Infiniti’s Leaf-Based EV Will Most Likely Get Wireless Charging

We already know Infiniti is planning on launching its own Leaf-based premium EV, which they previewed with the LE concept shown at the 2012 New York motor show. Now Autocar is sharing additional details on the model, after having talked with company boss Andy Palmer.

They say that its future “hinges on a standard process of induction charging being introduced around the world,” and it is explained that having cumbersome cables and plugs to fiddle around with contradicts the company’s idea of being premium – so they’re either making it wirelessly-chargeable or not at all…

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Infiniti Boss Says Upcoming Compact Car Targets a "34-year old French Lady Called Pascale"

The importance of marketing in the automotive industry has grown to such an extent that it is now involved in the very first stages of development of new cars. This explains why carmakers have begun creating a biography for a single target buyer even before starting to develop a model car.

Take for instance Nissan’s luxury subsidiary Infiniti, which already knows everything about the people who will be buying its upcoming compact model, loosely inspired by the Etherea concept (shown in the pictures) and due to appear in 2015.

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Infiniti to Build New Compact Model at Nissan's UK Plant

A few months after Infiniti backed out of a plan to have Magna Steyr contract-manufacture its first ever premium compact model in Austria, the Japanese automaker said on Wednesday it has decided to build the car in the UK.

Production will take place at Nissan's Sunderland manufacturing facility and is scheduled to begin in 2015. Infiniti said it will be the first new car brand to be manufactured in the UK on this scale in 23 years.

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Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti May Build Compact Cars Together in Europe

The collaboration between the Daimler and the Renault-Nissan groups that began in spring of 2010 seems to be working better than expected, as the two automotive companies are now reportedly getting ready to add new projects to their partnership.

According to a news report from German business daily Financial Times Deutschland (FTD), Daimler is mulling building compact Mercedes-Benz passenger cars with partner Renault-Nissan from 2016 in Eastern Europe to further reduce development costs and increase production volumes.

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Lotus Rumored to Build New Renault Alpine and Infiniti Emerg-e Sports Cars

In the past few months, Lotus has been making the headlines, but not for the right reasons. After Proton sold the British sports car maker to DRB-Hicom, CEO Dany Bahar was ousted and its future was once again thrown into doubt.

However, the Renault-Nissan Alliance may be the knight in shining armor that will give the Hethel-based company a new lease on life.

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Infiniti Emerg-e Runs, Breaks Down During Demonstration Laps at Goodwood Hill Climb

One of the more impressive and unique cars to storm up the Goodwood hill climb this past weekend was Infiniti’s first running prototype of the range-extender Emerg-e sports concept, which was first shown at the 2012 Geneva motor show as a static prototype.

The UK-designed and built concept had a slightly awkward moment on Friday during the demonstrator laps, as according to a video filmed by YouTube user 'MrDHandZ', it either broke down or ran out of electric juice at some point during the race and was carried away on a truck.

While surely an unwelcome development, one should not forget that the Emerg-e is an advanced study making its first public outing as a fully-functioning model in a race. On the Sunday hill climb, the Emerg-e completed the run in the hands of Red Bull Racing's Australian Formula One pilot, Mark Webber.

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Infiniti to Debut Running Emerg-E Prototype and Bentley a Surprise Model at the Goodwood Festival

It might not be a show in the traditional sense, but that isn't stopping carmakers from debuting new models at the upcoming Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking place in Britain from June 28 to July 1.

Today we learn that Infiniti will perform the world premiere of the first running prototype of the UK-designed and built range-extender supercar concept, the Emerg-E, which premiered in static form at this year's Geneva Motor Show in March.

In fact, the Emerg-E will do more than show up as it will participate in the famed Goodwood hill climb alongside other cars including the Renault Alpine A110-50 Concept.

"The Festival of Speed crowds will be seeing EMERG-E in action for the first time ever, even before many of Infiniti's top executives have seen it," commented Jerry Hardcastle, Infiniti Global Chief Marketability Engineer.

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New Infiniti Compact Model to Enter Production in Austria in 2014

In a joint statement released on Thursday, Nissan's Infiniti luxury brand and Austrian auto manufacturer Magna Steyr announced that they have signed a memorandum of understanding for the assembly of a new Infiniti premium compact model.

Infiniti said that production of its new entry-level model is slated for 2014 and it will be sold in key markets around the world including Western Europe. The Japanese automaker did not say if it will offer the car in North America.

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Infiniti Crafts a Premium Family Car Concept out of the Leaf's Platform and EV Components [Video]

This is the Infiniti LE Concept that made its world debut today at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. The LE is a pure-electric, four-door family sedan mechanically related to the Leaf EV.

While this is the first time we see the concept in the flesh, Infiniti has been talking about the LE since the 2010 Paris Motor Show as it intends to put the car in production within the next two years.

"As a ‘production intent’ concept, most of what you see in the LE Concept will become a reality, including its zero emission powertrain, advanced telematics, cutting-edge design, advanced connected services and premium appointments," said Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore.

As a more upmarket model than the Leaf, the larger LE features a more stylish exterior design full of waves and creases, while also sporting Infiniti's new signature double-arch grille and crescent-cut rear-pillar. The sedan model has a rather low coefficient of drag of 0.25.

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First Photos of Infiniti's LE Pure-Electric Concept

The first images of Infiniti's LE Concept have made their appearance online, shortly after Nissan and Infiniti CEO Carlos Ghosn gave journalists a sneak peak of the electric-powered model at the brand's New York Auto Show stand.

Infiniti had revealed its intentions to launch a pure electric family car at the 2010 Paris Motor Show having released a second teaser image on the sidelines of last year's Frankfurt Motor Show.

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