The INFINITI G37 Art Car, created to commemorate INFINITI’s 20th anniversary, fulfilled its mandate to benefit a worthy cause by drawing a winning bid of $55,000 at a private auction for ONE DROP which kicked off at the spectacular Masquerave event in Whistler Nov. 12.
The bidder, who wishes to remain anonymous, was among the 1,200 people attending Masquerave where the car was “revealed” with a dramatic performance choreographed by Cirque du Soleil.
“We are thrilled to have the support of INFINITI, and the proceeds from this auction will go toward our clean water projects in the third world,” said Lili-Anna Peresa, executive director, ONE DROP.
In keeping with its commitment to offer inspired performance and extraordinary experiences, INFINITI Canada joined Bearfoot Bistro and Masquerave to create an outstanding event to raise awareness of water-related issues as well as financing for ONE DROP’s initiatives in developing countries. ONE DROP is an initiative of Guy Laliberté, founder of Cirque du Soleil®, a respected partner of INFINITI.
The event was a celebration of wine and food which featured some of the country’s top chefs and international wineries, with entertainment that included aerialists, contortionists and dancers, the highpoint being the “reveal” of the Art Car. It is a rare event for the company to do a pop up performance of any kind, but is a token of its commitment to ONE DROP, INFINITI and the Masquerave fundraiser.
The Art Car was created in 2009 to commemorate not only INFINITI's 20th anniversary but also the 25th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil. Montreal artist Heidi Taillefer created the design and spent more than 300 hours over almost one month hand-painting the exterior of the vehicle.
"We are pleased that the INFINITI Art Car raised very necessary funds for ONE DROP, an important cause supported by of one of our valued partners,” said Wendy Durward, Director of INFINITI Canada. "We are proud that the car, this work of art, which is so meaningful to us in marking an important milestone in our history, now has further meaning in that it will help support an incredible cause.”
Over the past two years the INFINITI G37 Anniversary Art Car toured with various Cirque du Soleil shows and was featured at other events and auto shows. From conception, the Art Car was destined to be auctioned off in support of a great cause.
ABOUT INFINITI
INFINITI offers a full-line of luxury performance automobiles designed to inspire at every turn, including the G37 sports coupe, convertible and sedan, M37/56 luxury performance sedan, EX personal luxury crossover, FX premium crossover SUV and the QX full-size luxury SUV. There are 29 INFINITI retailers across Canada. More information about INFINITI and the Total Ownership Experience® can be found at www.infiniti.ca.
ABOUT ONE DROP
ONE DROP – an initiative of Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil - is an international non-governmental organization (NGO) founded on October 29, 2007 in Montreal, Canada. Water is essential to life. Access to safe water gives communities the chance to learn, develop and thrive. That is why ONE DROP works on several fronts to make a real difference. With its unique arts-based approach, ONE DROP helps to ensure sustainable development for communities by implementing educational projects, providing adapted solutions for access to safe water and granting microfinance loans. Creative projects led by ONE DROP worldwide seek to raise the population’s awareness of water-related issues and to encourage the adoption of responsible water management practices. To learn more, visit ONEDROP.org.
More information about and high-res images of the INFINITI Art Car and event photos are available at: www.media.infiniti.ca.