concepts, Prototype 9's cabin was also crafted by the company's interior design teams.
Top-line specifications:

- EV powertrain; 30 kWh high-voltage battery paired with a prototype electric motor not yet seen on a production vehicle.
- Produces 148 horsepower and 236 pound feet of torque.
- Inspired by retro aeronautical designs, defined by smooth, aerodynamic surfaces, long hood and short overhangs, an exposed cockpit, and open-wheeled layout.
- Prototype 9's cabin has been handmade by the company's interior design teams.

SOURCE: CINFINITI Canada

* * *