The car is part of a nationwide tour by Infiniti to keep in touch with customers during 2009, since they've decided to stay out of auto shows this year. Since the car was developed with custom Louis Vuitton luggage, they're stopping at as many stores as they can and throwing a little bash for select customers and VIPs. This event was held at suburban Detroit's most pinkie-in-the-air mall, the Somerset Collection, which houses luxury stores including LV, Armani, Burberry and Brooks Brothers. We were tempted to do a brake stand in the parking lot as we left.

[VLane, Strada, Infinit]

Though certainly more drivable than the foam model that debuted at Pebble Beach, it's almost certainly heavier. [Straightline]

Here's what Brenda's got to say about how she captured the M in real life:

Infiniti may have "revealed" the new M in 3D virtual reality earlier this year, but never mind that, we have the REAL thing!

On my morning run today, I unexpectedly stumbled upon two pre-production testers. No clay models here – these were as real as it gets. Sporting cues from the Essence Concept, nothing is left to the imagination with this test car as only a few poorly placed pieces of tape cover the badges.

Launching in spring of 2010, the new M will be powered by a 3.7L V6 or 5.6L V8 good for more than 400hp. A high performance V6 diesel will also be available in Europe.

Technology-wise, the new M will have a blind spot monitoring system and an advanced climate control system.

Based on the Nissan Titan, the current QX56 drives more like a pickup truck than the latest generation of good-handling SUVs. Expect this new model to ditch the 5.6-liter 315 HP V8 in favor of the new 5.0-liter, 390 HP unit from the Infiniti FX50 and be built atop the 7th generation Japanese Domestic Market Nissan Safari platform. Rather than aping other manufacturers that have beat it to bringing the squared-off styling archetype to market, the styling is actually an adaptation of the Nissan Terranaut concept. Sadly, we don't think Infiniti will be carrying that model's interior science lab through to production. [via SpeedSportLife]

We'll be honest here, we're too busy eyeballing supercharged Vegas and high-rise F150s to really pay much attention to the Infiniti M right now, but the it was revealed virtually at Pebble Beach earlier today, and in pictures here. It'll get a 3.7 liter V6 or a stout 5.6 liter V8 with "more than 400 HP," there's a lot of filler verbiage in the press release about technology and elegance and materials, but all you really need to know is there will be a diesel available in Europe and not in the US. Take that America.

Apparently Infiniti wants to project an image of advanced technology with its reveal of the latest generation of its M sedan as they'll be using some techno-geekery to show off their latest car in a virtual sense. Using an array of linked projectors beaming images of the car onto a dimensionally accurate 3D foam model, they'll be revealing the new M in a superfluous display of technology. Seems like maybe a next best option after the real deal didn't get finished in time.

In any case, it'll be the only confirmed showing of the next generation car, as we don't know specifically which show it'll be presented at formally, but the Frankfurt Motor Show is a good bet.

Inside Line was able to speak with Brian Carolin, Nissan's Senior Veep of Sales and Marketing;

"It's fair to say that there's nothing in the product plan for a flagship right now. It's just not a priority in today's climate."

There had been rumors circulating since the R35 GT-R's initial release that Infiniti would build a new performance flagship sedan using its twin-turbocharged V6 and all-wheel drive system. Last month we had hopes this would actually see the light of day. When Infiniti took the wrap off of the Essence concept at the Geneva Motor Show, rumors of the proposed sedan turning into a stylish coupe started flying faster than Octomom's pr0n career. Unfortunately plans for either a GT-R-based Infiniti coupe or sedan have been scrapped, thanks in part to the current economic crisis and lowered luxury vehicle sales. We're still hopeful, but we're definitely not holding our breath.

[via InsideLine, Image: GTRblog]

Full Disclosure: Infiniti wanted me to drive the new G37 Convertible so badly they flew me out and put me up in a pretentious hotel to make sure I wrote about it. Also, they fed me steak, but they spelled it "STK." Is nothing sacred?

Rounding a corner quickly somewhere in the part of Malibu that looks like Kentucky, there's suddenly a fat chick in a sweaty halter-top waddling down the middle of the road. A screeching halt and, out of nowhere, there's cops. Waving at us. They seem to want us to pass tubby. Not wanting to interrupt this interesting flow of events we do what they want and proceed down the road, considerably slower than before.

"The Biggest Loser: Marathon" mile markers we'd been passing fairly regularly for the last few miles should have been a clue, but pushing the Infiniti's communicative front into, then working the rear tires with the revvy 325 HP V6 out of the 90 degree, perfectly flat corners, passing horses standing behind white board fences and getting a sunburn was proving too much of a distraction.

