Infiniti Essence GT Concept becomes a $300 Limited Edition Sculpture with its own Louis Vuitton Case

The well-received Infiniti Essence GT may not have become a reality -at least not yet- but it's getting its own artwork in the form of a collector's edition sculpture, penned by the car's original designer under the supervision of Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura. The "Essence Sculpture" is made from solid resin and production will be strictly limited to 300 individually numbered units worldwide.

Continuing its cooperation with the famed fashion house Louis Vuitton, Infiniti also ordered a bespoke carrying case that was handcrafted in Louis Vuitton's workshop in Asnieres, France.

The "Essence Sculpture" with Louis Vuitton case will get its world debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show this week and go on sale through the Infiniti merchandise website at infinitilifestyle.com beginning in December. The price for the sculpture alone has been set at US$300 plus shipping. If you want the personalized Louis Vuitton Damier Graphite case, you'll have to order and buy it separately, so forget about getting the sculpture and giving the case to your 'amore' as a Christmas gift...

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Nissan Recalls 2.1 Million Vehicles Worldwide Over Ignition Problem

A defect in the ignition system that can cause an engine to stall while running has prompted a massive recall of some 2.1 million Nissan and Infiniti cars and trucks worldwide.

In the U.S. and Canada, the recall involves the 2004-2006MY Nissan Armada and Titan, 2005-2006MY Infiniti QX56, as well as the 2003-2006MY Nissan Frontier, Pathfinder and Xterra models. Other models in the global recall list include the Cube, March/Micra and Tiida.

Of the 2.14 million vehicles affected by the recall, Japan accounts for 834,759, North America for 761,528, Europe for 354,170, and China and Taiwan for 194,409 units.

The company said it will notify the owners of the affected vehicles. The inspection and repair is expected to be done free of charge.

Infiniti Announces Pricing on New IPL G Coupe with 348HP

We may not be getting the new 2011 Infiniti Performance Line G Coupe until the second week of December, but that's not stopping the Japanese carmaker from announcing prices on the sportiest version of its G37 Coupe.

The first production vehicle in the new Infiniti Performance Line (IPL) is priced at $49,850 when equipped with a 7-speed automatic transmission, and at $47,950 when power is sent to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual gearbox. The aforementioned prices do not include destination and handling fees.

The IPL G Coupe's closest competitor, the BMW 335is Coupe, which gets a 320HP turbocharged straight six matched to a 7-speed Double Clutch Transmission (DCT), has a starting price of $49,650 MSRP.

Based on the G37 Coupe, the IPL G Coupe is powered by a tweaked 3.7-liter V6 engine delivering 348 horsepower, an increase of 18 horsepower over the standard model. In addition, the suspension, steering and exhaust systems have been re-tuned while the car also gets unique 19-inch wheels and a more dramatic bodykit. For more details on the IPL G Coupe, check out our previous story.