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Infiniti electric crossover will mark a milestone at Detroit Auto Show

In November, it was announced that both Nissan and Infiniti will display EV concepts at the 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, taking place in January. Previously, it wasn't made clear what kind of vehicles they would be, but Infiniti stated today that its Detroit concept will be an electric crossover. Both the Nissan and Infiniti concepts will continue the design direction shown by Infiniti's Q Inspiration concept, and later next year, there will be stylistically similar cars shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in October. The luxury brand has released the above teaser photo of the crossover, depicting sharp headlights and a lit grille outline surrounding the badging. We can also see large wheels and tires and sizeable, defined wheel arches. Future Infinitis will be electrified from 2021 on, featuring either serial hybrid tech or full electric drivetrains. Serial hybrid refers to using Nissan's e-power technology, which relies on range extender engines instead of a large combustion engine (such as Infiniti's lauded VC-Turbo). The Detroit Auto Show is also a significant event for Infiniti, as the brand and its first car, the grille-less Q45 luxury sedan, was first displayed 30 years ago at the 1989 NAIAS. "Thirty years ago, as a 24-year-old designer in the audience, I saw the birth of Infiniti in person and am proud to be part of the journey of creating iconic luxury automobiles," said Nissan's senior vice president for global design, Alfonso Albaisa. Meanwhile, Infiniti's November 2018 sales were the best November numbers in the brand's history. "The concept car we will show in Detroit is the beginning of a new era for Infiniti, and an illustration of where we want to go with the brand," said Karim Habib, Infiniti's design director. Earlier, Albaisa echoed his statements, telling us how electrification can inspire the brand's future design thanks to the battery packs' size development, saying: "It's getting denser, it's getting thinner, the cars are able to get a little bit bigger, more space, we can really do much more." Related Video:

Q50 Eau Rouge to kick off series of performance Infinitis

Infiniti is desperate to position itself as a brand for performance enthusiast. It's tried to create that impression by attaching its name to the Red Bull Racing team, by sprucing up the G37 Coupe and G37 Convertible as part of its lack-luster Infiniti Performance Line, and by bringing Sebastian Vettel on board to create a special edition FX crossover. But the Japanese luxury brand knows it's going to need something more comprehensive if it's going to go up against BMW and its M models, Mercedes and its AMGs, or Audi and its Quattro GmbH-tuned RS range.
That's why the Q50 Eau Rouge concept unveiled just last week at the Detroit Auto Show was so important to the marque. But Infiniti has more in store than just a concept. Nissan desires to put the Q50 Eau Rouge - named after the notoriously challenging turn at the Spa Francorchamps circuit in Belgium - into production with a 500-horsepower engine. But in speaking to Automotive News, Infiniti chief Johan de Nysschen hinted at more good news to come.
That could include a performance version of a new flagship sedan Infiniti is said to be working on, positioned above the current Q70 to fill the void left by the discontinued Q45 that capped the brand's range before it shifted its entire naming scheme behind it. The flagship sedan would need some serious muscle to challenge the likes of the Mercedes S63 AMG and Audi S8, but Infiniti seems bent on getting there. To cap it all off, Infiniti has long been rumored to be working on a halo sports car. Whether they'll all carry the Eau Rouge name, the IPL badge or some sort of other designator remains to be seen, but we'll enjoy seeing this development progress.

2024 Infiniti Q50 prices up $475, start at $44,200

The Infiniti Q50, like some small geologic formation, carries its graceful, aged sculpture into 2024 fearless and unchanged. Whereas in 2023 Infiniti added a new interior color, included Infiniti Premium Care, and increased prices, 2024 only sees higher prices. MSRPs are up $400 and the destination charge rises $75 to $1,150, for an additional premium of $475. Starting sums including destination are:  Q50 Luxe: $44,200  Q50 Sensory: $49,900 Q50 Red Sport 400: $58,050  Every Q50 is powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6, the Luxe and Sensory trims making 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, the Red Sport 400 making the eponymous 400 hp and 350 lb-ft. As standard, all send their power to the rear axle through a seven-speed automatic. Sending power to the front axle adds $2,000.  The Black Opal Edition Package that we expected to be of limited supply returns for 2024. Its black opal iridescent paint job shifts from black to blue to green to purple depending on the light and viewing angle. The paint is matched with satin black badging and an exposed carbon fiber trunk spoiler, adding $2,200 to the price of the sole trim it's available on, the Q50 Red Sport 400. The package traces its lineage to the legendary iridescent Midnight Purple II, a color introduced on the R34 Nissan Skyline GT-R in 1998, and counts recent reboots elsewhere in the Nissan range with the 2014 GT-R with a Midnight Opal paint job and the 2022 GT-R T-spec in Midnight Purple.    It's understandable that a brand built on premium and sporty offerings doesn't want to give up its last unabashedly sporty offering, but this seems like a natural time to again wonder what is the endgame for the Q50, the final car in Infiniti's U.S. lineup. Automotive News reported over the summer that Infiniti showed its U.S. dealers a fastback sedan called a "striking evolution" of the Q70 boasting a longer wheelbase and shorter overhangs, a full-width headlight and taillight, and a "sporty and Porsche-like" rear end. That's anticipated in 2026. Maybe then the Q50 will be allowed to go off somewhere and rest.