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Infiniti Q30 Concept uncovered in Frankfurt

The curtain has officially been raised on the Infiniti Q30 Concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show, an oft-teased five-door hatchback that will move the neo-luxury brand downmarket to compete with the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. Not only is Infiniti moving down market, it's targeting a younger audience, a field that it hasn't traditionally played in, that wants something different than a hum-drum luxury car. According to Infiniti's marketing director, Hugues Fabre, "Younger customers are coming into the premium segment with their own attitude toward premium-ness."
Infiniti's trademark styling elements are on full display here, from the radically kinked C-pillar and Q50-inspired headlights and grille, to the dramatic character lines on the profile. In the cabin, it looks like an extraterrestrial disco, with a lot of violet lighting, bronzed touchpoints and creamy leather. Ignore the concept car tinsel, though, and you'll see that Infiniti is dead serious when it says the Q30 foreshadows a production model.
We'll have plenty more of the Infiniti Q30, including live images from the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show floor, very soon. Until then, click over to our Frankfurt coverage page, scroll down for a full press release on the Q30, or click over to the high-res gallery.

2016 Infiniti Q50 gets 2.0L turbo four

After adding a US-built, 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder to the European and Chinese-market Q50, Infiniti will finally add this engine to the US-spec car. Official details are exceedingly scarce, with the company only saying the 2.0-liter will hit dealers this winter and that additional info will be made available this fall. We can, however, make a few safe assumptions based on the engine's output in Europe. According to our previous story on the Decherd, TN-built engine, the turbocharged mill will offer up 211 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. That plants it squarely between the outputs of the 2.0-liter turbo in the BMW 320i and 328i, though it's down on power compared to the engines offered in the Cadillac ATS, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and upcoming Lexus IS 200t. There's also a 100-plus-horsepower gap between the Q50's two gas-only engines. Considering all of these things, not to mention Infiniti's reluctance to reveal official specs, it seems safe to wager that the Japanese brand will find a way to squeeze more power out of the current 2.0-liter turbo. That'd allow the Q50 to better challenge the competition's entry-level offerings while bringing the starting price point down from the roughly $38,000 it sits at now. That's grain-of-salt conjecture on our part, though, so caveat emptor. Expect to hear more on the Q50's new engine later this year. Until then, scroll down for the official press release cover all of Infiniti's 2016 updates. INFINITI – WHAT'S NEW FOR 2016 For 2016, the Infiniti lineup in the United States expands once again, literally, with a new longer, roomier Infiniti QX50 premium crossover. With its wheelbase extended 3.2-inches, the 2016 QX50 offers greatly increased rear passenger room, as well as additional cargo space. It also features new exterior styling. There are additional changes in store for 2016, starting with the addition of a new 2.0-liter turbo 4-cylinder engine for the Infiniti Q50 sports sedan available in the winter of 2016. Other Infiniti Q50 enhancements will be announced at the North American International Auto Show in January. In addition, revisions to the Infiniti QX60 luxury crossover will be announced at that time. The Infiniti QX80 full-size SUV keeps it fresh for 2016 with a new Signature Edition, which includes Driver Assistance and Split Bench packages, Saddle Tan high-contrast interior, bodyside moldings and chrome mirror caps. The QX80 Special Edition is limited to just 1,000 units.

Infiniti hires Sebastian Vettel as Director of Performance

Remember when, during the Grand Prix of the Americas weekend last November, we told you that Sebastian Vettel had worked with Infiniti on the new G Coupe and that there'd be more of that kind of involvement on the way? It's been made official with the three-time Formula One World Champion being named Infiniti's Director of Performance.
Although the announcement is fresh, Vettel's time on the job isn't, Infiniti saying that Vettel went to Japan, the Nürburgring and the Circuit de Catalunya to assist in the development of the Q50 sedan.
When we spoke to Andreas Sigl, the man in charge of Infiniti's F1 collaboration with Red Bull, about the tie-up he had also said, "Like Mercedes has AMG and BMW has M - whether it's called IPL or not - we want to have something in that space." If the brand is still serious about that, Vettel's chops could help them deliver the kind of performance they'd need as upstarts to challenge the ringleaders of that particular hi-po circus.