2008 Infiniti G35 Sedan Mid-size Luxury Journey 3.5l Rwd on 2040-cars

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2017 Infiniti Q60 Coupe debuts with 400-hp V6

Infiniti killed it with the G35 Coupe in 2002, its second act being the G37 in 2008. The third act has officially begun, the 2017 Q60 Coupe launches today at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. It hasn't strayed far from the concept shown a year ago, the major tweaks being government-approved headlights and side mirrors. Without discussing numbers, Infiniti says the new car is lower and wider than the current Q60, with a lower center of gravity, and it is more powerful and efficient. Much has gone on with the rolling stock, too: tighter wheel gaps, staggered tires on some models, wheels designed to absorb road vibration, and optional 20-inch alloys available for the first time. In the US, there are two engine choices with three levels of output. The twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 comes with either 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, or 300 hp and 295 lb-ft. In the US that will mean a boost of 70 hp and 80 lb-ft over the 3.7-liter V6 in the current car, and Infiniti estimates a combined fuel economy rating of 22 mpg. The 300-hp unit has a provisional rating of 23 mpg, the increased efficiency down to bodywork shaping and an active shutter behind the grille. A direct-injected, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder turbo is the second engine, getting 208 hp and 258 lb-ft and an estimated 24 mpg in the US. All engines will shift through an adaptive seven-speed automatic transmission. G'bye, manual gearbox. A Drive Mode Selector can dial through six settings, the Customize option throwing up three more individual choices to get the most from the updated internals. The V6 models can be optioned with Infiniti's second-generation Direct Adaptive Steering and brand-new Rack Electronic Power Steering that claims to provide more linear assistance. The four-cylinder comes with a speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion setup. Revisions to the base suspension include relocated shock absorbers among a new link layout, and modified shock tuning and bushings. Above that there's a brand new Digital Dynamic Suspension that will come standard on the Sport trim, now with adaptive dampers. Both units should have improved performance thanks to stiffer crossmembers. Finally, the cockpit gets dressed in one of three trims depending on the model, with aluminum or black wood at the entry-level end, carbon fiber at the other end, and silver glass fiber for buyers who choose the white or red leather.

Infiniti Q50S getting G37's hydraulic steering for 2016

Sometimes, new technology doesn't make things better. Take the march of power steering technology as an example. Electrically assisted systems are in vogue at the moment for their ability to increase fuel efficiency, but tuning them to offer good feedback remains something of a dark art. Some automakers get it, but most don't. The previous hydraulically assisted setups just seem to be inherently more communicative when driven with enthusiasm. And it looks like Infiniti might be learning this lesson the hard way.
In talking with Keith St. Clair, the luxury brand's head of product planning, Car and Driver has learned that the Q50S is probably going to ditch its standard electrically assisted steering in favor of a hydraulic system derived from the old G37, a model soon to be renamed the Q40. The system should make the sedan more engaging behind the wheel, but it still won't help those who tick the option box for Infiniti's controversial Direct Adaptive Steering drive-by-wire system.
According to St. Clair, Infiniti's engineers have heard the complaints of critics and previous G37 owners about the Q50S model's electric steering system, and wanted to see what they could do. They didn't have to go far to figure it out - all it required was taking the steering rack off of a G37 and putting it onto the Q50S. After a little tweaking, "the car is a blast to drive," St. Clair reports. Now, the company is said to be fast-tracking the switch, and it could be ready for the 2016 model year.

NHTSA opens investigation into Nissan's handling of airbag recall

In March of 2014, Nissan recalled eight models among its Nissan and Infiniti brands, totaling more than one million vehicles, over faulty occupant classification system software controlling the passenger airbag. The company discovered a variety of factors that would interfere with the system's ability to detect an adult passenger in the shotgun seat, resulting in an illuminated warning on on the dashboard and the passenger airbag not deploying in an accident. Yet 124 complaints submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration since the recall allege that the dealer-installed fix hasn't actually fixed the problem; some consumers say the problem persists after multiple trips to the dealer. The Detroit News reports that NHTSA is opening an investigation into the matter to determine whether a new recall is needed. The occupant sensor has been a bugbear for Nissan over the past couple of years; a much smaller recall for the issue in 2013 covered five of the eight vehicles that were recalled in 2014, and that earlier recall also continued to generate complaints after the issue had supposedly been fixed. At the same time, the company learned that in two instances there was another twist, where the dashboard warning wasn't illuminated but the passenger airbag still didn't go off in an accident. Nissan isn't alone, though, with airbag recalls on a steep upswing across the industry even before the Takata debacle.