Last time, I tried out the Infiniti Q50S on Forza Motorsport 5 and while the Infiniti Q50 is a localized version of the Nissan Skyline V37 but with the 3.7L V6 VVEL engine in it, it still handles like a sportscar. The secret weapon to handle the Q50 with precision and accuracy lies to its Direct Adaptive Steering and I believed to be much more effective than those less-communicative power steering cars. It sure is fun to have one but I wish this Skyline to be more Skyline than this Skyline but luckily, they're ahead of me.
What lies beneath the shadows is called the Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge, it's a concept car based on the Q50 that I just drove earlier but this is a preview of the high-performance model that delivers a serious threat to the Europeans.
It looks like the Q50 but because this is a high-performance take on the said saloon, it incorporates Formula One inspiration to its aerodynamics, perhaps no wonder it was heavily inspired by Sebastian Vettel's championship-winning F1 car. Eau Rouge is named after a vicious corner from Spa-Francorchamps, the venue for the Belgian Grand Prix and because the elevation's very vicious even for a skilled veteran, perhaps no wonder why they decided to call it the Eau Rouge for this car.
This car was revealed at the 2014 NAIAS but only the outside view because what lies under the bonnet, it's everyone's guess. No one really knows what powered the Eau Rouge even though it claims to possess over 500HP of power right until to the 2014 Geneva Motor Show where it was revealed that it was powered by the same VR38DETT engine from the Nissan R35 GT-R. Just what I thought, the Skyline just can't get even more Skyline-er.
The 3.8L V6 Twin Turbo engine on the "Skyline Eau Rouge" develops over 560HP of power and 442lb-ft of torque while connected to a seven-speed double clutch gearbox. It can do 0-60mph in less than four seconds and a top speed of almost 180mph. Plus, it comes with Infiniti's Intelligent AWD that takes great care of power and traction while adapting to the changing road conditions. It automatically sends up to 50% of the power to the front for better traction while the rear wheels gain most of the power for better road performance when four-wheel drive is not necessary.
The result of this Intelligent AWD complete with its signature Direct Adaptive Steering is a car that not only stands out in the corners, it licks it like ice cream, and even when you place this to the Top Gear Test Track, the Q50 bravely survives without warning.
The Nissan GT-R is once fabled as the car that can humiliate the best of the West but I reckoned that because the Q50 Eau Rouge is the V37 Skyline with the heart and soul of the Nissan GT-R, I have a theory that it will do the same against its Western opposition and I tried it. Not only the Eau Rouge can deliver a serious threat to the executive saloons but high-powered cars of it class can get smacked by it...well, some of it, really.
Time now for a real challenge and to find out just how good is the Eau Rouge is, it's time to pack some bags and move out from the Top Gear Track because the Q50 Eau Rouge takes on Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium.
So, with the track featuring the namesake corner, can the Q50 Eau Rouge brave through the perils of Spa? I tried it round the track and my response is a big proud yes. The Q50 Eau Rouge is a brave saloon that braves through one of the toughest racetracks in Grand Prix history. Legend has it that there are some racing drivers that are not brave enough to survive Eau Rouge at the start but it's worth the thrill...
Spa-Francorchamps is a racetrack where ace drivers from all parts of the world gathered at this grand stage where they put all of their driving skills to the test. There are no affiliations or ranks that can hinder them as the only main rule in this racetrack is to survive.
Not only Formula One has their Belgian GP set here but also the WEC where racing drivers have to survive 24 hours racing endlessly on this track until the winner and the survivor is named. There are numerous motorsports held here but I can't tell what are those because of time constraints.
If you were looking for a racetrack that is surely the equivalent of The Round Table, sadly, this isn't it because there are so many expert-level racetracks that can suit their qualifications but since Spa-Francorchamps is so expert-level, you may consider this your Round Table for you and the other knights of the Round Table.
But still, the Q50 Eau Rouge found its own reason to battle on the track like this because the Q50 Eau Rouge was born to be more of a lethal weapon on the road and track if Nissan's Carlos Ghosn gives the green light for this.
So, conclusion time. The Q50 Eau Rouge really is a GT-R in a Skyline suit even though this is a V37 Skyline with the engine from the R35 GT-R but thanks to this engine as well as its F1-inspired aerodynamics and the Intelligent AWD, the Q50 Eau Rouge really triggers a serious threat to the Europeans. Sadly because this is a concept car, the Q50 Eau Rouge is not for sale and it's not street legal like most concept cars do...well, some of it.
Despite being a concept, the feedback is extremely high because if this GT-R-injected Skyline V37 approves for production, I would be longing to have one in my whole life.
