2012 Infiniti G37 X on 2040-cars

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Infiniti Q60 Concept a shadowy vision of future coupe

Until now, the Infiniti Q60 has been one of the brand's holdovers from its old naming scheme and previous design ethos, as a rebadged G37 Coupe. Those times are coming to an end though, because we are getting our first glimpse at a Detroit Auto Show-bound concept that previews the next-gen two-door. Infiniti's freshly released teaser shows the sport coupe concept in shadowy silhouette. Based on this photo, we can see that the Q60's design features delicately swooping lines with a touch of hard-edged contrast coming from sharp creases in the body. Portions of it, especially towards the rear, bring a little of the Q80 Inspiration from the Paris Motor Show to mind. A previous rumor suggests this shape is very close to the actual design of the production version. Infiniti subtly reiterates that in its release by saying the concept foreshadows the styling we might see in future products from the luxury automaker. Scroll down to read the concise announcement for the Q60 concept. Infiniti Q60 Concept: The Power of Exhilaration December 12, 2014 Hong Kong – Infiniti today gives an intriguing first look at the premium sports coupe concept to be displayed at the 2015 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. Muscular lines are revealed in the silhouette of the Q60 Concept: pure, well-defined contours, making the concept's intentions easy to understand at first glance. Overall proportions and full-sized wheels placed out at the corners of Q60 Concept make an unmistakable design statement and add to the exhilaration of the performance coupe. This latest concept builds upon the design language seen on recent Infiniti concept cars, foreshadowing the strong visual consistency to be a key ingredient of products in the future Infiniti lineup. ENDS

800k car names trademarked globally, suddenly alphanumerics seem reasonable

What's in a name? This cliched phrase probably gets tossed out at every marketing meeting that happens when a new car gets its nomenclature. We know the answer, though: everything. The name of a car has all the potential to make or break it with fickle customers that are more conscious than ever about what their purchases say about them.
That's giving headaches to marketing folks across the automotive industry. "It's tough. In 1985 there were about 75,000 names trademarked in the automotive space. Today there are 800,000," Chevrolet's head of marketing, Russ Clark, told Automotive News. Infiniti's president, Johan de Nysschen, echoed Clark's sentiment, saying, "The truth of the matter is, across the world, there is hardly a name or a letter that hasn't already been claimed by one car manufacturer or another. You can go through the alphabet - A, B, C and so forth - and you will quickly see that almost all available letters are taken."
What has that left automakers to do? Get creative. In the case of Infiniti, it made the controversial move to bring all of its cars' names into a new scheme, classifying them as Q#0 for cars and QX#0 for SUVs and crossovers. So the Infiniti G, which was available as the G25 and G37, is now the Q50. The FX37 and FX50 are now the QX70.

Weekly Recap: Automakers rethink the definition of luxury

Variety is the spice of life, but it's becoming a prerequisite for luxury carmakers in the ultra-competitive US market. The Detroit Auto Show was strong evidence of this reality. It's not enough to offer attractive and well-appointed cars and SUVs anymore. Luxury brands that want to be competitive need to invest in everything from high-powered supercars to clever hybrids. To be relevant, you need to be green and mean – and everything in between. As General Motors product chief Mark Reuss said after the reveal of the 640-horsepower Cadillac CTS-V: "We are not leaving anything on the table." He was speaking for Cadillac, but he might as well have been speaking for the luxury car market. The CTS-V debuted in Detroit about an hour after Lexus surprised showgoers with the reveal of the RC F GT3 race car and then announced ambitious plans to return to competitive racing. That almost overshadowed the fact Lexus had just revealed another potent addition to its growing F line, the 467-hp GS F. View 20 Photos But for luxury brands, it's not just about maximum horsepower for well-heeled enthusiasts or decadent amenities for the Grey Poupon set. Strong competition from all corners has forced automakers to refine and expand their lineups in ways unforeseen even a few years ago. Case in point: Mercedes-Benz finally has an answer to the BMW X6, rolling out the GLE coupe in Detroit. The X6, which blends coupe-like styling cues with some of the functionality of an SUV, debuted in 2008. Back then it was a punchline, but seven years and more than 260,000 sales later, the X6's success has compelled Benz to respond. Mercedes – one of the strongest proponents of diesel technology – also debuted the C350 plug-in hybrid sedan, which promises a range of 20 miles on electricity, though fuel economy figures were not announced. The car pairs Mercedes' well-received 208-hp turbocharged four-cylinder with an electric motor for total output of 275 hp and 443 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, Infiniti will add the Q30 hatchback to its lineup by the end of the year, new president Roland Kruger reiterated in Detroit. It's expected to be joined by a crossover variant, and the additions will help strengthen Infiniti in the United States and abroad. "While we're expanding our product line, we're also expanding our market reach," he said. That's something echoed by Jaguar executives, who are preparing to launch the brand's first crossover, the F-Pace, in 2016.