2008 Infiniti Ex35 Journey Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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2015 Infiniti Q70 stretches out in NYC

Infiniti released its refreshed Q70 (the car formerly known as "M") in New York this morning. The luxury sedan is brings with it, quite literally, a big change: it's now the only vehicle in its segment to offer both long- and short-wheelbase options here in the US (other automakers do this in China). Currently, the two-wheelbase sedan strategy is exclusive to the ranks of fullsize players like the BMW 7 Series, Audi A8, etc.
Infiniti has elongated the standard Q70's wheelbase from 114.2 inches to 120.1 inches, in doing so lengthening the car 7.3 inches overall. For the sake of comparison, a standard wheelbase Audi A8 runs 117.8 inches, so the Q70 is no slouch. The extension mostly benefits rear-seat occupants, who are treated to an extra 5.6 inches of legroom. We think the enlargement improves the car's aesthetic, as well.
In addition to the long-wheelbase option, there are a few other tweaks in store for 2015. New head and taillights are the biggest changes, with full LEDs in the back and LED accents in front. Aspects currently seen on the smaller Q50 are evident, as well, such as the "double-arch" grille that comes with mesh-finish inserts. The fascia also includes a new front bumper with integrated foglights. Interior changes seem to be fairly minimal, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The outgoing Q70 had a spacious (if dated), luxurious cabin with all kinds of high-quality materials.

Infiniti Qs Inspiration shows itself before Auto Shanghai

Infiniti's shown off a bit of the Qs Inspiration concept before debuting the creased contrivance at Auto Shanghai next week. The concept serves a few purposes, the first to reimagine a future for sports sedans on a planet of crossovers and SUVs. The result blends a fastback with high sides that connect low ground clearance below and an elevated seating position above. The Japanese luxury maker is all about sedans, the Qs Inspiration signaling how a carmaker watching the bottom line can maintain its interest in the passe bodystyle. The concept previews a production model, and perhaps the design language and lingo we'll see spreading through the range. We're not sure how the low floor and higher roof work out in the cabin, but Infiniti mentions a "low-mounted powertrain and potent e-AWD system." That's undoubtedly the promise of the "all-new flexible architecture developed to accommodate high-performance electrified powertrains." Production-izing for a non-electric version would mean laying in a grille for the ICE, but an electrified version would have plenty of room for batteries and e-motors. Before that retail model, it's possible we'll see Qs Inspiration cues on the Q50 and Q70 sedans. Take a long gander at the profile and the way the roof slopes, and you'll notice an elongated GT-R glasshouse profile. On top of that, before Infiniti released official photos, a few images leaked from China showing other angles of the concept. The rectangular steering wheel and massive digital dash cluster probably aren't going anywhere beyond Shanghai, but if Infiniti can bring that glass roof to production, that's a win in our book.

Infiniti's new VC-T changes the rules of small turbocharged engines

The upcoming Infiniti QX50 crossover does not get our pulse racing, no matter how shapely the QX Sport Inspiration concept that previews it may be. No midsize SUV does, to be fair. But it has something special under the hood – the world's first production variable-compression-ratio engine. That means the QX50's 2.0-liter turbo four, which makes 268 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque, will have up to 27 percent better fuel economy. Here's how it works. The trend of moving to smaller, turbocharged engines carries with it one big falsehood. Under low load when the turbo isn't needed, these engines are less efficient than an equivalent engine without a turbo because of the low compression ratio the turbo requires. That is, if you never need the extra power, you're wasting fuel. Turbocharged (and supercharged) engines use a lower compression ratio to prevent detonation. When you force extra air in a cylinder and mix it with fuel, it's more likely to prematurely go boom. Lowering the compression ratio prevents this problem, but it's less efficient. Infiniti's VC-T promises the best of both worlds, with a compression ratio that ranges from 8.0:1 for high-power turbo needs to a 14.0:1 ratio for fuel-sipping efficiency. At its heart the VC-T engine is a simple idea, but it's complicated to explain. Consider yourself warned. The photo below from Infiniti serves as a good visual overview. For the truly nerdy, this patent application covers the mechanical concept. Instead of having the pistons connected to the crankshaft, Infiniti's engine has a pivot arm with a connection on each end. One end connects to the piston, the other connects to a second lower shaft, which is controlled by an actuator arm. At any given time the engine's pistons move up and down according to the lobes on the crankshaft. But the actuator arm can change the angle of the pivot arm up and down. That is, the pistons still move in the same motion with the same stroke, but phase the entire stroke up or down. Move the pivot up and there's less room at the top, which means a higher compression ratio. Move the pivot down and the compression ratio goes down, too. As an added bonus, the lower shaft eliminates the need for counter-rotating balance shafts. Infiniti says this system works constantly and can vary the compression ratio to any number between 8:1 and 14:1. It also uses electronic variable valve timing on the intake valves to switch into Atkinson-cycle combustion for greater efficiency.