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Infiniti went out of its way to make the QX30 not a Mercedes

You can complain all you want about perceived badge engineering when a company (like Mercedes-Benz) sells a platform to another brand (such as Infiniti). The reality is that most buyers won't know the difference, and they won't even realize their Infiniti is really a Mercedes underneath or that their neighbor's GLA has the same basic parts as the QX30 they just bought. What's weird to me isn't that sameness, but the places where the two cute little utes differ. These two vehicles, which are more like tall hatchbacks, use the same Mercedes 2.0-liter turbo four and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. Infiniti adds its own throttle and transmission calibrations. The suspension design is the same, although there are tuning differences. Both come standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive an option. Fuel economy matches for the FWD models, while the AWD Infiniti lags behind the Mercedes for some reason. So they're very similar despite their different looks. And design makes sense as a point of differentiation. Frankly, they go further than a lot of vehicles on shared platforms do – further, in fact, than the upcoming Nissan Navara-based Mercedes X-Class pickup does. The QX30 has its own sheetmetal and glass to separate it from the GLA-class. You probably think one looks better than the other. If you know where to look, the signs of sameness are obvious. Most major systems and pieces are shared, like the steering wheels (with different center covers), most switchgear, and things like interior and exterior door handles. Shared parts are fine as long as the parts are good ones. On that note, how many Tesla buyers realize their steering column and stalks, plus the window switches, come from Mercedes? And does that actually matter? We'd argue no. About those differences. Many are functional, like the fact the Infiniti does not carry over the Benz's Brake Hold feature – when you roll to a stop in the GLA (or any other Benz), pressing the brake pedal firmly applies the electric parking brake until you hit the gas to move again. The QX30 has an electric parking brake, but no Brake Hold feature. Someone used to driving Mercedes models will look a bit silly standing on the brake pedal to no effect. Ask us how we know. The Mercedes gauge package is carried over, but with the Infiniti font. Makes sense, although it's off-putting at first if you've seen the original, prompting a weird deja vu. Circular dash vents are replaced by rhomboid ones.

2017 Infiniti Q60 3.0t Sport starts at $49,205

Infiniti announced pricing Wednesday for the 2017 Q60 3.0t Sport. The 300-horsepower Q60 3.0t Sport starts at $49,204, while the all-wheel-drive variant starts at $51,205. The new models slot snugly in between the Q60 3.0t Premium AWD and the Q60 Red Sport 400. The Q60 3.0t Sport's price isn't the only thing that makes it the middle child, as the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6's output is in the middle, as well. The base Q60 2.0t is fitted with a turbocharged inline-four that generates 208 horsepower, while the range-topping Q60 Red Sport 400's 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 puts out 400 horsepower. The Q60 3.0t Sport makes an even 300 horsepower, not enough to crowd the Q60 Red Sport, but a large increase over the inline-four motor. In terms of features, the Q60 3.0t Sport trims gets a lot of the same components as the high-end models, including the sport brakes, Dynamic Digital Suspension, 19-inch aluminum alloy wheels, carbon-fiber trim on the inside, and more. The two models will go on sale next month and bring the total of available Q60 models up to 10. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Video:

2018 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 Quick Spin Review | Beauty before brawn

The 2018 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 is an absolute beauty in person. And that's important, because, more than any other segment in the automotive marketplace, a personal luxury coupe has got to have the kind of attention-grabbing looks that can lead off the discussion about a brand-new vehicle. Like this one. It's also important because the name Red Sport 400 conjures up a kind of performance imagery that the Q60's hardware doesn't quite live up to. But before we delve into the world of horsepower and torque, let's finish talking about style. Like most luxury marques these days, Infiniti is working really hard to put a variant of its instantly recognizable corporate face on everything it sells. Unlike some other automakers — *cough* Lexus *cough* — Infiniti has been mostly successful in the styling-led marketing push without making each new car a caricature of the model it replaced. The fascia is dominated by a curvaceous chrome grille, which has little wing-shaped tabs that draw attention toward a dashing pair of headlights. These lighting units have LED elements that sort of form the shape of eye makeup, and while that could be a major styling misstep, it looks lovely on the Q60. Moving back from the face, there isn't a flat surface anywhere that might distract an onlooker from the overall cohesiveness of the design. The Q60's sheetmetal is pulled, pushed, and bunched like taffy strung across a whirling pair of beaters. If we were to lodge a complaint about the Q60's appearance, it would focus on the superfluous chrome-tipped gill slits just behind either front wheel and the too-small displacement badge nearby on the fenders. Both of these bits are unnecessary and seem like they were tacked on at the last minute. But those are small grievances that don't do much to distract from an otherwise cohesive design, and the chrome vents can be replaced with carbon fiber for an extra $395. It would be a sin to choose any color other than Dynamic Sunstone Red. This deep shade suits the Q60's flowing lines perfectly, and everyone who saw the car parked in our driveway had good things to say about the hue. Other colors are available, but ... just pick the red. The interior of out test car had seats in an off-white shade of leather that looks good, but was already showing wear and discoloration. We'd probably choose the red leather seats instead.