"Whoaaaa....what is this thing?" we asked
ourselves. To be sure, the new Infiniti Triant concept is yet another polarizing
design. Possibly designed to test the waters for a crossover SUV-type
hatchback, the new Triant's most noticeable feature is the power door
gullwing doors (also making a comeback in other concepts). Infiniti hasn't
indicated what platform this concept is based on but we're 99 percent sure
it has to be the FM (front mid-ship) platform especially since this one is
powered by the 3.5L VQ engine and mated to ATTESA ET-S system also found
on the FX45.
Most concepts are a
tour-de-force of bleeding edge technology. The Triant is no
different and employs an AFS (advanced front lighting
system) with three lamps - two of which rotate up to 30 degrees in
corners to improve cornering visibility. Also check out the air
suspension with up to 2.0 inches of adjustability. Also the gullwing
doors employ sensors to prevent the door from opening if there is an
obstruction to prevent damage. And...oh yes the carbon fiber seats
have built in shock absorbers.
One last observation, the Triant seems to chuck the model naming
nomenclature Infiniti has been using for the past years? Will
Infiniti go the way of Acura and dispose of numerical designations?
Probably not any time soon.
-Noel Saw
Infiniti Press Release
The dramatic Triant concept, which made its world debut at the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, captures the spirit of Infiniti and recent innovative designs such as the FX45 and G35 - sporty, luxurious and highly personal. As an exploration of a new market niche, the Triant concept is designed to fit active lifestyles. It offers a combination of performance, luxury and practicality with a high level of both on-road and off-road capabilities.
Triant's styling offers the look and feel of a classic sports coupe, with a long, elegant hood, sharply sloped windshield and hatchback and oversize wheelwells stuffed with large wheels and tires. It also features wide, power-assisted gullwing doors and headlights that "guide" the beam around turns with the aid of digital mapping data and GPS technology.
Inside, the Triant's 2+2 cabin features an innovative sliding rear seatback that nearly doubles the cargo area when not in use, voice-based control of some cockpit features such as phone, navigation and audio systems, and a careful blending of natural and high-tech materials that redefines performance luxury amenities. Highlights of the Triant concept include:
Body
· All-new, aggressive sports coupe body with long wheelbase, short overhangs and wide track
· Dynamic, elegant styling with long hood and rear hatchback roof design
· Infiniti signature "double arches" front grille and rear license plate finisher
· Wide, electrically operated gullwing doors, opening to a clearance height of almost seven feet
· Door opening sensor system to avoid hitting people or obstructions when doors open or close
· AFS headlight system with high beams which swing up to 15 degrees and low beams which swing up to 30 degrees in corners
· Dramatic Liquid Mercury paint treatment
Engine, Driveline and Suspension
· 3.5-liter DOHC V6 engine (based on Nissan's award-winning VQ engine series)
· 5-speed automatic transmission
· ATTESA ET-S all-wheel drive system
· Front engine/all-wheel drive
· 4-wheel multi-link suspension
· Adjustable height suspension with 2.0 inches of adjustability (0.8 inches higher for enhanced off-pavement ground clearance, 1.2 inches lower for easier ingress/egress and highway driving)
· 8.5x19-inch chromed aluminum-alloy wheels with 255/55R19 tires
Interior Features
· Body-contoured front seats with carbon fiber sheet and metal finish frame
· Sliding rear seats that more than double rear cargo volume when fully retracted (19.7-inch track length)
· Three security storage compartments incorporated into rear seat structure
· Carbon-fiber electrically sliding center console cover
· Retractable 7.0-inch LCD information center display with integrated navigation system
· Surround sound speaker system with central subwoofer and headliner-mounted tweeters
· Door-mounted atmospheric lighting panels and welcome lighting mounted in the aluminum kickplates
· Rear deck-mounted lockable
