Where Was Otto? - Infiniti Essence / Takaghi Nakajima / Kanzashi / Franklin, TN

[Otto Puzzell]

Please, respond below and share your knowledge of this vehicle, who designed it, the designer's muse, and where the car currently resides.  

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Thanks!

[Djetset]

This closely resembles the elegant 2009 Infiniti Essence concept car, designed by Mamoru Aoki.  I guess it's muse might  be fuel (Essence) and I believe it now resides in Nissan's collection at the Nissan Engine Museum in Yokohama, Japan.

[Otto Puzzell]

Right car; that's not where I took the picture. The designer cites a different inspiration.

[Djetset]

OK: firstly I realised I mentioned the wrong designer, as the Essence was styled by Takaghi Nakajima to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Infiniti marque. 

As for it's muse, Nakajima lists all the usual designer bullsh.t: 'power of nature' etc, but it's design inspiration comes from 'the brush stroke of Japanese caligraphy.'  Is that what you're looking for?

As for where you saw it, assuming you were not in Japan recently, might it have been at the L.A. Auto Show?

[Otto Puzzell]

No, not there. A specific thing (not a brush) was identified as the muse.

[Djetset]

If not a brush, was it a Japanese comb, as the official Essence press launch kit suggests?

The car came equipped with bespoke Louise Vuitton luggage to announce the affiliation between Infiniti and the premium French baggage brand, if this helps?  So, was the car displayed in an American branch of Louise Vuitton?  Infiniti is now also selling a limited run of minature Essence sculptures at $300 each, available with a special VL presentation case for extra cash.

Although Infiniti says it never looks to other car designs to set its own style, the Aston Martin DB9 is the closest inspiration.

[Otto Puzzell]

I'll accept comb. Not displayed at a store when I saw it (within the last seven days).

Where I went in my travels last week was tipped in another thread.

[Djetset]

Detroit, Mich, so somewhere such as the Henry Ford Museum, Walter Chrysler collection of GM 'Ren Cen' brand display center (although not quite sure why a Renault-Nissan Group product would be at any of these!).

[Otto Puzzell]

While Detroit was one of my stops last week (and my home town), that's not where I saw the car.

FWIW, the Henry Ford Museum features a lot of cars, non-Ford and Ford products. I've seen the Buick LeSabre show car there, the Budd / AMC prototype, the first Honda built in the US, and many, many other vehicles.

Also, Nissan has an engineering facility in suburban Detroit that employs about 2,000 individuals. I was there three weeks ago.  

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=nissan+farmington+hills,+mi&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

[Djetset]

Thanks for the extra info.  I visited the Henry Ford site a few years back and was very impressed.

So, back to business.  You saw the car in Nashville(?), but I'm not sure where!

[Otto Puzzell]

Thanks for the extra info.  I visited the Henry Ford site a few years back and was very impressed.

So, back to business.  You saw the car in Nashville(?), but I'm not sure where!

Oops! I hit 'modify' instead of 'quote' (hence, the edited note in your post).

In my travels, I flew to Nashville, and drove to this nearby community...

[Djetset]

It's a shame but I am now officially struggling with this one, so I'm throwing in the towel 

[Otto Puzzell]

Think of it this way: who has the most to gain from exhibiting this vehicle?

[Djetset]

Nissan? (to go to Infiniti and beyond!).

[Otto Puzzell]

Yes!

[pnegyesi]

Just my 2 cents, but the Nissan Technical Center is in Farmington Hills, MI

[Djetset]

Good point Pal.  I thought Otto saw the car on the Tennessee leg of his recent trip, as he is usually based in Michigan anyway, but I'm struggling to find a TN connection!  So, I've got the car, its designer, his muse, but not the location, and as I'm about to disappear for the Festive holidays, I probably never will! 

[pnegyesi]

Nissan USA is headquartered in TN

[Djetset]

D'oh! Of course!  I even have a friend that works there!!  This has clearly been a tougher year than I thought as my brain is now officially fried!!

[Otto Puzzell]

Nissan USA is headquartered in TN

That's it!

[Djetset]

So, who got the points for this one Otto as it was a bit of a joint effort?

[Otto Puzzell]

Both (since it was during the Holidays)