Only after encountering Cayenne-mounted camera crews did it dawn on us we'd entered some kind of bizarre reality show in which fat people embarrass themselves with the hope of regaining some sort of dignity.

Slowing down, the G37 transforms from an out-and-out sportscar into a mild mannered cruiser, just two guys slowly easing past overly-tanned presenters in our light shade of we're-confident-in-our-sexuality blue, top down, not a care in the world except for avoiding the darker blue-veined jiggling mounds of cellulite creeping out underneath the cuffs of jogging shorts.

On to a missile-testing facility on the coast and suddenly the landscape is all landslides and fog, the risk of skin cancer replaced by clammy salt air. Up with the top and on into traffic hell as we snarl our way to eat English food next to an old-timey pier complete with a vintage Ferris wheel.

Through a quirk of culture, geography and prevailing winds, this tiny little corner of Southern California packs the ups and downs of an entire world into an afternoon's drive. It's got the worst traffic on the continent, but some of the best driving roads. Some of the ugliest industry but breathtaking views. There's risk of forest fires, floods, earthquakes and landslides, yet here lie the nicest houses in the country. It's through variety like this that the G37 Convertible was designed to excel.

Over the Coupe, the Convertible gains a folding roof, loses all but 2.5 cubic feet of storage space in the trunk when that roof is folded, adds a wider track, unique rear suspension and a bunch of chassis bracing to retain rigidity. Retained is the Coupe's 3.7-liter, 325 HP, 267 Lb-Ft engine and all of the Coupe's driving ability.

It also gains a new Bose stereo with speakers mounted in the headrests. Top up or down it delivers crisp, powerful sound. That lack of compromise - aside from the lack of trunk space - is what defines the G37 Convertible. Top down, it doesn't allow the wind to muss my pretty hair, top up it's vault-quiet. Drive fast and the chassis is responsive and feelfull. Drive slow and revel in the cushy ride. The seven-speed autobox is good too, shifting gears with aggression when your right foot is planted and fading into the background when its not. The optional six-speed manual shifts slickly too.

Unlike traditional folding hard top convertibles, the G37 doesn't sacrifice its looks. Top up, it's hard to tell its not a coupe, with panel seams carefully integrated into the design. Top down and you have something even prettier; Infiniti's design has finally come of age with last year's G37 Coupe and now this Convertible.

Drive the G37 Convertible in traffic and you have a mild-mannered luxury car, isolating you from the creeping rage of a city without a unified identity. Drive the G37 fast on a country road and you have a responsive, open-air sports car. Cruise down the PCH and you have a good-looking poseur's car that won't whip the gel out of your carefully coiffed publicist's do.

But these are also reasons why we'd never buy a G37 Convertible. Pasty, malnourished, under-exercised East Coasters, we prefer to suffer for our art instead of having the easy life delivered to us on a golden platter. We're not happy with a sportscar unless it's hard to drive, uncomfortable in any car that makes it look like we can afford to pay rent and can't own a convertible because we don't want to be more in touch with the things around us; we don't like the things around us.

Those fat people were waddling a marathon so that thin people in LA can remind themselves what wonderful people they are. The G37 needs to define itself in a similar way; it's better than its competitors in every easily definable way — better looking than a 335i, better handling than an A4, faster than an IS250, less boring than a CLK — but seeks to achieve nothing greater on its own. Attempting merely to be better than others, rather than fulfilling the promise of its own potential in some unique way. If it pushed the limits in one specific direction at the expense of another, we'd probably love it. But, as it is, its smile is just a little too white, its tan just a little too bronze.

Nissan has been slow to the hybrid market and the not-so-popular Altima Hybrid has seen lackluster sales numbers. Rather than going full bore with its hybrid program, Nissan has been watching other manufacturers get their feet wet first. With Toyota getting ready to release its Lexus HS 250h and the potential for the Chevy Volt-based Cadillac Converj concept making it into production, Nissan really needs to step it up if it wants to get into this market.

