Two new Infiniti offerings for 2017: Q60 coupe and QX30 crossover
After a long, long wait Infiniti G35/37 owners looking for an upgrade finally get the opportunity with the release of the all-new 2017 Q60. Alongside the all-wheel drive sports car, the manufacturer is also launching another model, the QX30, blurring the lines between a compact and crossover vehicle.
Although Infiniti started with a clean slate when creating the Q60, there is an obvious design evolution stemming from the previous coupe. The car is now slightly larger and sits lower, and features large 19-inch alloy wheels (20-inch optional). A steeply rear-sloping roofline is still present. The headlights are much slimmer than before, purposely moulded to resemble a human eyelid, which lead towards a huge double-arch grille extending far down the front bumper.
Available with either a four-cylinder engine or one of two V6 versions, the talk of the town is most certainly the bi-turbo six cylinder pumping out 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Mated to a seven-speed automatic transmission, the all-wheel drive Q60 behaves like a true driver’s car sending 100 per cent output to the back wheels, redistributing only when necessary depending on traction conditions.
Shifting gears, the QX30 is Infiniti’s foray into the subcompact crossover segment, although they market the vehicle as a “premium active crossover.” Here’s a fun fact: it’s actually built on the same platform as the Mercedes-Benz GLA, thanks to a partnership between the two companies.
The QX30 shares more similarities with the QX70 than it does the GLA, sitting high off the ground and full of aggressively bulging body panels. Like the Q60, and other examples in the current lineup, signature styling cues have been implemented including the double arch grille and a unique C-pillar design that curves forward, resembling a crescent shape symbolizing movement.
The company says a lot of attention has been paid to the interior ensuring passengers a luxurious and comfortable experience, such as using Infiniti’s “Zero Gravity” seat technology to ease strain on back muscles while providing optimal support. The high-tech seven-inch InTouch infotatinment system, first debuted on the Q50 makes its way into the QX30.
All trims come with the same turbocharged four cylinder offered in the Q60, producing 208 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. A seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox puts power to the ground, either via the front wheels or all four on the grade-topping all-wheel drive models.
Prices for the 2017 Inifiniti Q60 and QX30 start at $45,990 and $35,990, respectively.
