2018 Infiniti Qx60 Base Awd on 2040-cars

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Infiniti lifts veil on Q60 Concept in final teaser shot

Well, here it is. Ahead of its official debut at next week's 2015 North American International Auto Show, Infiniti has given us our final "teaser" image of the new Q60 Concept. Teaser, though, applies only loosely, as this is a full-frontal shot of the new two-door, meaning all we're waiting on is the glut of information that will follow ahead of next week's show in Detroit. Overall, it's a very attractive piece of sheetmetal. There are a lot of interesting design touches, including the new nose, which is very, very heavily inspired by Infiniti's partnership with the Red Bull Racing Formula 1 team. Aside from that, many of the company's most notable styling touches have been toned down on the Q60 Concept, particularly the double-arch grille, which has been softened noticeably. The slim headlights, aggressive kink in the beltline behind the B-pillar, strong character line and the air-curtain-like element behind the front wheel arch are the other big styling features. We'll have far more on the Q60 Concept on Sunday, January 11, when it makes its official debut on the eve of the Detroit Auto Show. Until then, take a look at the final teaser up top and let us know what you think of Infiniti's latest efforts in Comments.

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.

Nissan and Infiniti to get 6 EVs within 5 years

Nissan will get four new electric-powered vehicles, while its luxury division Infiniti will get two over the next five years, a top executive told Automotive News. The six EVs will make up Nissan and Infiniti's share of the 12 electric vehicles planned for Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi by 2022, though there's no word on how the numbers break down for those other brands. Infiniti last month announced plans for its first all-electric vehicle in 2021, plus new "e-Power" series hybrids like the ones it has introduced in other markets. But the six vehicles divulged by Toshihiro Hirai, Nissan's corporate vice president for powertrain and EV engineering, reportedly include only full battery-electrics and not hybrids. The only full-electric currently offered by either brand in the U.S. is the Nissan Leaf, which was just updated for 2018. Nissan-Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn has been a consistent supporter of electric vehicles, and he has said EVs need greater government incentives, lower development costs and a greater recognition among the buying public of the risks of climate change in order to gain traction among consumers. Last summer, Nissan-Renault announced plans to build electric vehicles in China in a new venture with Dongfeng Motor to meet EV quotas. They'll use a subcompact crossover platform from its own vehicle family.Related Video: