Infiniti QX Inspiration Electric SUV Concept Breaks Down Minutes Before World Premiere

The future of Infiniti will be delayed at least a few hours after the world premiere of its all-electric QX Inspiration concept at the Detroit Auto Show was canceled at the last minute when the car broke down on its way to the stage.

A sizable crowd of journalists had gathered ahead of the planned 11:40am event, which had been scheduled to also coincide with the marque's 30th anniversary. In a bit of theater, Infiniti arranged to have a technician drive the QX Inspiration on stage for its grand reveal.

From its highly-styled exterior to the promised "lounge-like" interior, the QX Inspiration is said to preview the design of the company's upcoming slate of electric vehicles. But when the big moment came, the car was stuck in the entry hall, immobilized by an unspecified problem.

Parts of the press conference awkwardly went on, resulting in this painful video of an Infiniti executive standing on an empty stage saying "Ladies and Gentlemen, the Infiniti QX Inspiration. You can't see it, but it's here. We're incredibly proud of this of this car."

After a long delay, Infiniti decided to reschedule the press conference for later in the day. As journalists filtered out of the room, several caught a glimpse of the busted car at the center of a scrum of concerned-looking Infiniti employees.

"The Infiniti QX Inspiration, like many stunning beauties, is a bit of a diva and decided to to delay her debut. Another memorable NAIAS moment," Infiniti global communications head Trevor Hale told CBNC. "That's show business."

That's show business—and hopefully not a sign of things to come for Infiniti's electric future.