Now things are going to get interesting. Infiniti wheeled-out its all-new Q50 sedan overnight at the Detroit motor show.
Ushering in a new styling direction for Nissan’s prestige brand, the Q50 replaces the G sedan (not sold locally) and goes on-sale within a few months in the Northern Hemisphere ahead of local sales late this year.
Athletic in the looks department and bristling with technology and luxury, the all-new Infiniti Q50 takes aim at the Lexus IS (all-new range also unveiled in Detroit) but seems much better prepared than the 'G' for a fair fight. Of course models from Mercedes-Benz (C-Class), Audi (A4), and BMW (3-Series) are also in the mix for consumer dollars in this league.
Infiniti’s all-new team member also debuts the brand’s new nomenclature – ‘Q’ branding for passenger cars – and the Q50 will be followed by Q versions Coupe and Convertible models.
Power comes from the familiar 3.7-litre V6 with output boosted to 245kW and a new 3.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid with combined output of 263Kw – Infiniti says other powertrain options are in the pipeline. Drive is via new seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and while all-wheel-drive versions will be available in the Northern Hemisphere, we suspect Infiniti Australia will stick with rear-wheel-drive.
Technology includes direct adaptive steering and camera-based active lane control.
And, as expected, the digital world steps-up with the Infiniti Q50 offering dual screens and full customization.
