Infiniti considered diesel mill, "electric supercharger" for Q50 Eau Rouge

Infiniti has shed light on the internal debates that led engineers working on the Q50 Eau Rouge to finally settle on an adaptation of the GT-R’s engine to power the concept sports car.

The Eau Rouge was initially unveiled at the Detroit auto show, however the company waited until February to tease the GT-R powerplant ahead of an official confirmation earlier this month in Geneva.

“We could have chosen other Infiniti engines — the 5.0- and 5.6-liter V8 engines for instance — or one from our Alliance partners,” Infiniti senior communications manager Kyle Bazemore told Autoblog.

Engineers and product-planning teams are said to have considered an even wider range of potential options, including a “high-power sports diesel” and a hybrid system with “uprated” electrical components to serve as an “electric supercharger.”

On paper the Eau Rouge engine is a bit different than that of the GT-R, with 560 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque — up 15 ponies and down 20 lb-ft of twist compared to the Nissan. Bazemore suggests the new engine was remapped for a large sports sedan and “to feel like an Infiniti.”

The Eau Rouge is viewed as a conceptual competitor to the BMW M3 and Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG, however Infiniti cautions that it is still just a concept.