INFINITI DESIGN: TAILORING FOR A PREMIUM BRAND | INFINITI OF SCOTTSDALE BLOG

November 22, 2017

Power and artistry. Bold yet nuanced. Emotional yet technical. The Infiniti design philosophy pulls together seemingly contrasting elements into a harmonious duality, giving the brand a distinctive presence in the premium world.

Infiniti design is inspired by nature, poetry or sculpture but the execution is always bold and powerful. The creativity and innovation which stem from the interplay of such contrasts have given rise to a singular voice and vision for Infiniti’s expanding product portfolio, representing an alternative to the status quo.

From body development to the tailoring of the interior, Infiniti designers take a disciplined artistic approach to shape each vehicle as would craftsmen in a classical Italian carrozzerie, expressing the dualities through bolder and more sensual sculpting.

“Infiniti is a brand driven by design and by the desire to deliver vehicles that are evocative and progressive,” said Shiro Nakamura, Chief Creative Officer of Infiniti and Senior Vice President of Nissan Motor Corporation. “Every design created is the result of a global and collaborative approach to create a vision of a new, premium lifestyle.”

“Infiniti is unique and we’re in our own place. We’re a mix of many cultures, so dualities are very natural for us,” said Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director.

“We’re artisan yet technical, nuanced but bold. We have a romantic – yet powerful – view of the automobile. This is how we make strong objects of desire.”

Making a premium statement

A premium brand delineates what state of the art is in design and Infiniti has been pushing the envelope with the execution of its vehicles.

The design team works hand in hand with the engineering team to translate the passion and emotion of the design into a highly technical execution. Together they identify advanced manufacturing techniques or processes that can create a unique visual for Infiniti and give the brand an edge over traditional premium automakers.

This close cooperation has resulted in Infiniti’s ability to create some of the sharpest and deepest bodies in the industry currently, as well as paint colors that further amplify the sharpness, depth and contours of the body.

The Q80 Inspiration and the Q60 Concept are the first Infiniti vehicles to show such undulating bodies and breathtaking shoulder dips, design traits which are expected to resonate with the spontaneity of younger premium customers.

“Our culture of artistry is not just in design but also in every part of the company,” said Albaisa. “Because of our DNA, there’s a sense of thoughtfulness in manufacturing and assembly, so that the build also has an artistry.”

With advances in manufacturing and assembly, the engineers were able to keep the gaps between the doors as tight as possible, delivering a seamless and fluid body to the designers.

“With the engineering team reducing the gaps and making the panels deep, the artistry of the body has been enhanced dramatically,” explained Albaisa. “This results in the body becoming ornamental while the decorative elements are becoming minimal, giving the Infiniti vehicle a purity of form and shape.”

Infiniti signature

Within the umbrella of artistry and iconic proportions, Infiniti has stamped its vehicles with some design aspects which make them inimitably Infiniti.

The double arch grille anchors the front fascia and is a consistent feature across Infiniti models. Inspired by a bridge and its reflection in the water, the large and thick grille alludes to Infiniti’s credentials as a performance brand. On the Q80 Inspiration concept, the organic and three-dimensional grille functions much like the pulsing gills of a cruising shark, opening and closing to control air flow into the engine.

Infiniti’s hallmark headlight takes after the human eye, with the horizontal lighting signature intersecting across a third of the projector, giving the headlamp a stare that is both inviting and intense simultaneously. On the Q60 Concept, the headlight has very fine fiber optic-like lines branching out from the projector. When lit, these filaments of LED lights look like lines of the iris radiating from the pupil.

Another design feature special to Infiniti is the crescent cut C-pillar, which draws creatively from the first or last phases of the moon when only a sliver is visible. It has also evolved from a stylistic flourish to become an integral part of the vehicle structure. On the Q80 Inspiration, it is the air intake for the plug-in hybrid while on the Q60 Concept, it defines the structure of the C-pillar.

Global network of design studios

As Infiniti gears up for its product offensive, it has opened dedicated automotive design facilities around the world to reinforce the distinctiveness of Infiniti design. Other than the main design center in Japan, there are design studios in London, Beijing and San Diego.

Adhering to the adage that competition is healthy, Albaisa opens every new project to all four studios, which will work on designs for the entire car, including the interior and exterior. The winner of the internal design competition then leads the design development for that project. This was how the Q80 Inspiration was conceived in the London studio while the Beijing studio took the honors for the Infiniti Concept Vision Gran Turismo.

Each studio draws on the characteristics of its respective region and feeds it back into the creative network and cultural exchange, working together to design beautiful cars, which are globally recognized.

“The country or city where the studio is located does influence the design team. An Italian designing in California will come up with fundamentally different designs if he were designing in London or Beijing,” explained Albaisa. “The design studio becomes a window for us into the context of each region.”

The London studio is a reflection of Europe, which is one of the most competitive premium markets and is arguably the birthplace of premium goods. Because of this heritage, the team is particularly strong when it comes to proportions and the perfect balance of shapes, said Albaisa.

China, on the other hand, is relatively young in terms of car ownership, so the industry is generally new and car designs from the Beijing studio tend to be more daring and out of the box, challenging conventional notions of shapes and balance.

“Beijing is a microcosm of China, a country with such a long history but has opened its doors to the world only in the last few decades,” said Albaisa.

“There are many contrasts in the city – conservative and radical, traditional and modern, past and future. Such contrasts, like adrenaline, stimulate the designers’ creativity and innovation.”

With China quickly growing to become the second largest market in the world for Infiniti – and expected to be the largest eventually – the company is making sure that the Chinese perspective on premium brands and lifestyles are taken into consideration via the Beijing design studio.

“The Chinese customer is interested in a brand that has a story and a car whose uniqueness matches his entrepreneurial spirit,” said Albaisa. “And with its sense of bravery and artistry, Infiniti is a perfect fit for the Chinese market.”

The San Diego studio is Infiniti’s window into North America. The U.S. continues to be the biggest market for Infiniti, making it essential to hear the voice of the American customer. The city’s ever-temperate climate provides insights into the West Coast’s carefree lifestyle, while its proximity to Mexico ensures that customers’ wants and needs from that expanding market are taken into consideration.

Infiniti’s global design center near Tokyo provides executive guidance for the satellite studios, ensuring that all the studios and their designs are entirely focused on the brand. Close to the research and development center, it also has access to the latest engineering advances, which enable designers to pursue even more progressive designs.

Other than the physical environment, each region may have unique resources which could be utilized in the development of Infiniti concepts. For example, the London studio’s proximity to the Infiniti Red Bull Racing team opens doors to a network of physical resources.

“Formula One is not just an inspiration to us. There is a direct link to F1 in our design of Infiniti vehicles, especially with the use of aerodynamics,” said Simon Cox, Design Director, Infiniti Design London studio.

“This is an important design element as well as a very important performance element, and is an area we can use to our advantage in developing our very sculptural exteriors.”

Infiniti has been investing in dedicated design teams around the world as design is at the forefront of the brand’s development and accelerated product plan.

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