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Infiniti boss ices plan for EV

Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen has postponed plans for an electric vehicle in order to focus on high-volume models. Automotive News reports de Nysschen is attempting to be realistic about Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn's goal of nearly tripling Infiniti global sales from 170,000 units last year to 500,000 by March 31, 2017, saying, "500,000 cars by 2017 is an inordinately ambitious challenge." An electric vehicle would likely sell in rather small numbers.
Still, the executive is already making moves to improve Infiniti sales worldwide with new production in both China and England. Meanwhile, the company plans to unveil a new volume compact sedan set to bow in 2015. Meanwhile, de Nysschen is also working on two new models above the company's current M line. Those will borrow styling cues from machines like the Essence Concept, but will be far less exotic, tilting more toward high-performance luxury than true sports car.

Infiniti shows Q30 interior ahead of Frankfurt debut

Infiniti is supposed to debut the all-new Q30 hatchback at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, but as the show is still a couple of weeks away and the company has elected to release yet another image, we aren't sure there'll be all that much to see come Sept. 15. With that in mind, then, we give you the first images of the entry-level hatch's cabin, and they're, um, wow. We knew the Q30 had a lot in common with the Mercedes-Benz A-Class but as these images show, this is far more than a common platform. The steering wheel, instrument cluster, switchgear, and shifter are direct from the Mercedes parts bin. From the looks of the images, the Q30 will even have a Mercedes-style key. This might not garner much attention in the budget ranks – take the Scion iA and Mazda2, for example – but this degree of parts sharing in the premium market is sure to raise some eyebrows. It's also a rather bewildering move for Infiniti. The company is, in effect, selling a Mercedes-Benz to any new customers it attracts. That'll certainly make a Q50 a hard sell when it comes time for an upgrade. Now, in Infiniti's defense, there are some differences in the layout here. The triple nozzle-style HVAC vents have been replaced with a more conventional pair of outlets, and the instrument cluster hood extends over the built-in navigation screen. That design decision, in particular, will certainly appeal to critics of the tacked-on-tablet look offered by Mercedes. The analog buttons for the multimedia system have also been tweaked, with the result looking far cleaner than the mess of buttons offered on Mercedes' products (we wouldn't be shocked to see this layout arrive on a facelifted A-, CLA-, or GLA-Class in the near future, though). Beyond those changes, though, there are multiple Mercedes design hallmarks here, including the location of the controls for the seat adjustments. You can check out the Q30's cabin in both right- and left-hand drive varieties courtesy of the images above. And for comparison's sake, we also included our most recent gallery of the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class at the bottom of the page. Have a look and be sure to scroll down for the official press release. September 1, 2015 Countdown Frankfurt: First ever Infiniti Q30 active compact opens its doors before world premiere ? Q30 – The first global Infiniti compact ? Q30 interior design echoes daring expression of exterior ?

2022 Infiniti QX60 to get 295-HP V6, dump CVT for nine-speed auto

Infiniti confirmed Thursday that its redesigned QX60 will ditch its CVT in favor of a newer nine-speed automatic, following its platform cousin, the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder, in adopting an updated powertrain. Though not officially revealed, it should look mostly identical to the QX60 Monograph concept in these photos.  Putting this powertrain in Infiniti's midsize crossover really shouldn't be much of a surprise. Thanks to Nissan, we've already gotten a sneak peak at it care of the 2022 Pathfinder, which will employ the ZF nine-speed paired to the same 3.5-liter V6. The engine is tuned for an extra 11 horsepower (295 vs. 284) in the Infiniti, but we don't expect significant differences between the two when it comes to their fundamentals. Infiniti hasn't yet confirmed whether the QX60 will be offered in both front- and all-wheel-drive configurations, but we have no reason to believe otherwise. The Pathfinder is offered with front-wheel drive standard or an optional, redesigned all-wheel-drive system. It’s a new direct coupling design that can send 50% of available torque to the rear wheels, which Nissan says improves off-road performance. For Infiniti, we expect tuning centered around performance and refinement.  The ZF nine-speed isn't our favorite transmission. Its compact design makes it convenient for all-wheel-drive applications, but its on-road calibration leaves quite a bit to be desired, and many vehicles we've tested with that gearbox have disappointed us with their lack of ultimate refinement and responsiveness. That said, it's still probably an improvement over the CVT, which often seems to merely convert gasoline into unpleasant noises.  "The upcoming, all-new 2022 Infiniti QX60 embraces the tenets of what our brand stands for," said Infiniti Chairman Peyman Kargar in the company's announcement. "Teams from Japan and the U.S. have worked tirelessly to bring the new QX60 to customers as our most refined and advanced three-row crossover yet. The QX60 is a foundation for Infiniti and will bring to life our core philosophies. WeÂ’ll have more to talk about soon, so watch this space." Infiniti promises to formally introduce the 2022 QX60 later this year.