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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.

Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge revealed ahead of Detroit

As fast as Infiniti is on the track with its sponsored Formula One racecar, the automaker sure is taking its time releasing details for the Q50 Eau Rouge Concept. This performance- and aero-tuned version of the Q50 sedan is heading for a big debut at the Detroit Auto Show, and Infiniti just released a new image and some more info on what we can only hope is a glimpse at future Infiniti Performance Line (IPL) products.
Influenced by the Red Bull Racing program, Infiniti's design team gave the Q50 a substantial once over with the concept getting an entirely new body compared to the production version of the luxury sedan making it both lower and wider. Previewed by an earlier teaser, the face of the Q50 Eau Rouge Concept has a mean look with massive intakes and a carbon fiber splitter. This new image also shows off additional cues like the lightweight, 21-inch wheels as well as the carbon fiber roof, side sills and door mirrors. While we only get this single image of the Q50 Eau Rouge Concept, Infiniti promises a carbon fiber rear splitter, dual exhaust and a "large integrated rear spoiler."
There is still no word on what handling or engine upgrades are in store, but hopefully those GT-R-inspired hood vents are only a hint at something monstrous lurking beneath the hood. Check out the full press release posted below for a few more details on the car, but we expect Infiniti to drop some more info on the Eau Rouge Concept before its official debut.

Infiniti QX70 S Design goes dark in the City of Light

As Infiniti continues its attempts at making inroads in the European market, it's showing off a sharper-looking version of its QX70 crossover. Much as it does in the US market, the CUV, formerly known as the FX, is adding an S Design trim.
The new trim pack adds plenty of dark chrome to the exterior of the fashion-forward QX70, with the stuff finding its way onto the grille, foglight surrounds and side grilles. While not dark chrome, the 21-inch alloys, mirror caps and roof rails are now painted black, while the headlights are smoked. Black lacquer trim, black leather and purple stitching stand out in the S Design's cabin.
Hop up top for our full gallery of live photos of Europe's new, dark-chrome-adorned QX70, and then head below for the original press release, issued by Infiniti earlier this month.