Infiniti still wants halo car, GT-R variant ruled out

Take a good look at the lineup of cars at Infiniti. Notice anything interesting? We see sedans of multiple shapes and sizes, wagon-like crossovers, a hybrid and even a massive SUV, which is the most expensive machine the company has on offer. What we don’t see, though, is a clear range-topper.

According to Car and Driver, that fact doesn’t sit very well with Andreas Sigl, the man at the head of Infiniti’s Formula 1 relationship with Red Bull. “A halo car would help us … It could bridge the gap between Infiniti and F1.”

With an Infiniti version of the Nissan GT-R apparently off the table, we’re not really expecting any kind of halo car that will bring to mind the raw performance of an F1 racer. Still, the options available to Infiniti are intriguing: the Emerg-E and Essence concepts are reportedly being considered for production.

The Essence Concept was powered by a twin-turbo, direct-injection 3.7-liter V6 and electric motor hybrid combination that was good for 592 brake horsepower. That sounds perfectly halo-esque to us, but a V8 may have potential, too. Meanwhile, the Emerg-E concept was co-developed with Lotus with componentry borrowed from the Evora. The range-extended electric vehicle could reportedly run from 0-60 in four seconds flat while offering a 300-mile range.

So, which direction might Infiniti go? Beats us, but C&D poses a nice solution: How about both?