2011 Infiniti G37 Sedan Sport 6mt Rwd 6 Speed Manual on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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.

2014 Infiniti Q50 configurator comes alive

The G37-replacing 2014 Infiniti Q50 sport sedan launches in the not-too-distant future, and for those curious about how pricing and packages will shake out, the car's official online configurator has been launched. Here, you can build the Q50 or Q50 Hybrid of your dreams, with the cost of entry starting at $36,450 (plus $905 for destination).
Selecting the hybrid model adds $7,250 to that bottom line - mostly because the gasoline-electric version is only available in the Premium trim and higher, while the gas-only Q50 comes in a base guise. Adding all-wheel drive, which Infiniti has made available with either engine and on all trims, will set you back $1,800.
There are a number of packages available across the trims, including a $1,400 navigation pack that includes a spare tire kit, a deluxe touring pack that costs $4,700 (and includes the navigation goodies), and the upper-crust $7,900 technology package which gets you, well, everything. Put that all together on a Venetian Ruby Q50 RWD Sport like we did, and you're looking at $51,755 when destination has been added.

2015 Infiniti QX80 gets a minor refresh, fancy new trim

Infiniti revealed an ever-so-slightly refreshed QX80 alongside its Q70 luxury sedan this morning in New York. The biggest news for the brand's fullsize SUV is the addition of a range-topping trim level, unimaginatively dubbed the QX80 Limited.
The Big 80 sports a couple of styling tweaks in an effort to bring its appearance more in line with the brand's current design language. The "double-arch" grille with mesh inserts we first viewed on the Q50 now adorns the front fascia, and the head and taillights have gone full-LED. Still, it's hard to call this SUV anything but ugly. It's bulbous and almost brutish, which aren't generally words you want to have to use when talking about any kind of luxury vehicle.
There aren't many updates inside or to the drivetrain, either. Like the Q70, Infiniti has added a couple of new tech features, such as its Predictive Forward Collision Warning system and High Beam Assist. Although it's getting a bit long in the tooth, the interior remains nice, with lots of wood and leather all around. The SUV continues to use a 5.6-liter V8, which produces 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission.