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Infiniti QX50 concept previews production model with variable compression engine

Infiniti revealed its QX50 concept ahead of its official debut at the Detroit Auto Show, and despite the concept title, it looks pretty much production-ready. The company calls the crossover "an evolution of the QX Sport Inspiration" concept, and that's certainly accurate. Side-by-side, the QX Sport, which we already figured was previewing a new QX50, and this concept look nearly identical. The primary changes are bumpers and side skirts that feature the obligatory aluminum trim to look like skid plates, and simple black plastic fender flares. The overall result is a crossover that is pleasant but not exactly exciting that bridges the gap between the small and swoopy QX30 and the large QX60. The plain wrapper hides plenty of impressive technology, though. Under the hood is Infiniti's fascinating variable-compression turbocharged engine. It's a 2.0-liter inline-four that can alter its compression ratio to anything between 8:1 and 14:1. The result is an engine that produces an estimated 268 horsepower and 288 lb-ft of torque. Infiniti says the four-cylinder should be about 27-percent more efficient than a comparable V6. In addition, while the company says this concept just shows a potential application of the engine, it's safe to say that you can expect it in the production model. With the new engine, the QX50 will also switch from to a front-drive platform, with all-wheel drive definitely an option or possibly standard; the current QX50 is based on the aging rear-drive FM platform used on other Infinitis and the Nissan 370Z. The other new tech buried in the QX50 concept's body is what Infiniti calls the "first production-ready incarnation" of its ProPilot semi-autonomous technology. The company doesn't go into great detail about what it will do except for handling stop-and-go highway traffic. We would hazard a guess that the system is functionally the same as the one introduced on the Nissan Serena minivan in Japan. It goes by the same name and can handle stop-and-go traffic, as well as maintain the car's lane position and distance behind other cars. It's another safe bet that we'll see this system in the production model. Other details about the car, such as the interior, have yet to be revealed. We're sure to see it as well as other information about the QX50's technology when it makes its full debut in Detroit. Related Video:

2019 Infiniti QX50 starts fresh with a new face and trick engine

Last week, Infiniti rolled out the refresh of the big daddy QX80 in Dubai. At this year's Los Angeles Auto Show, the Japanese automaker is poised to reveal something that's bound to be far more mainstream: the 2019 Infiniti QX50 and its trick variable compression turbocharged engine, or VC-T. In addition to the new engine, the QX50 drops rear-wheel drive in favor of an all-new front-wheel-drive platform and gets the new ProPilot assist technology that debuted on the Nissan Leaf. The QX50 may be the headliner, but the engine is the really interesting bit. This 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four can adjust the stroke of the pistons on the fly, varying the engine's compression from 8:1 to 14:1, and giving the new midsize crossover improved efficiency and diesel-like torque. It's rated at 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, down 57 horses but up 14 pound-feet. Front-wheel-drive models hit 60 mph in 6.7 seconds. That drops to 6.2 seconds with all-wheel drive. Combined fuel economy is 27 mpg for front-wheel-drive QX50s and 26 mpg for all-wheel-drive variants, both up from the abysmal 20 mpg combined rating of the current model. Power is sent through a continuously variable transmission. If it's like other Nissan and Infiniti CVTs, it will be inoffensive if a bit lifeless. We've covered the details of this powertrain extensively already, but it's great to see companies giving more life to the internal combustion engine. The new platform marks a big improvement over the outgoing QX50 in terms of platform rigidity and space efficiency. Rear-wheel drive might be fun, but it's never ideal from a packaging perspective. Cargo capacity is up from 31.6 cubic-feet to 37 cubic-feet. With the seats down, the space expands to 60 cubic feet, up from 50.1 cubic feet. That's not exactly class-leading, but it's no longer among the class-worst. The 2019 QX50 will use a new type of high-tensile steel, improving torsional rigidity by 23 percent and shaving overall weight. The styling falls in line with most other Infiniti products. The outgoing model had a bit of an identity crisis, looking more like a lifted wagon than a fully-realized crossover (it was, after all, essentially a G35/G37 wagon). This new one has much more conventional SUV proportions. In fact, it looks like a 7/8-scale version of the new QX80 with a front-wheel-drive profile. That's either good news or bad news, depending on where your tastes fall.

Japan sends official to Lebanon over fugitive Carlos Ghosn

BEIRUT — Japan's deputy justice minister met top officials in Lebanon on Monday over the case of NissanÂ’s fugitive ex-boss, Carlos Ghosn, who fled to his home country late last year while on bail in Japan and awaiting trial. Ghosn was arrested in late 2018 and is facing charges of under-reporting income and breach of trust. He says he is innocent. He led Nissan for nearly 20 years. State Minister of Justice Hiroyuki Yoshiie (pictured above with Lebanese Justice Minister Marie Claude Najm) met President Michel Aoun as well as the Lebanese minister of foreign affairs. Yoshiie did not speak to reporters after the meetings and is scheduled to hold a news conference later in the day. Aoun's office said in a tweet after the meeting that they discussed mutual relations and ways of developing them "in addition to matters that are of interest for both countries." The tweet did not mention Ghosn, who made his first public appearance in Lebanon in early January saying he fled a “nightmare” that would not end and vowed to defend his name wherever he can get a fair trial. On Friday, Japan's Justice Minister Masako Mori said she was dispatching the official to Beirut to explain the Japanese justice system and improve cooperation. She said Japan hoped Lebanon would gain “a proper understanding of the Japanese criminal justice system.” Japan and Lebanon do not have an extradition treaty, and it's unlikely Lebanon would agree to send Ghosn, considered a Lebanese national hero, back to Japan to face trial. Mori acknowledged that there were “various environments” and laws that underpin each country's stance. Nissan, maker of the Leaf electric car and Z sports car, said in a statement regarding the justice officialÂ’s trip that it hoped Ghosn would return to Japan to stand trial, “so that all the facts can be properly established under JapanÂ’s judicial system.” Having spent months in detention and struggling to gain his release on bail under stringent conditions, Ghosn said he fled in the belief he could not get a fair trial in Japan. Japan has requested GhosnÂ’s return through Interpol and issued an arrest warrant after his escape. Lebanese prosecutors issued a travel ban for Ghosn in January and asked him to hand in his French passport following the Interpol-issued notice against him. NissanÂ’s sales have plunged recently, and it sank into losses for the last fiscal quarter. The brand is widely considered to have been tarnished by the controversy around Ghosn.