2009 Infiniti Fx50 Base Sport Utility 4-door 5.0l on 2040-cars

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Infiniti to offer pair of designer Q50 sedans on Gilt.com

As Infiniti continues to roll out its 2014 Q50, the luxury branch of Nissan is looking to the online luxury purveyors at Gilt to move a couple of special editions of the new luxury sedan. Infiniti has teamed with designers Thom Browne and Zac Posen to create a pair of unique Q50 models, as part of the sale.
The exterior of Browne's car is finished in nearly reflective chrome. Now, we'd love to hold that against him (it's a bit too Bieber), but we think the interior that includes the designer's signature red, white and blue stripes and sterling silver accents is a bit classier. Posen's Q50 is more subdued, with a shades that seem to blend into each other. This ombré look starts in a light silver matte up front before terminating in a glossy, dark gray in back. We know plenty about the appearance of these two cars, but we're kind of in the dark about which powertrain they feature.
Rather than just throw these up on the web and pocket the profits, Infiniti is doing it right. It'll donate proceeds from each car's $75,000 sale price to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. As for the people that shell out $75K for the unique Q50s? Not only will they get a new vehicle, but they'll be gifted a $10,000 shopping spree on Gilt, along with a "style consultation."

Assessing Sebastian Vettel's first 100 days as Infiniti's director of performance

Whenever a new US president is elected, we know to expect a performance review as soon as he (or she) has spent 100 days in office. Sebastian Vettel, arguably given a job that is more important to Infiniti than the US president, has been the brand's director of performance for one hundred revolutions of The Blue Marble, and Infiniti has put together a videographic glimpse of his work at Paul Ricard, in the US and England.
We probably won't really get a grip on the full results of his efforts for a while - we doubt that he's been in his post long enough to significantly alter the trajectory of the Q50 sedan, for instance. But then again, Infiniti insists he's been integral to the car's dynamics development regime, suggesting he's been working as a test driver for some time before these 100 days. Of course, Vettel is a race car driver and brand ambassador first and foremost, but when he tells a Q50 engineer that "For the future, I think it's more comfortable to have the shift paddles on the steering wheel," we get the sense that he won't hesitate to suggest changes in forthcoming products. Check out more of his inputs in the video below as well as a press release detailing his visit to the tech center in Cranfield, UK.

Infiniti Q60 Concept previews sexy styling, twin-turbo V6

Okay Infiniti, this was worth the waiting and teasing. Behold, the Q60 Concept, the coupe that foreshadows a future production two-door while also introducing a new family of 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 engines. It's fair to say we like it very much. Of course, this is not our first unfettered look at the Q60 Concept. Infiniti's final "teaser" image showed off the final product, but now we can analyze it from all angles, including the lovely, almost S-Class Coupe-like rear end and the clean, fashionable cabin. The Q60 Concept's design, particularly in the swoopy profile, comes across as organic and muscular, particularly in the shape of the front fenders and rear haunches. The car's dead front view reveals a few styling details that were overshadowed by the angle of the teaser image, like the interesting ridge that runs from the grille into the powerfully domed hood. A fixed glass roof gives the cabin an open-air feel, while the overall layout is largely reminiscent of the current Q50 sedan, only with cleaner, updated materials that we wouldn't bet on making production. Thin sport seats look supporting and feature quilted leather bolsters, while a two-tone steering wheel spices up the driving environment. Under the Q60 Concept's hood is the same 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 that was first shown on the Q80 Inspiration Concept from the 2014 Paris Motor Show. According to Infiniti, the direct-injected six-pot will arrive in a production car within the next two years. In the Q60, a seven-speed automatic handles power delivery, although it's unclear if a similar gearbox would be used alongside the production engine. Other notable features on this sleek two-door include Infiniti's Direct Adaptive Steering system and the new InTuition system, which promises a "fully customizable digital environment." Of course, we'll have much, much more on the Q60 Concept tomorrow, when it makes it arrives on the floor of the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Scroll down for the full press release from Infiniti. January 11, 2015 Infiniti Q60 Concept: Fusing exhilaration and power - Infiniti's precursor to a high-performance sports coupe - Unique proposition of striking styling and high-output powertrain in a premium package - Previews new family of powerful and efficient engines Hong Kong/Detroit – Infiniti has set out to captivate the imagination and exhilaration of sports coupe fans with the stunning Q60 Concept.