As If Nissan Needed More Woes, Infiniti Botches SUV Reveal

(Bloomberg) -- Carlos Ghosn wasn’t the only thing missing for Nissan Motor Co. at this week’s Detroit auto show. A new sport utility vehicle concept from its luxury division failed to show up for a moment, too.

Infiniti’s QX Inspiration, a precursor to the brand’s first fully electric SUV, failed to roll out after a splashy video introducing it to patrons of the North American International Auto Show on Monday. Karim Habib, Infiniti’s executive design director, stuck to the script as though the vehicle had emerged, but it stayed backstage.

Afterward, an announcer suggested Infiniti had stuck to the design concept of ma: Japanese for empty space. Technicians worked feverishly behind a curtain to get the QX Inspiration fixed before surrendering and covering it with a black, stretched tarp.

Ghosn, 64, has been in Tokyo jail since his arrest on Nov. 19. He was indicted last week for a second time by Japanese prosecutors and is accused of understating his compensation for years and transferring personal trading losses to Nissan.

Later in the afternoon, after the crowd dispersed, the QX Inspiration was brought out and put on display on the stage’s turntable.

To contact the reporter on this story: Kevin Miller in Chicago at kmiller@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Craig Trudell at ctrudell1@bloomberg.net

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