Infiniti takes inspiration from Germany for its Paris Motor Show concept

Proving that imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, Infiniti is taking a leaf out of Mercedes' book with its latest concept car, the Q80 Inspiration.

Making its global debut at next month's Paris Motor Show, the Q80 Inspiration is a luxurious four-door, four-seat fastback. Infiniti describes it as an 'audacious and elegant step forward for Infiniti as a global player; designed to shake up the status quo in the premium large four-door club; a no-compromise ambassador of driver-centric powertrain and on-board technologies.'

And if the actual car is anything like the sketches that the company has provided, it really will make a bold statement, however it is one that comes in response to Mercedes-Benz and, to a lesser extent, Audi, who have pioneered the concept of the luxury four-door coupe with the Mercedes CLS and the Audi S7 -- both of which are already on their second iteration. Even BMW has stretched its 6 Series coupe into a four-door fastback tourer in order to appease the aesthetically minded executive.

Be that as it may, if the production version retains the looks and proportions of the concept version, (and the company has made no secret of its desire to enter the four-door coupé market) the Q 80 Inspiration will be a more than welcome addition to the segment especially as Infiniti, like Lexus, wants to be a serious Japanese alternative to the German establishment.

As well as imposing looks and proportions -- the car is 5052mm (198.9 inches) long and 2027mm (79.8 inches) wide and sits on 22-inch wheels -- the car promises to showcase a host of next-generation technologies in terms of infotainment, safety, comfort and powertrain.

'After showing Q30 Concept and Q50 Eau Rouge, Infiniti is eager to show the upper range of our portfolio expansion,' says Infiniti Executive Design Director, Alfonso Albaisa. 'In Q80 Inspiration, we wanted to capture that unforgettable feeling when you experience something important, something beautiful, something magnetic for the first time.'