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Infiniti's variable compression engine in the 2019 QX50 is the first of its kind

The world's first variable compression ratio engine is here, in a production car. That car is the 2019 Infiniti QX50, debuting this week at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The midsize crossover has seen a refresh that has brought it an all-new platform together with new driver assist features, but it's the engine that's the centerpiece here. Nearly everything is continuously variable under the hood of the QX50 – not only the new shift-by-wire XTRONIC CVT. The new VC-Turbo gasoline engine is able to change its compression ratio from 8:1 to 14:1, or anything in between depending of the driving situation; whether there is need for top-end power or turbodiesel-like torque from low revs, or optimized fuel economy. The pistons' reach is continuously adjusted by an electric "Harmonic Drive" motor, which controls a multi-link system, affecting the top-dead-center of the pistons and changing the compression. The engine can also switch between efficiency-maximizing Atkinson cycle and regular combustion cycle, on the go – and there's both multipoint injection and gasoline direct injection employed. The result is 268 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 280 pound-feet of torque at 4,400 rpm; good figures for a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with a single-scroll turbocharger. Infiniti says that the FWD version's fuel economy of 27 miles per gallon combined is 35-percent better than the previous-generation V6 engine; in AWD guise, it reaches 26 mpg, which is a 30-percent improvement. The new engine is pretty much all-aluminum, but the vaguely magical-sounding "transformative multi-link components" behind the variable compression system are made from high-carbon steel alloy. The engine's multi-link system also enables it to do away with any balancing shafts, and Infiniti compares its smoothness to a V6 rather than a regular four-cylinder. In addition to the aforementioned tech, the VC-Turbo engine has the world's first active engine mount vibration damping system to smoothen its operation even further. Related Video:

Infiniti Q30 prototype spotted winter testing

Infiniti is the latest luxury automaker preparing to join the premium hatchback segment, and after seeing a prototype wrapped in garbage bags undergoing warm-weather testing earlier last month, we're now looking at another test mule running in the snow. Previewed in concept form at the Frankfurt Motor Show over a year ago, the Infiniti Q30 is set to share its platform with the Mercedes GLA – with which it obviously shares its proportions, but from which it will be distinguished with unique styling with trademark Infiniti design cues. It's still hard to tell much from the spy shots (heavily camouflaged as is the prototype), but their emergence at least tells us that development is continuing apace. We wouldn't take too much stock in the Volvo V60 tailing it, though: automakers often benchmark the competition, but the Q30 will more directly compete with the next V40, along with the likes of the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series and (maybe to a lesser extent) the Lexus CT 200h. Expect power to come from the same 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine used in the GLA and its stablemates as well. Production is slated to take place simultaneously in Decherd, TN, and in Sunderland, England, at Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK – one of the largest assembly plants in Europe. A QX30 crossover version better suited to rougher roads is slated to follow as well.

Infiniti plans overhaul of infotainment system by 2021

Infiniti is working on a fully overhauled infotainment system starting in 2021 that will feature bigger displays but retain the current dual-touchscreen setup. In the meantime, upgrades including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity will be added to existing systems starting next year, depending on the market. "Next year is going to be the first step of improvement," Infiniti's vice president of product strategy, Francois Bancon, told Australian outlet GoAuto. "And as we move forward with a bigger display, 12.0-inch, 15.0-inch, whatever, of course we are going to improve the accuracy." He also indicated that "only the media" complains about the dual-screen display and that customer feedback has been strong. "The appearance of the system, for example in QX50, which is the same as in Q50, we're not going to change. But we just redesign the whole system behind more capacity, faster reaction time, high-definition display and full connectivity." So the new system will keep the dual-screen setup, which today involves the top screen handling mostly navigation and redundant audio information while the lower screen is used to control vehicle, phone and audio functions (see the below video for more info on how it works). The QX50, which goes on sale in the United States later this year, will also be the first Infiniti to get a 9-inch color head-up display on the windshield, plus smartphone mirroring and data-derived weather and other apps. The rollout of a new infotainment system coincides with Infiniti's plan to build its first all-electric car in 2021 and release hybrids based on Nissan's e-Power technology. Parent company Nissan has said it wants to sell 1 million electric vehicles annually by 2022. Related Video: