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Infiniti spruces up Q70L Bespoke Edition for Shanghai [w/video]

"Luxury" is a relative term. Take the Infiniti Q70, for instance, which most of us would find plenty luxurious. But some buyers – in China especially – wanted more, so Infiniti stretched it out into the Q70L. And now it's revealed the even more luxurious Q70L Bespoke Edition. Revealed for the first time at the Shanghai Motor Show down the coast from the company's global headquarters in Hong Kong, the Infiniti Q70L Bespoke Edition is designed to "fill the gap between the current interiors in production cars and luscious interiors of Infiniti's concept cars." That's been materialized through a quilted white leather cabin space with four individual seats hewn "by meticulous craftsmanship and three-dimensional textures." It all looks pretty swank to us, but not the kind of space you'd want to put your kids in with their juice boxes, crayons and dirty soccer uniforms. Check it out in the video clip, high-res images and press release below. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Apr. 19, 2015 Infiniti unveils Q70L Bespoke Edition at Auto Shanghai; joins Q60 Concept and Q80 Inspiration in show debut - Infiniti Q70L Bespoke Edition revealed with concept-car inspired interior - Q80 Inspiration and Q60 Concept vehicles also make China premieres - Infiniti design, plus Global and China growth, highlighted Hong Kong/Shanghai – Infiniti today took the covers off its Infiniti Q70L Bespoke Edition at Auto Shanghai 2015, showcasing its concept car-inspired interior for the first time in front of the predominantly Chinese crowd. The special version of the production Q70L, with a 5.9-inch (150 mm) longer wheelbase, features four luxurious seats wrapped in rich white quilted leather. This exploration is meant to fill the gap between the current interiors in production cars and luscious interiors of Infiniti's concept cars. Shaped by meticulous craftsmanship and three-dimensional textures, the cabin of the Q70L Bespoke Edition has been transformed into a cossetting space, hinting at how the artistry of Infiniti's concept cars can become reality. The production model of the Infiniti Q70, and two more Infiniti concepts – the Q80 Inspiration and Q60 Concept – were also making Auto Shanghai debuts.

Vettel and Coulthard drive Russia's very unfinished Sochi Circuit

The next Winter Olympics will happen in Sochi, Russia from February 7-23, 2014. Sometime after that, barring any delays, a portion of the Sochi Olympic Park will be turned into the Sochi Olympic Park Circuit, a 3.65-mile track for the first Russian Grand Prix in 100 years (the last of two Formula One grands prix were held in St. Petersburg).
As we've come to expect from the Infiniti Red Bull team, it recently sent Sebastian Vettel and brand ambassador David Coulthard to the unfinished venue to run the route in Infiniti M sedans and offer some impressions. With average cornering speeds above 62 miles an hour, Coulthard called it a fast street circuit in the Monaco vein. You can watch them try it out - yes, that's Vettel gone airborne above - and avoid a "White Van Man" in the video below.

Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 priced at $48,855, AWD at $50,855

Infiniti's most powerful production model, the new Q50 Red Sport 400, now has a starting price. You'll need at least $48,855 for the rear-drive model or $50,855 for all-wheel drive. (Both figures include the $905 destination charge.) A fully loaded, rear-drive Q50 RS400 with Direct Adaptive Steering, navigation, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, and Infiniti's entire alphabet soup of safety equipment, tops out at $57,045. (Again, add $2,000 for AWD). When it comes to rear-drive competition, the closest base price to the Q50 is the 320-hp BMW 340i. This German undercuts the Infiniti by two grand, $46,795 to $48,855. But the BMW outprices the Q50 as soon as you start selecting options. A 340i with similar equipment to a loaded Q50 Red Sport 400 costs just under $60,000. All-wheel-drive German competitors also lose out in the price war. Like with the rear-drive models, the BMW 340i xDrive undercuts the Q50 RS400 by around $2,000. Add the options, and the Infiniti becomes a better value. The other two big German rivals, the Audi S4 and Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG start at a higher price and only get more expensive. Technically the S4 starts cheaper than the Q50, but only with the standard manual transmission. Selecting the S-Tronic dual-clutch model kicks the price from $50,125 to $51,125, and going for the top-end Prestige trim will bump potential Audi owners up to $57,025. Throw on must-have S4 options, including adaptive cruise control, adaptive dampers, and a sport differential and you'll be shell out $64,425 for the Audi. The Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG is the priciest choice in this group, starting at $51,725, or roughly $900 more than a base Q50 RS400 with AWD. Options, again, are the downfall here. Building a C450 to match a loaded Infiniti will drive the Mercedes' price up to $64,315. While it occupies something of a weird space relative to these vehicles, it's also worth mentioning the Cadillac CTS VSport. It's the only car in this impromptu pricing comparo that can outgun the Q50, with its 3.6-liter, twin-turbo V6 good for 420 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. It also starts at $60,950, although that includes plenty of standard equipment. All this means that the Q50 Red Sport 400 represents a relative value. It packs more power than the Germans – 80 more than the 340i, 67 more than the S4, and 38 more than the C450 – and a more comprehensive list of options, too.