It's said Nissan will start producing the lithium-ion battery-based gas/electric hybrid by the 2010 model year. We'll see about that. [via asiaone]

In order to keep the Gawker Server Hamsters alive, we've had to break the ÜG up into three sections: one for the American machines, one for the European steel, and one for the Japanese vehicles. Just click on the image below to jump to the section you want; to see the order in which the racers finished (along with best lap times), head over to the Top 95 LeMons Of The Gator-O-Rama. If that doesn't satisfy your thirst for citrus-flavored racin' action, there's always the Arse Freeze-A-Palooza LeMons '08 Über Gallery, the LeMons Yeehaw It's Texas '08 Über Gallery, LeMons Detroit-ish '08 Über Gallery, LeMons New England '08 Über Gallery, LeMons South '08 Über Gallery, LeMons San Francisco '08 Über Gallery, LeMons Arse Freeze-A-Palooza '07 Über Gallery, and the LeMons San Francisco '07 Über Gallery.

I had plenty of help from volunteer photographers at the race, including Myke Toman, Nick Pon, Zerin Dube and Speed:Sport:Life, Anna C of Bikini Racer, the Norwegian Slaabs, Saabs Gone Wild, Prison Break Racing, Team Beermer, LeMons Supreme Court Justice Lieberman, Jackson Williams, and others whose names have slipped through the cracks in my not-so-airtight organizational system.



The Americans




The Yurpeans




The Rising Sun

And here's a bonus gallery of assorted action photos from the race:

Thanks to Myke Toman, Nick Pon, Zerin Dube and Speed:Sport:Life, Anna C of Bikini Racer, the Norwegian Slaabs, Saabs Gone Wild, Prison Break Racing, Team Beermer, LeMons Supreme Court Justice Lieberman, Jackson Williams, and others for their fine photographs.

You may have looked at The Auto Insider’s post about the The Bugatti Tiger V14 Edition Especiale Louis Vuitton Bilbo Baggins-Etranger Bvlgari Prete-a-Bourgouise Bouger-A-La-Bordel Veyron yesterday and thought: now that storage capacity up front has increased quite a bit with the added length of a third axle, why not stock this quad turbo mothership with supplies and go for a ride?

Yes, but we’re talking about a Bugatti here, not a pickup truck whose bed you’ll just throw a bunch of stuff on and hit the road. Even if the Veyron is more a cybernetic wombat with brass plumbing than your classic voluptuous grant tourer, you will still need bags with class.

The solution hides at positions 6 and 7 in our six-wheeled Veyron’s aristocrat of a name. Louis Vuitton made its reputation building steamer trunks for the kind of people who had stuff to float with them, people who were equally at home in Hobart or Banda Island or nowhere at all.

When you think of Louis Vuitton today, you probably think of razzle dazzle handbags of the flatland Murakami period, but they still make those steamer trunks and they are wonderful objects to look at. Quite practical, too.

What they also make is luggage for cars, which you may have spotted in our decidedly metrosexual news item from last month about the custom Louis Vuitton bags designed for the Infiniti Essence concept. We left you with a lingering doubt about how the bags actually fit in the car. Wonder no more:

All that remains now is to have someone build the six wheel Veyron and have someone else convince LV of the need for a custom set of luggage. And then stuff them with snacks and let those turbos spin away with cherry-glow abandon as you hit the road and coast straight across the open ocean when you run out of continents.

Photo Credit: Automobile Magazine

We weren't expecting the Essence Concept to be this staggeringly interesting. Let's get one thing out of the way real quick, that grille stings the eyes, but other than that, sweet mercy is this is a gorgeous machine. The little coves at the rear of the glass work much better than we thought, and combined with the otherwise classic touring-car proportions and glass roof, this car is a looker (as long as you don't look it in the mouth). Inside and out Infiniti really hit one out of the park, they even managed to slide in a Kaiser-like rollout trunk bed. Very slick. Inside the car is lavished with Alcantara, leather and machined aluminum as well as etched crystal and holographic gauges, you know, concept car stuff. Then there's those Vuitton bags, oh well, can't win em all. Of course, this being a show car, it features a hybrid powertrain which will undoubtedly make it into future Nissan and Infiniti projects, but nobody will talk about that because they'll be gawking at the body work.

INFINITI ESSENCE: THE MAGNIFICATION OF "INSPIRED PERFORMANCE"

ROLLE, Switzerland (March 3, 2009) - The essence of the Infiniti brand distilled into one car and then taken to the extremes to satisfy the world's most demanding car enthusiasts ... this is the Infiniti Essence.

Presented as a concept at the 79th International Motor Show of Geneva, Essence is a celebration of Infiniti and its 20 years history as a creator of performance cars. But equally it is an inspiring exploration into the brand's future.

