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Infiniti ESQ Will Be “Irreverent Lifestyle Car for Hedonistic Rebel”

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Infiniti ESQYesterday, a bunch of teaser images leaked out to Chinese news site AutoHome depicting the Infiniti ESQ, which is pretty much the luxury brand’s fancied up version of parent company Nissan’s JUKE. It is speculated that the ESQ would get the same powertrain as the JUKE NISMO, as well as its dual display screen, and that it will be available for the Chinese market some time by the end of 2014.

Of course, most rumors go unsubstantiated or are flat out denied when brought to someone within the company. The “no comment” status quo is a bit tedious, which is one of the reasons Infiniti CEO Johan De Nysschen’s candid response to Jalopnik’s Patrick George is all the more refreshing.

Infiniti ESQ

Rather than refuse to confirm or deny or make some bland general statement about the strength of the brand’s lineup in the exciting Chinese marketplace, De Nysschen stood up straight and tall and said the equivalent of “yeah, them’s mines. You want?”

 

Here’s the full response:

Contemplating a youth- oriented premium compact in our future. Many doubters including me. Want to test concept in China, biggest youth premium market. Juke not sold there . Creates opportunity. Irreverent lifestyle car for hedonistic rebel.Significant upgrades to NVH and dynamic characteristics. Volume will be restricted, so we can’t afford sheetmetal changes. Car is fun, funky and a hoot to drive. Spanks an A1, so no apologies will be offered. Dislike cross- badging as much as anyone. Probably more. But China- only test marketing exercise before we sink a fortune into an untried concept. Life isn’t always easy. The end.

infiniti-esq-steering-wheelSo the Infiniti ESQ is going to be a lifestyle car for pleasure-seeking ne’er-do-wellers that even the CEO of the company is uncertain about, but what the hell, it’ll be fun to drive and you only live once. The only way De Nysschen’s response could have been any better would have been if he had closed it out with #YOLO.