The Infiniti Prototype 10 aims to recapture the spirit of early speedsters for an era of electrified performance. The car was revealed for the first time at the 2018 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.
“As a brand with technological innovation at its core, electrification is a natural next step for Infiniti. From 2021, every new Infiniti model will feature electric drivetrain technology to enhance performance. The Prototype 10 provides a window into Infiniti’s desire to deliver driving pleasure, thrilling performance, and range confidence,” the company said in a press release.
Following the Prototype 9 concept first revealed at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, Infiniti has “looked back to go forward” with the Prototype 10. Prototype 10 evokes the spirit of early Californian speedsters, and is informed by some of the most iconic car designs of all time.
This is the first project to come to fruition under the direction of Karim Habib, Infiniti’s new executive design director, and it hints at how the brand’s design teams will evolve the appearance of its production cars.
A project spanning the globe, the Prototype 10’s creation has been overseen by Infiniti’s Japan design center, designed digitally in the UK, and crafted by hand in San Diego, California.
Habib said: “The Infiniti Prototype 10 echoes the layout and design of early speedsters. This period saw the creation of some of the most evocative car designs of all time, where power was celebrated through high-powered single-seat competition cars. Our new concept speaks of an electrified future, something which is reflected in its form and details. It is appropriate that we found inspiration in an optimistic bygone era in which cars were characterized by the simple love of driving.”
The new concept is said to be resolutely forward-looking in terms of its aesthetics and is a natural evolution of the form language first seen in the Infiniti Q Inspiration and Prototype 9.
“We all feel a certain degree of passion when talking about roadsters and speedsters. We are equally passionate about the potential that electrification holds for the future of our cars — a daring speedster is the perfect study for our designers to explore an electrified future and ignite such excitement,” said Roland Krueger, president, Infiniti.
