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2016 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 First Drive

When the original Infiniti Q50 arrived to replace the long-lived G Sedan, our reaction was lukewarm. It lacked poise, refinement, and efficiency, and we hated the Direct Adaptive Steer system. We originally thought of this steer-by-wire system as, "technology for the sake thereof." Infiniti is hoping to address these shortcomings with the 2016 Q50. It gets a new and far improved version of DAS, and a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 sits atop a diversified powertrain family. And at the top of the ladder sits this: the Q50 Red Sport 400. The Red Sport's all-aluminum 3.0-liter V6 pumps out 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which can be called upon between 1,600 and 5,200 rpm. That low-end thrust is what's most evident out on the road – everything from standing starts to freeway passes are effortless. It's actually kind of ferocious – the tachometer needle climbs relentlessly, and the engine feels strong and purposeful all the way up to its 7,000-rpm redline. It's a refined and smooth powerplant, too, which is a tremendous improvement over the old 3.7-liter V6. The sensations the revised Direct Adaptive Steer system delivers are comparable to the average, modern, electric power-assisted setup. The bigger accomplishment is Infiniti's second-generation Direct Adaptive Steering system. Owners can choose from three steering weights and three levels of responsiveness, but steering adjustments feel more incremental rather than dramatic, so you won't be jarred if you suddenly switch from an aggressive mode to a more comfortable setup. Computer wizardry still can't match natural feedback, but the sensations the revised Direct Adaptive Steer system delivers are comparable to the average, modern, electric power-assisted setup. Make no mistake, that's a huge improvement and it means DAS performs far better dynamically, especially when you ask for its most aggressive behavior. See the differences between the different modes in the video below. Even half-throttle situations in the standard drive mode required counter-steering. Direct Adaptive Steer feels perfectly fine during everyday driving. We spent about 75 percent of our time testing a DAS-equipped car, but hopped into a non-DAS model a the short, 20-mile drive back to our hotel. DAS felt more stable and easy to track down the road – it didn't require the constant, tiny steering inputs of the traditional system.

The Nissan Patrol may become America's next Armada

Plausible rumors are swirling that the Nissan Patrol, the Land Cruiser rival sold outside of North America, might come to the US as a replacement for the unrelated Nissan Armada. That large SUV's future was left ambiguous after the news of the Xterra's discontinuation, as Nissan's press release ominously promised information on the Armada "at a later date" without further elaboration. That left us scratching our heads and thinking that, perhaps, it would be quietly killed off in the future. If the rumors are true, it will be. And then it will be reborn. It'll join its old platform-mate, the Infiniti QX80, on the Patrol platform. The QX abandoned its Titan-based platform in 2011, becoming the Patrol-based QX80. So you can think of the Armada as catching up, a few years late. The QX80 was refreshed last year, a mainly cosmetic nip-and-tuck. The Infiniti utilizes the 5.6-liter, 400-hp V8 and a 7-speed auto, so it's a safe bet that this powertrain will make it into the Armada version. Less likely, but plausible, would be the availability of the new powertrains intended for the Titan XD and upcoming lower-grade Titans. The massive SUV market tends to be a bit conservative, so the Cummins diesel V8 that's the sole engine in the Titan XD right now seems unlikely. The forums are abuzz with a photo of what's purported to be a leaked marketing image of the new Armada, so head to this TitanXDForum thread if you'd like to see what that's about. (Spoiler: it looks a lot like the Patrol above, minus some of the Nismo flair.) Related Video:

Listen to the 2020 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400's screaming exhaust

The best thing about the 2020 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 is its engine. That 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 makes one of the better noises in the automotive landscape on its way to the 6,800 rpm redline. It makes 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, and the engine feels every bit that strong. Peak power is made at a high 6,400 rpm, so it feels linear all the way up to that point. There’s no mistaking this for a naturally aspirated engine with the lag off the line, but once itÂ’s up and running, thereÂ’s no obvious fading of power in the higher rpms. As for the sound Â… itÂ’s also pretty spectacular. We took the Q60 out to some of our favorite deserted backroads and let it rip with a GoPro attached to the bumper. This particular Q60 Red Sport 400 is fitted with a more aggressive exhaust from Infiniti. ItÂ’s an axle-back exhaust, aptly named the “Axle-Back Sport Exhaust Kit.” Infiniti sells the exhaust on its official online parts store — thereÂ’s one available for the Q60 and another for the Q50. ItÂ’s currently listed for $707 and is backed by the original factory warranty. Buy it from the store, and then have the dealer fit it to your new (or old) car. WeÂ’ve driven Infinitis with this engine that donÂ’t have the sport exhaust installed, and theyÂ’re nowhere near as loud. And after driving one with the exhaust, itÂ’s safe to say the factory exhaust is a bit too quiet for our tastes. Starting the cold engine up in the morning is much more satisfying. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. And under load this exhaust sounds fantastic, too. In the cabin we hear loud intake whooshes, and on the outside we get to hear its screaming yowl. ThereÂ’s enough sound deadening in the cabin to make it refined and luxurious on light throttle applications, but the exhaustÂ’s sound doesnÂ’t ever disappear. A bit of drone sneaks in on the highway, but if you turn up the decent-sounding Bose audio system, it fades away. More cars could use legitimately aggressive exhausts like this one. Manufacturers continue to pump fake audio into the cabin over the speakers, but itÂ’s not as authentic as something like this. All thatÂ’s missing are bangs and pops on shifts, but we can live without them. Each downshift is delightful, and the overrun is music to our ears. Related video: