Q60 -- To Infinity and Beyond

Twenty-six years may seem like a long time but in the luxury car business it’s barely enough time to get your feet wet. Just ask Infinity. Over its quarter-century history Nissan’s luxury nameplate is still learning the basics of the business and continues to work hard to build its brand and image. With the luxury vehicle category accounting for 18% of all vehicle sales revenue — an estimated $100 billion — they’ve got plenty of incentive to get it right. CEO Carlos Ghosn set a lofty goal for Infinity by aiming for 10% of the global luxury market, a big increase over Infinity’s current share of 2.5%. It’s one thing to set goals but delivering products capable of achieving those kinds of big gains is a whole other story. Infinity’s Q60 is making a splash at the North American International Auto Show and it foreshadows even bigger things to come. Q60 is proof that Infinity may be setting itself up for real success.

Veteran analyst Tom Libby of IHS Automotive divides the luxury players into three tiers. First, there are the leaders, those long-established and revered brands including BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. Then there are the strivers, also known as Tier 2 brands including Acura, Audi, Cadillac, Infiniti and Lincoln. Finally, the niche brands, Volvo, Land Rover, Porsche, Jaguar, Tesla and Maserati.

As a Tier 2 player, Infinity has endured some occasional harsh criticism. “Confused”, “uninspired” and “lacking character” are among the raps on the brand. Even the dreaded b-word, “boring”, gets tossed around from time to time. They’ve generally been considered to be decent cars with nice features but lacking the kind of breakout personality and innovative uniqueness that characterizes better selling luxury brands. The Q60 is out to shatter those stereotypes.

The bold exterior of the Q60 expresses a powerful elegance through its expressive proportions and taut, muscular lines. The sports coupe maintains the distinctive lines and sharp angles of the original concept, first revealed at the NAIAS one year ago.

Q60’s dynamic promise comes to life with a high performance 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine from the new and exclusive “VR” powertrain family. The new V6 engine comes in two power ratings: 300 horsepower or 400 horsepower, with the latter offering one of the best power-to-efficiency ratios in the sports coupe class. The Q60 delivers a truly engaging experience, thanks to Infiniti’s unique balance of ride comfort and agile handling. Maximizing this balance is Infiniti’s new optional Dynamic Digital Suspension, which has been engineered to provide crisp handling responses and superior ride comfort.

Power is channeled through the Q60’s rear wheels for an emphatic dynamic response. Infiniti’s available second-generation Direct Adaptive Steering brings improved levels of steering feel and feedback to the Q60, and the Drive Mode Selector gives drivers the option to personalize the steering’s precise responses to suit their preferences.

Roland Krueger, president, Infiniti Motor Company Ltd., says, “The Infiniti Q60 conveys a powerful elegance through its daring design, next-generation ride and handling technologies, and powertrains offering up to 400 horsepower. The Q60 will attract new customers to the Infiniti brand and affirm our position in the sports coupe segment.”

The world premiere of the new Q60 sports coupe comes at a time of rapid growth for Infiniti, released in the midst of an intense global product offensive. Infiniti sold a record 215,250 new vehicles in 2015, a year-over-year increase of 16 percent.

Speaking in Detroit, Carlos Ghosn, president and chief executive officer, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., commented: “As the third-generation version of Infiniti’s iconic sports coupe, the new Q60 builds on Infiniti’s brand heritage and history of technology leadership. It reinforces Infiniti’s reputation for performance, elegance and driver-focused design.”