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2019 Infiniti QX60 and QX80 introduced with new Limited trim level

The 2019 Infiniti QX60 crossover and 2019 Infiniti QX80 full-size SUV debuted here at the New York Auto Show with new, more luxurious Limited trim levels. They include special wheels and even more luxurious interior touches. On the dark-grilled QX60 Limited, the custom wheels are 20 inches, and on the bigger QX80 they are 22. The half-leather seats on the QX60 are quilted, and the aniline color extends to the armrest and door cards as well. On the QX80, the "Limited" lettering stands out everywhere, from the center console to the seats, which are two-tone, leather and Alcantara. The QX80's dashboard wood trim is matte silver ash, and little trimline-specific details can be seen everywhere. The QX60's engine remains the standard specification 295-horsepower 3.5-liter V6, and the QX80's powerplant is the 5.6-liter V8 with 400 horsepower. Pricing hasn't yet been announced, but the QX60 Limited will be available this summer, and the QX80 Limited can be bought from summer onward. Related Video:

Nissan's dismal 2019: Where does Japan's struggling brand go from here?

Auto sales have gradually slowed from their peak during the boom years that followed the global recession, but Nissan's rapid decline stood out even in a year when few high-volume manufacturers had much to be excited about.  Of the "Japanese 3," Nissan's 2019 performance was by far the most troubling. Through November, when the company last posted its global sales figures, its volumes were down 8 percent compared to 2019. Here in the United States, its full-year numbers were down 9.9% in an industry that slid just a hair more than 2 percent overall.  Meanwhile, Honda managed a slight increase in U.S. sales (0.2%) and Toyota, much like the industry in general, finished the year down approximately 2%. Like Nissan, Honda and Toyota have remained committed to cars — including compact and midsize sedans — and have a comprehensive portfolio of offerings in the key SUV and crossover segments.   On paper, Nissan's lineup checks all the right boxes. From the subcompact Kicks up to the Armada, it has something for sale in virtually every possible nook and cranny of the people-mover segment, but almost all of these trucks (and trucklets) took a beating in 2019. Only the baby Kicks managed to improve on its 2018 sales, which isn't saying a whole lot, considering it was barely sold in 2018 to begin with.  In fact, the bonus volume contributed by Kicks helps obscure just how poorly some of Nissan's key offerings performed last year. Combined Rogue and Rogue Sport sales slid 15%; Murano was down more than 18%; the Pathfinder and Armada managed to pace the general industry, dropping 2.8 and 1.9%, respectively, but the astute reader will note at this point that we've yet to single out any bright spots. The news was even worse on the truck side. Frontier was down 9.1%. Titan? Down 37.5%. Crossovers and SUVs are selling. Trucks, even from import brands, are also selling. Toyota's mid-size Tacoma was up in 2019; both it and the full-size Tundra still more than tripled the volume of their Nissan competitors. Further muddying the waters, Honda managed its year-over-year volume increase without selling a full-sized pickup at all.  What, then, is Nissan's problem? To borrow an oft-used phrase, "It's the product, stupid." The most striking evidence of this issue is the Rogue, which competes in the compact crossover segment — a collection of vehicles that essentially sell themselves.

Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge Concept could be something special

With one of Infiniti's chief goals being to adopt a less US-centric product lineup and burnish its standing on the global stage, Nissan's premium outpost will have to get serious about enhancing its offerings' performance and image credentials if it wants to take on the Germans model for model. It dabbled with the idea when it launched its Infiniti Performance Line (IPL), but its sole emissary to this point, the G37 IPL, offered little in the way of actual enhanced performance, focusing instead on visuals and a hefty price tag. This just-revealed Q50 Eau Rouge Concept suggests Infiniti is starting to get the message. Based on the cooking Q50, the Eau Rouge concept features both enhanced visuals courtesy of much more aggressive (and 20-millimeter-wider) carbon fiber bodywork inspired by the company's RB9 Formula One car and an improved stance thanks to a lowered, firmed suspension. As for what's lurking underhood this Detroit Auto Show star, that may be as much a theoretical at this point as anything else, but Infiniti president Johan de Nysschen offers a hint: "If we built this car I would expect it to feature over 500 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque," power arrived at via "a big personality, V-cylinder engine with forced induction." Johan, that sounds like a fine place to start. Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge: Muscular, purposeful, refined - Q50 Eau Rouge concept provides a glimpse of Infiniti's design prowess for high-performance vehicles - Exterior features Infiniti Red Bull Racing Formula One design influences - Q50 Eau Rouge hints at future powerful product line Detroit / Hong Kong – The Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge, revealed at the 2014 NAIAS Detroit Motor Show, is a concept car that expresses Infiniti's design vision of a high-performance Q50 premium sports sedan. The Q50 Eau Rouge embodies the arresting design features of the Q50 premium sports sedan – infused with the enticing spirit of Formula One. Featuring bespoke aerodynamic carbon fiber bodywork, Q50 Eau Rouge is lower and wider, possessing genuine road presence. This striking design is inspired by muscularity, aerodynamics, refinement, and understated power. "If we built this car I would expect it to feature over 500hp and 600lb/ft of torque. Through our various alliance partners we have access to a range of engines featuring this performance capability which, with a fair amount of engineering effort, can be developed to exhibit Infiniti character and accommodated within the Q50 engine bay.