• by Karl Greenberg , August 6, 2009

Luxury auto brand Infiniti is unveiling a pair of new vehicles at the upcoming 59th annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Monterey, Calif. But the reveal will not be of the cars themselves but of 3D recreations from a combination of physical model and video imagery projected upon it.

For the third year, Infiniti is partnering with Hearst Publications for the exhibition called "The Infiniti Journey of Inspiration," which ties the two vehicles with form, art and nature. One of the two vehicles is the forthcoming 2011 M sedan, while the other is a sports-car concept called the Infiniti Essence Concept.

The Nashville-based automaker's deal with Hearst also includes a range of ad buys in the pages of Hearst titles like Esquire, Harper's Bazaar, O, The Oprah Magazine, SmartMoney and Town & Country. The Concours itself runs from Aug. 13 through the weekend.

Infiniti says the "Journey of Inspiration" event is a 3D video program with an onscreen guide who "will take guests on a pictorial journey to rediscover the power of nature and form -- and how it can lead to a sense of freedom."

The installation features a computer-generated rendering of the M from video mapping that produces a 3D look. The video projections cover four 15-foot walls with a synchronized "surround soundscape" and life-size car model.

Central to the installation is a video projection exhibit, wherein imagery of the car is projected onto a foam model mimicking the vehicle's physical presence, meaning that the vehicle is completely computer-generated with no physical vehicle presented at all. Infiniti says it is the first automobile company to unveil a vehicle using this type of technology.

Infiniti says it will also webcast the reveal of the 2011 Infiniti M on Aug. 14 at 6:30 p.m. PDT at http://www.infinitiusa.com/about/future-vehicles.html.

Among the 70 or so other sponsoring partners of the Concours are Audi, Bentley, Ford, Porsche, Mercedes, Lexus, Hyundai, Lincoln, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Rolls-Royce, and Ferrari.