Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel going in to production

Nissan VP – Brit Andy Palmer – has confirmed that the warmed over Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel is a pilot for Infiniti Performance Line cars.

Finally, Infiniti are ramping up their efforts to get their cars front and centre in Europe. Last week we learnt Infiniti would be tapping in to Nissan’s Corporate sales network and now we hear that the Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel is going in to production as a pilot for the Infiniti performance Line (IPL).

IPL will be to Infiniti what AMG is to Mercedes or ‘M’ is to BMW – the halo performance car sat at the top of the range. And it’s exactly what we’ve been bleating on Infiniti should do ever since they launched – quietly – in Europe.

Brit Andy Palmer – who’s a Nissan VP – has said that the Sebastian Vettel version of the Infiniti FX will go in to production to cash-in on Infiniti’s spend on Red Bull sponsorship, but it will not be badged IPL.

Instead, Infiniti will use the Infiniti FX with Seb’s name on the boot to gauge reaction to a performance halo car at the top of the Infiniti range. We think it should be very appealing.

Producing 414bhp from the modified FX50, the Vettel edition also gets cosmetic upgrades (including the facelift Infiniti said Europe wouldn’t be getting any time soon), weighs in at 46kg less than the FX50, gets a bespoke interior and lower and stiffer suspension.

Finally, with news that the FX Vettel is to go in to production and that the Infiniti IPL will be waiting on the horizon, we’re starting to warm to Infiniti’s efforts in Europe.

It took a while.