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2014 Infiniti Q50

Avoiding An Identity Crisis... For Now
Infiniti is a brand that has been quietly undergoing major upheaval - and not just with the numbers and letters on its trunklids. Back in December, Nissan's premium brand rankled fans and pundits by announcing it would redo its alphanumeric nomenclature, yet that decision was but a PR speedbump - there are bigger fish to fry. After all, this is a marque that was on the chopping block just a couple of years ago, and now it has a major opportunity to succeed thanks to new investment, new independence (Infiniti is now responsible for its own design, engineering, marketing, quality and human resources), a new global headquarters in Hong Kong, and new marching orders from new leadership that calls for a revitalized and expanded portfolio.
Yet if you think that the Q-based naming convention is the first sign of the brand's new direction, you might have missed Infiniti's biggest signal flare: the 2013 JX crossover. Fine premium three-row crossover that it may be, it's still the first Infiniti in ages that operates without a scintilla of driving entertainment at the core of its genetic makeup. (The last - and perhaps only - previous example was also Pathfinder-based, the 1997 QX4). To be fair, three-row CUVs have a laundry list of priorities before driving enjoyment figures in, but the message the JX (henceforth known as the QX60) sends is clear: Infiniti is going after more segments and more customers. Plans are afoot to expand the company's product line by a whopping 60 percent over the next five years, and in short, that means Infiniti is no longer content to be the unsung Japanese BMW - it needs vehicles that satisfy a wider swath of consumers. Despite all this, Infiniti officials we spoke with were keen to assert that driving pleasure remains very much core to their mission, and to that of this 2014 Q50 in particular.

Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept shows a future with variable compression

For weeks, Infiniti has been teasing the Q Inspiration Concept ahead of its official debut at the Detroit Auto Show. Details were absent, but the design was clean, swoopy athletic. Not seeing any tailpipes on the rear end, we hoped it could sport some kind of electrified powertrain, but surmised that Infiniti could take the opportunity to further showcase its variable compression turbocharged engine technology. Now, Inifniti has officially taken the wraps off its Q Inspiration Concept, and has indeed chosen to use the stunning show car to demonstrate "near future applications" of the potent yet efficient VC-Turbo tech. VC-Turbo made its production debut in the 2019 QX50 at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show. Here, in the Q Inspiration, VC-Turbo allows Infiniti designers to make the most of the packaging, taking advantage of the compact powertrain to increase the size of the cabin while maintaining the footprint of a mid-size car. Electric automakers like Fisker, Lucid Motors and the like have been doing something similar with electric powertrains, but Infiniti's VC-Turbo allows the company to do something similar with technology that is ready for primetime, while still bridging the gap to more efficient future powertrains. VC-Turbo, as we've learned earlier, allows the engine to change and optimize compression ratios on the fly, between 8:1 for high-performance situations, to 14:1 for maximum efficiency. Mounted to the exhaust manifold integrated in the cylinder heads of the four-cylinder engine is a single-scroll turbocharger. The system, says Infiniti, provides the torque and response of a hybrid or turbodiesel powertrain without sacrificing efficiency. In the Q Inspiration, the power is directed to four wheels via a front-biased all-wheel-drive drivetrain. The system can direct torque to the rear wheels individually as needed. As a design study, the Q Inspiration is a success. The proportions and lines are sleek and attractive, accentuated by the car's white paint. There's kind of a lot going on up front, with a large "double-arch" grille at the leading edge. Everything behind that, though, looks particularly harmonious. Its elongated cabin and coupe-like dimensions help provide efficiency while maximizing headroom for the four occupants. It's a car that stands up to close inspection, as attention to detail makes it more interesting the closer you scrutinize it, inside and out.

Autoblog Podcast #344

Doug DeMuro from Plays With Cars, Infiniti Q50, Subaru BRZ STI, Porsche Macan
Episode #344 of the Autoblog podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth and Executive Editor Chris Paukert are joined by Doug DeMuro, author of Plays With Cars and prolific internet autowriting presence. Topics include the latest spy shots of the Porsche Macan, the 2014 Infiniti Q50, and the teaser images we've recently seen of a Subaru BRZ wearing STI badges. As always, we start with what's in the garage and finish up with some of your questions. For those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. You can follow along after the jump with our Q&A. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #344: