US-built Infiniti Q50 engines to go into Euro-only cars
Thu, 12 Jun 2014Back in March, Infiniti announced that it would be adding a 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder to its Q50 line for European and Chinese buyers. Now, we know where that engine will be built.
Nissan's Decherd, TN facility will receive the $319-million investment, which will see a separate, dedicated line for the Infiniti engines. According to Automotive News, this is more than a line running alongside the Nissan operations – the Infiniti facility will sport its own unique architecture and interior lighting, in a bid to distinguish the premium line from its mass-market parent company.
The logistics of all this do seem, on the surface, quite screwy. Building a new engine on one continent for a car built on another that will eventually go on sale on a third doesn't seem too bright, although there is a catch here. The new engine will also find its way into the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, which will kick off production in Vance, AL later this year.
Even with the Mercedes angle, though, the move to build a Euro-exclusive engine in Tennessee does strike us as strange. Then again, and as AN points out, this move could point to Q50 production eventually moving to Nissan's Aguascalientes, Mexico facility, which has the capacity for additional production.
As of right now, the Infiniti facility will employ 400 people and be capable of producing 250,000 engines per year. The new 2.0T produces 211 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. With those power figures and the capacity at Decherd, we can't help but think that Infiniti is planning on offering this engine in the US market sooner rather than later.
By Brandon Turkus
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