Awd Low Miles 4 Dr Suv Gasoline 5.6l V8 Moonlight White Low Miles Like New on 2040-cars

Auto blog

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:

Major automakers post mixed US June sales figures

General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV posted declines in US new vehicle sales for June on Monday, while major Japanese automakers reported stronger figures. Once again, demand for pickup trucks and crossovers offset a decline in sedan sales. Automakers' shares rose as overall industry sales still came in above Wall Street expectations. The US auto industry is bracing for a downturn after hitting a record 17.55 million new vehicles sold in 2016. Analysts had predicted that overall, US vehicle sales would fall in June for the fourth consecutive month. As the market has shown signs of cooling, automakers have hiked discounts and loosened lending terms. Car shopping website Edmunds said on Monday the average length of a car loan reached an all-time high of 69.3 months in June. "It's financially risky, leaving borrowers exposed to being upside down on their vehicles for a large chunk of their loans," said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds' executive director of industry analysis. GM said its sales fell about 5 percent versus June 2016, but that the industry would see stronger sales in the second half of 2017 versus the first half. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." GM shares were up 2.4 percent in morning trading, while Ford rose 3.3 percent and FCA shares jumped 6 percent. "US total sales are moderating due to an industry-wide pullback in daily rental sales, but key US economic fundamentals clearly remain positive," said GM chief economist Mustafa Mohatarem. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." Ford said its sales for June were hit by lower fleet sales to rental agencies, businesses, and government entities, which fell 13.9 percent, while sales to consumers were flat. But it sold a record 406,464 SUVs in the first half of the year, with Explorer sales increasing 23 percent in June. And sales of the F-150 had their strongest June since 2001. On a media call, Ford executives said an initial read of automakers' sales figures indicated a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of around 17 million new vehicles for the month, which would be better than 16.6 million units analysts had predicted. FCA said June sales decreased 7 percent versus the same month a year earlier.

A beautiful conundrum | 2017 Infiniti Q60 First Drive

"OK, this should be fun." Hands are rubbed together excitedly. It's a rear-wheel-drive sport coupe painted candy apple red. It's sleek, slinky, and uniquely styled. It's from the same folks who, in the 2000s, finally showed that BMW could be matched in the whole sport sedan/coupe game. Oh, and it has 400 horsepower. Four-hundred! With a four. And yet the 2017 Infiniti Q60 underwhelms. What looks so good on paper instead is rather conflicted, stuck somewhere in no-man's land between the traditional expectations of a performance sport coupe and those of comfier, more luxurious cruisers that isolate and pamper their occupants. It's a serious effort with serious engineering and a clear desire to be innovative, but at least in the range-topping Red Sport model we tested, it fails to come together in a way that truly excites or indulges. A great coupe should do one or the other, and ideally both. To explain, let's start under the hood, where Infiniti's all-new "VR" series 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 makes its second appearance after debuting in the Q60's four-door sibling, the Q50. In the Q60 Silver Sport model, it produces 300 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque courtesy a pair of turbochargers that create 8.7 psi of boost. In the Red Sport, the knob is turned up to 14.7 psi, resulting in the oh-so-salivatory magic number of 400 hp along with 350 lb-ft of torque. A device known as an optical turbo speed sensor, special to the Red Sport, manages and maintains that extra boost, while an electric motor fitted to the valve timing system serves to quell any loss in throttle response due to forced induction. The Red also gets a second water-cooled intercooler, which, in both models, is distinctive for its more compact size, shorter airflow path, and, according to Infiniti, a resulting reduction in turbo lag and more immediate engine response. It's certainly a clear improvement on the somewhat rough 3.7-liter "VQ" V6 it replaces, which increasingly felt and sounded a little out of place in a luxury car. The new VR30DDTT, as it's so eloquently named, is buttery smooth and indeed responsive, likely capable of convincing luxury-car owners used to naturally aspirated V6s that everything's business as usual. Honestly, its character is reminiscent of a silky Honda V6. In some respects, that's a great thing. In others, it's where the Q60 starts to fall flat.