Infiniti has filed papers with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to trademark both the "IPL" and "Infiniti Performance Line" names.
Infiniti, the premium marque of Japanese automaker Nissan, wants to use the IPL designation to create a sub-brand for performance-oriented cars to compete against the likes of BMW's M division and the Mercedes-Benz AMG brand - the performance divisions of those German automakers.
The trademark is said to also cover performance parts such as turbochargers and superchargers, as well as items like suspension and exhaust components, brakes and sports seats.
Ben Poore, vice president for the Infiniti Business Unit, recently said that Infiniti would be bringing out a performance model sometime this summer but did not offer any further details. Nissan also said at the same time that it was looking to develop more small but high-performing engines through the use of turbochargers.
Infiniti is playing catch-up with its more established competitors - premium brands such as Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi who have a longer history and offer a larger range of products.
