An almighty powertrain to suit the motorsport influenced exterior

INFINITI released a new preview of the Q50 Eau Rouge concept, the sound of premium automotive performance. The identity of the big personality, V-cylinder engine with forced induction under Eau Rouge’s sculpted and vented hood will be revealed at the 2014 Geneva International Motor Show, but it can be heard now in a new video clip released by Infiniti. The Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge concept was revealed at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show in January as a design vision for a high-performance variant of the Q50 premium sports sedan. Now, after significant interest from the public, Eau Rouge boasts an almighty powertrain that suits the aggressively styled and motorsport influenced exterior.

“With its Formula One-inspired carbon fiber bodywork, we thought it only fitting the Q50 Eau Rouge’s beating heart was suitably sporting. Our engineers have perfectly captured the tone of Infiniti’s take on premium performance, and a car that is as impressive as the Q50 Eau Rouge sounds is surely a car to challenge performance cars in the premium sector,” said Johan de Nysschen, the president of Infiniti Motor Company Limited. The 2014 Geneva International Motor Show will take place during March, where the Q50 Eau Rouge will be displayed. Infiniti is one of the main sponsors of Formula One Red Bull Racing. The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps motor-racing circuit is the venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, and of the Spa 24 Hours and 1 000km Spa endurance races.

The most famous part of the circuit is the Eau Rouge/ Raidillon combination. Having negotiated the La Source hairpin, drivers race down straight to the point where the track crosses the Eau Rouge stream for the first time, before being launched steeply uphill into a sweeping left-right-left collection of corners with a blind summit. The Eau Rouge corner is only the left-hander at the bottom of this fearsome hill. The following right-hander that leads steeply uphill which is called Raidillon.

The challenge for drivers has always been to take Eau Rouge/Raidillon flat out. Regular touring cars can take the corner at 160km to 180km/h, whereas Formula One cars can do it at speeds over 300km/h.

Still, a loss of control in this section often leads to very heavy shunt as usually the rear-end of the car is lost and the impact is most of the times lateral. Eau Rouge has claimed several victims over the years, including Stefan Bellof in a Porsche sportscar, Guy Renard during the 24h of Spa-Francorchamps in 1990 in a Toyota Corolla GT and also caused Alex Zanardi’s in 1993 and Jacques Villeneuve’s spectacular off in qualifying in 1999, followed by his teammate Ricardo Zonta’s similar accident. The entry to Eau Rouge was obstructed in such a way in 1994, although it was returned to its previous glory the following year. The corner was slightly modified for 2002, but still retains its character.