2007 Infiniti G35 X Sedan 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Infiniti QX55 Luggage Test | The price to be paid for a coupe

The Infiniti QX55 is the crossover-coupe version of the QX50, which like other such variants available throughout the industry, chops the roofline and cargo area down to create a "coupe-like" appearance. Obviously, this results in a reduction in cargo capacity, but because that reduction is largely above the back seat line, the actual reduction in usable cargo space isn't as great as you might expect. While carrying a large box or some other tall, bulky thing will be more difficult, smaller items like suitcases won't necessarily be much different since carrying them above the back seat line can reduce or eliminate rear visibility and create a hazard by flying forward while stopping as well. It's for those very reasons I don't stack to the roof in luggage tests. Now, I have not tested the QX50, so I have no point of comparison in that regard. But I have tested a variety of crossover-coupes and the QX55 does indeed share common attributes ... and detriments.  On paper, the Infiniti QX55 has 26.9 cubic-feet of cargo space behind its back seat. That is basically the same as the Audi e-Tron Sportback and a bit less than the Mustang Mach-E and Toyota Venza. The Cayenne Coupe figure just seems inaccurate.  The QX55's back seat reclines, however, so its amount is variable. I do not know where Infiniti set it while doing it's measurement, but I set it for a comfortable degree comparable to most fixed back seats. You can also easily lower the back seat with handles in the cargo area. Both elements are pictured below.  Now, let's get to the bags. As in every luggage test I do, I use two midsize roller suitcases that would need to be checked in at the airport (26 inches long, 16 wide, 11 deep), two roll-aboard suitcases that just barely fit in the overhead (24L x 15W x 10D), and one smaller roll-aboard that fits easily (23L x 15W x 10D). I also include my wife's fancy overnight bag just to spruce things up a bit (21L x 12W x 12D). Cool, that was easy. All the bags easily fit with minimal Tetrising and ... Oh no. Wait, they don't. Despite all the bags seeming to be clear of the liftgate, the power-closing function got stuck repeatedly. I could slam it shut manually, but that's another no-no here at Luggage Test Portland in order to keep things consistent.  I then Tetrised and Tetrised and Tetrised again. No good, no good, no good. "Boy, what an annoying cargo area," I said to an empty street. This is what eventually worked after the sixth attempt.

Race Recap: 2015 Canadian F1 Grand Prix is better behind the front

As of Saturday afternoon in Montreal, Canada, it was all about the number four. Lewis Hamilton put his Mercedes-AMG Petronas on pole position for the fourth time at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, and now his tally of pole positions matches his race number: 44. Nico Rosberg lines up beside him, which is the fourth time that particular one-two combo has occurred this season. Ferrari spent three engine development tokens to try and close the gap to Mercedes, Kimi Raikkonen making the most of it with third position on the gird. His teammate Sebastian Vettel got the worst of it, however, when the MGU-K unit failed during Q1, leaving him 160 horsepower down and out at the first hurdle. Valtteri Bottas put a revitalized Williams on the grid at fourth, ahead of a Lotus lockout of the third row with Romain Grosjean leading the way in fifth, Pastor Maldonado just beside. Nico Hulkenberg got the first Sahara Force India into seventh – the team is still waiting on the upgraded B car that should be available for Austria – ahead of Daniil Kvyat in the first Infiniti Red Bull Racing and a "pissed off" Daniel Ricciardo in the second Red Bull. Sergio Perez made it two Force Indias in the top ten, a welcome result from a team performing below expectations of late. When the lights went out, at the very front it was much ado about not that much at all. Hamilton got away clean and stabbed across the track to close the door for Rosberg, giving Raikkonen a chance to take the inside line into Turn 1 in an attempt to clear Rosberg for second place. That didn't happen, leaving the two Mercedes' to run in grid position for the entire race. It wasn't boring – Rosberg stayed close, rubber-banding the time gap to the leader from a little more than one second to just under four seconds, and Montreal is famous for race-rearranging safety cars and on-track incidents. But none of those occurred, so Hamilton crossed the line 2.285 seconds ahead of Rosberg after 70 laps to earn his fourth victory in Canada and the first-ever victory for the Brackley, UK-based Mercedes team. Valtteri Bottas drove his Williams to third position, the first podium place for the team this year and a welcome salve to heal the team's wounds from a poor showing in Monaco. That placing came courtesy of being in the right place at the right time, which was not far behind Raikkonen when the Ferrari driver spun at the hairpin on Lap 28 after his first pit stop.

Infiniti teases Qs Inspiration electrified sedan concept for Auto Shanghai

Infiniti has the third installment of its Q concept lineup ready for Auto Shanghai in a couple of weeks. The 2018 Detroit Auto Show saw the Q Inspiration concept, a slinky pearlescent sports sedan. This year's Detroit show welcomed the QX Inspiration concept, an ivory electric crossover that previewed a future product. The Shanghai debut blends the two with the Qs Inspiration concept, "an electrified sports sedan for the future," that previews a forthcoming product. The Qs Inspiration appears to pick up where the 2018 Q Inspiration left off. We noted last year's show car didn't have visible tailpipes, and we suspected an electric powertrain. That wasn't the case — Infiniti said the brand's VC-Turbo technology powered the four-door. This new Qs Inspiration is built on an "all-new flexible architecture developed specifically for electrified powertrains." That's a curious distinction if by electrified Infiniti means an electrically assisted ICE. If a car needs all the paraphernalia of an ICE drivetrain, where's the electric leap? It must be somewhere, because Infiniti says the Qs Inspiration is as groundbreaking as the Q45 sedan that birthed the brand in 1989. Company boss Christian Meunier said, "Electrification creates a range of new possibilities for sedans," the concept "letting us imagine how this type of car could be reinvigorated and adapted to fit the changing needs and tastes of drivers." The teaser tells us nothing but to expect more white. There will be an "electrified form language" outside, a "minimalist cabin" inside. The dual-zone interior contains a "clutter-free cockpit ... to engage the driver, and a relaxed passenger zone that make the most of the generous interior space." Naturally, there'll be more Japanese "artistry and craftsmanship" than you can process in one sitting. Stay tuned April 16 for the reveal.