The dramatic design, technology and performance statement is a 600PS, petrol/electric hybrid coupe with rear-wheel drive. What Essence is not is merely an indulgent birthday present from Infiniti to itself.

This concept embodies Infiniti's core values as an inspiration for the future as much a celebration of the past. Essence showcases many of the technologies, including hybrid, and design cues that will distinguish Infiniti production cars of the coming years. And by steering Infiniti's guiding principle of "Inspired Performance" into the super-performance, super-luxury coupe market for the first time, it reaffirms Infiniti's place among the world's most exclusive and vibrant car brands.

ESSENCE: AN OVERVIEW
• A front-engined, two-seat, 600PS luxury coupe concept, 4.7m long
• First motor show preview of Infiniti's petrol/electric hybrid drivetrain
• Capable of vast speeds where conditions allow, zero emissions where they don't
• Rear-wheel drive for maximum driver involvement
• Fresh design language to influence future production models
• Previews new safety technology including Back-up Collision Prevention
• Minimalist and intensely driver-focused interior
• "New luxury" meets traditional Japanese craftsmanship
• Bespoke Louis Vuitton fitted luggage to maximise trans-continental capability

ESSENCE: THE CONCEPT
"An Essence owner is characterized by his or her fearless self confidence; he or she is an intellectual hero rather than just a successful money maker."
Francois Bancon, General Manager Advanced Product Planning

Essence began life not in the design studio but in Infiniti's product planning department. Francois Bancon, General Manager Advanced Product Planning, and his team might not, at the start of the project, have known how Essence would look, but they did know what it had to be, why it had to exist – and who it would appeal to.

"Essence is a brand icon," Francois Bancon said. "It is driven more by a conceptual approach than by any design execution. It is not just an object. It isn't a teaser for a new model. It is solely dedicated to Infiniti brand promotion, to demonstrate and advocate the Infiniti unique values."

The concept called for a very clear understanding of who the super-luxury coupe's potential customers would be. Painstakingly, Bancon and his team of advanced product planners built up a picture of a typical Essence owner. It was a profile that showed an uncompromising, risk-taking 42-year-old passionate about the best things in life, but equally passionate about not flaunting them. "These consumers don't need to demonstrate to others," said Bancon. "They are already at the next step of achievement that leads to rewarding themselves first."

Francois Bancon went on: "We wanted a new way of mixing various ingredients to get a car that was reserved but with a big presence, something trendy but also indicating the next trend. We wanted a car that aspired to become a cult. It had to be exclusive, smart and mysterious. For the driver, it had to sum up the six-word essence of Essence:

Everything I want, nothing I don't

ESSENCE IN DETAIL

1. DESIGN: DYNAMIC ADEYAKA

"The design embeds a sense of mystery, a sense of being in the know. Essence is not about showing signs of wealth and success."

Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President of Design

With breathtaking good looks and perfect proportions, Essence exerts a powerful pull on all those who love cars. It looks like a driver's car, one that would be right at home spearing down the world's grandest motoring routes.

But Essence is no aggressive sports car. Infiniti's "Dynamic Adeyaka" attitude ensures Essence is single-minded, but also inviting, sophisticated and born of inspiration from both the human and natural worlds. To further boost its emotional appeal, it features details that bring a very modern take to some very old Japanese traditions.

The designers' aim was to merge all existing Infiniti design cues with fresh design language in a shape that the 20-year-old marque has never before attempted. The result is highly sculptural yet also very delicate. Essence speaks of power but not intimidation.

The bonnet is, as you would expect of an Infiniti, long, and the rear deck short. Together with a flowing "wave" profile between muscular front and rear wheelarches, Essence at first appears to be in the classic sports car mould. But there is nothing retro about Essence.

The side window graphics bring a particularly innovative and distinctive edge to the styling. The window appears to be resting on a ledge, its razor sharp line in contrast to the concave sweep of the upper body just below it. Imagine juxtaposing flowing water with the stark outline of a canyon landscape.

The rear section also features complex surfacing with concave "scoops" that flow down the rear pillars from one of Essence's most distinctive design cues: a C-shaped kink to the side windows' trailing edge. Outlined by a wide flourish of stainless steel, it adds instant movement to the car even when it is standing still.

One of the most distinctive details is the trim around the side air vents. The simple yet delicate shape, finely finished in aluminium, is based on the "kanzashi", a hairpin used by women when wearing the kimono. Other lines and details are inspired by the wide brush strokes of Japanese calligraphy. Essence represents a successful merging of iconic cultural cues with automotive aesthetics.

Essence's front is characterised by Infiniti's signature double-arch grille, set at an angle that suggests the car is about to leap forward. There is an illuminated Infiniti badge at its heart. Rounded corners effectively hide the front overhang and make this 4.7m-long car appear anything but big in the flesh.

The grille is framed by subtle strips of stainless steel but there's little other trim and no other grilles or intakes, not even foglights. At the front as over the rest of the car, Essence eschews superfluous body embellishments that could interrupt the graceful strength of the whole. The door handles are slithers of push buttons flush with the body while even rear-view mirrors must make way for minuscule cameras teased out of the A-pillars.

More familiar Infiniti cues include the lights. At the front the signature L-shaped modules taper back on to the bulging guards, picked out at their top edge by a row of LEDs. Slender fillets of red light curve around the car at the back, overlapping with the boot opening and framing the vestigial spoiler. Edged by more stainless steel, the spoiler appears to have been pushed out from within the car.

The windscreen flows back into a full glass roof that then tapers down towards the boot opening – making just one more memorable view of a car that doesn't have a wrong angle to it.

On design, Essence is simple and amazingly complex, classical and totally dynamic all at the same time. Most of all as the epitome of "dynamic adeyaka" it boasts massive presence. Once seen, never forgotten.

2. INTERIOR: DRIVER-FOCUSED
"Detailed artistic expression and the rich warmth of the human hand go far beyond mechanical precision."
Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President of Design

For a driver's car, the perfect driver's cabin. Essence's interior is minimalist, ergonomic and totally focused on the job in hand: to give the person behind the wheel a feeling of absolute control. And yet all this driver focus goes hand in hand with a passenger area dominated by comfort, calm and elegance to offer the kind of hospitality that is so important to the Japanese people, and also to Essence.

The asymmetrical cabin is divided into two areas separated by a large curving console between the seats that sweeps around to merge with the centre of the dashboard. The result is two very distinct cocoons. The driver's side is themed black, the passenger's "cocoon" an earthy red.

A flat-bottomed steering wheel and chronometer-style dials announce to the driver this is a serious performance machine. There are no gimmicks or sci-fi solutions here, just single-minded dedication to driving. Witness the technical nature of the displays, the short, alloy-topped gear selector and, just in front of it another finger-flick away, the bright red engine start button.

The car wraps itself around the driver who can quickly relax with the Infiniti trademarks of supportive seat and perfect driving position. There are more Infiniti cues such as the big gearchange paddle shifters behind the wheel and the analogue clock in the centre of the dash.

Infiniti designers believe the best functionality works behind the scenes, appearing only when needed. They call this "hidden tech", and it's the key to the functional minimalism that dominates the control layout. By not baffling drivers with buttons or overburdening them with information, Essence offers a sense of well-being to everyone, allowing them to focus entirely on enjoying the energizing driving experience.

With the materials used – leather, Alcantara, hand-painted wood inspired by traditional Japanese lacquerware – the cabin exudes a rich and inviting warmth. Attention to detail is such that even the leather seams on the seat backs differ from left side to right side. Why? So they can accurately reflect the way Japanese men and women tie their kimonos.

Essence's interior promotes a sense of well-being which is key to the Infiniti driving experience.

3. DRIVETRAIN: POWER WITH RESPONSIBILITY
"Infiniti's performance feel has been captured as natural dynamism, like energy rising from within."
Francois Bancon, General Manager Advanced Product Planning

Essence's drivetrain is designed to meet the highest expectations of owners by delivering the one thing everyone expects of an Infiniti – sheer driving pleasure. In Essence that pleasure is taken to new heights, at the same time as previewing an innovative green hybrid engine.

Essence is unusual even in the rarefied atmosphere of the world's fastest road cars by being able to call on a mighty 600PS (592bhp). The power guarantees high performance responses on any road, in any situation. Essence is not, however, an intimidating sports racer. Like the design, the performance is designed to be sophisticated and unobtrusive – performance with a human touch.

The hybrid system is a logical extension of Infiniti parent group's groundbreaking green commitments. It offers power with efficiency, and high performance with zero-emissions running, by combining a petrol engine with an electric motor. These can work independently or together as a "parallel" hybrid system.

In congested urban areas, the electric motor alone is all that is needed for Essence to glide silently between stoplights, with no tailpipe emissions.

When the traffic clears, Essence responds with a highway performance that few cars could match. In "power assist" mode the full 600PS is unleashed with both petrol and electric power working together.

A key difference over some other hybrid systems is that both the V6 and the electric motor feed their power only to the rear wheels. Performance is more linear, response is crisper – and driving pleasure further enhanced – as a result.

Infiniti's familiar 3.7-litre V6 gasoline engine is fitted with twin turbochargers, boosting power to 440PS (434bhp). A new direct-injection fuel system ensures the engine works more efficiently than ever in Essence.

Essence previews a new type of electric motor, called 3D Motor, that was designed to meet tough requirements on size and power output. The result is a particularly slim, disk-shaped motor that has twice the torque of a conventional unit. Its design was achieved by 3D magnetic field analysis to optimize the layout of the electromagnetic coils and permanent magnets.

In Essence, the motor is positioned between the engine and transmission and provides 160PS (158bhp), drawing power from a compact lithium-ion battery pack in the boot area. Because the 3D Motor operates in both propulsion and power regeneration modes, the battery pack is kept charged up.

Optimized energy useage across the widest possible range of driving conditions is guaranteed by two separate clutches which "switch in" the motors as required. It is a system that needs no torque converter, further enhancing responsiveness and driving pleasure.

4. SAFETY: A COLLISION-FREE FUTURE
On a global level, Infiniti is committed to building safer vehicles equipped with advanced safety technologies.

Essence previews some of the next-generation safety features that will ensure Infiniti cars remain among the safest on the road. Chief among them is a "Safety Shield" that goes a long way towards the Infiniti engineers' dream of a collision-free car.

The Safety Shield adds two new technologies to the Distance Control Assist (DCA) and Lane Departure Prevention (LDP) systems that are available in today's production Infinitis. Side Collision Prevention (SCP) and Back-up Collision Prevention (BCP) extend the anti-collision shield all the way around the car.

With SCP, when the driver decides to change lanes, side-mounted sensors activate a warning if an approaching vehicle is detected in the driver's intended lane. A yaw mechanism is then activated through brake control of individual wheels to help prevent a potential collision. Back-up Collision Prevention works in a similar way, sensing a vehicle behind, giving the driver a warning but then, if the warning is not heeded, activating the brakes automatically.

The warning system and pre-emptive safety features are designed to help support the driver in an intuitive manner with minimal intervention.

5. PRACTICALITY: A VERY BESPOKE SOLUTION
The team behind Essence harked back to an early motoring era to find the right solution for carrying luggage. The result is as classy as luggage ever gets, surprisingly practical and dreamily romantic. It also re-establishes the historic ties between a carmaker and one of the best-known names in luxury goods – Louis Vuitton.

Vuitton first worked with a coachbuilder – the famous Kellner company – in 1908, equipping one of their early luxury limousines with a set of bespoke luggage. Other coachbuilders quickly beat a path to Vuitton's door in Paris. Made-to-measure Vuitton trunks were an integral feature of some of the greatest cars of the first part of the 20th century.

The collaboration between Infiniti and Vuitton revives the idea of a set of the highest quality luggage made to fit exactly a car's boot area. In Essence there are three rigid pieces: a matched pair of slender briefcases atop a large trunk. All are made in the new Damier Graphite canvas and feature sleekly integrated handles and an overall design in harmony with the car itself.

There is hi-tech, too. A button on the key fob electrically opens the boot lid, allowing the boot floor to slide silently rearwards. This is one boot an owner will never have to struggle to access.

In a nod at tradition, the cases even bear the initials of their owner – SN, standing for Shiro Nakamura, Senior Vice President of Design.

6. INFINITI: 20 YEARS OF PERFORMANCE CARS

The Essence has been 20 years in the making. For that is how long the essence of the marque – its very being, a distillation of everything that Infiniti stands for – has taken to reach its current state of perfection.

The idea behind Infiniti was first discussed in 1985 but it wasn't until November 1989 that the first Infiniti model was sold in North America. Today it is the fastest growing luxury brand in the US.

But it is also far more than just a US brand. Today Infiniti has more than 230 dealers in 15 countries with worldwide sales of 150,000 annually.

Infiniti's success is down to many things, not least the "Dynamic Adeyaka" attitude behind every Infiniti model. When Adeyaka meets The Total Ownership Experience the result is the three pillars of Infiniti: driving pleasure, hospitality and peace of mind.

All these values are perfectly summed up by Essence which is revealed at the Geneva Motor Show of 2009 not only to coincide with the marque's 20th anniversary, but also in the midst of the brand's current challenge: to take on the European market.

[Motivated Photos]