- Refreshed exterior and interior design, with new grade structure
- Paving the road towards autonomous drive through smart technologies included in new ProPILOT Assist driver support package
- Powertrain options include award-winning 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo
INFINITI has enhanced the Q50 premium sports saloon, which makes its global debut at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show.
The new Q50 features refreshed exterior and interior design, and innovative technologies designed to empower and support the driver.
“INFINITI seeks to empower our customers on their journey through their experience with us – whether it is our products, our technologies, our services, or simply a passion for driving. There is no better vehicle that incorporates all the elements of the INFINITI brand than the Q50 saloon.”
Roland Krueger, President of INFINITI
The enhanced sports saloon retains its sleek proportions and athletic stance, while establishing greater visual differentiation between model versions, including the performance-inspired ‘Red Sport 400’. Through the Red Sport 400 grade, INFINITI’s designers have brought the model in line with its ‘designed to perform’ ethos.
Changes to the interior blend artistry with innovation, with stitching and the use of authentic materials further elevating the level of craftsmanship inside the Q50. The INFINITI InTouch Services bring the future of in-car connectivity to the interior, while the inclusion of the brand’s ‘spinal support’ seats ensures a comfortable space in which to spend time.
Innovative technologies empower and support the driver, while giving a glimpse into the automotive future. The Q50 is the first INFINITI vehicle to package all of the company’s driver support technologies under the Propel Assist banner (implemented in Europe as of model year ’19). ProPILOT is the platform upon which all future INFINITI autonomous drive support technologies will be based.
The Q50 delivers an empowering and rewarding drive thanks to innovative powertrains, including the award-winning 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine from the new and exclusive ‘VR’ powertrain family, which was recently named on the prestigious 2017 Ward’s ‘10 Best Engines’ list.
The Q50 is INFINITI’s best-selling model. Since the first generation went on sale in 2013, INFINITI has sold close to 210,000 units worldwide. In 2016 INFINITI achieved more than 230,000 global sales – a 7% year-on-year increase and a new global sales record – with the Q50 sports sedan accounting for one third of the brand’s total.
The new model goes on sale globally from the second quarter of the 2017 calendar year.
New model grades pave the way for new design elements
- New model grades offer INFINITI customers a choice of two exterior designs
- Design of the Red Sport 400 model symbolises the performance potential of its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine
“With the new Q50 we are introducing new model grades, each offering their own look and character. Red Sport 400 in particular lets drivers express themselves with a more assertive design that clearly conveys the car’s performance potential.”
Francois Bancon, Vice President, Global Product Strategy, INFINITI
Coinciding with the refreshed look of the new Q50 is the introduction of a new grade structure (new grade structure in Europe as of model year 2019), which sees differentiation in the look of the range-topping sports grades. This has allowed INFINITI designers the opportunity to tailor different designs according to the attributes and character of the models within the range. The ‘Sport’ grade adds performance-focused exterior design, while further enhancements and the most powerful engine appear exclusively in the ‘Red Sport 400’ grade.
All versions benefit from an update to INFINITI’s signature double-arch grille, which creates a strong first impression. The grille's three-dimensional, textural quality has been enhanced with a deeper detailing of the waved mesh-pattern surface and chrome surround. Rising from the double arch grille is a smooth and commanding character line, which flows energetically through the side of the body like a wave, creating a highly fluid profile – a trademark INFINITI look.
Designers have also evolved INFINITI’s signature lighting at the front and rear of the car across all grades. The LED headlamps enhance INFINITI’s trademark ‘human-eye’ aspect, while new slimmer combination LED rear lamps, derived from the Q60 sports coupe, result in a more delicate appearance with a sharper light signature.
Further design changes at the front of the Q50 for Sport and Red Sport 400 model grades include a more angular front bumper and wider, lower air intakes – adding greater visual potency. Inspired by INFINITI’s ‘zero lift’ approach to aerodynamic efficiency, the new Q50 boasts a more prominent aerofoil at the base of the front bumper.
Design details specific to the Red Sport 400 model grade assert the new Q50’s performance credentials and add an aggressive, confident aura. With its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 engine capable of generating 400 hp, INFINITI’s designers have sought to symbolise the performance potential of the Red Sport 400 in its appearance, bringing the car in line with the brand’s ‘designed to perform’ ethos.
The rear of the Red Sport 400 places more focus on the twin exhausts and rear diffuser with a two-tone paint finish – the body colour is accompanied by dark metallic trim around the base of the rear bumper. Door mirrors are finished in the same high-gloss black paint, adding to the car’s confident look. Red Sport 400 models come equipped with 19-inch wheels – to contribute to a more aggressive stance, while also improving handling and traction under cornering and hard acceleration. The aluminium alloy wheels fitted to Red Sport 400 models also convey a more technical aspect in their design, with sharper, thinner spokes than those of the Sport model grade.
Finely crafted, high-technology cabin
- Curation of new materials create enhanced level of artistry and quality in the cabin
- Driver-centric Red Sport 400 interior designed with performance in mind
- Technology at its heart, with INFINITI InTouch Services and advanced I-key system
“The cabin of the Q50 has been created with human artistry in mind, enabling occupants to travel in style and comfort. The refreshed Q50 takes this artistry to a new level, with hand-worked materials giving a greater sense of craftsmanship than ever before.”
Alfonso Albaisa, Executive Design Director, INFINITI
Inside the new Q50, INFINITI has introduced an enhanced level of artistry and quality to the high-tech cabin, providing a comfortable and connected space. Furthermore, the creation of the new grade structure has enabled INFINITI designers to differentiate each model with its own unique interior character.
Greater levels of craftsmanship are central to the interior design modifications. In particular, leather-like materials now surround the instrument panel and are now finished with double stitching. These trims have been treated in such a way as to retain the fundamental character and feeling of the wood and its grain – the result is more authentic in appearance than more traditional ‘high gloss’ wooden veneers.
INFINITI designers have also incorporated the performance-inspired ethos of the new Q50 inside the cabin, derived from the Q60 sports coupe. A new steering wheel features moulded positions for the driver’s thumbs, and affords intuitive fingertip access to reshaped steering wheel-mounted gear-shifter paddles. A new performance-oriented leather shift knob – like the instrument panel, also bearing double-stitched seams – is surrounded by new chrome trim and features an inlaid INFINITI logo.
The new Q50 interior features INFINITI’s hallmark ‘spinal support’ seats – carefully engineered to provide a consistent level of support and minimise pressure on lower and upper back muscles.
The Red Sport 400 model grade is further differentiated with red stitching throughout the cabin and quilted side inserts on the seats, as well as sporty yet simple dashboard dials with matte chrome finish. The adoption of more technical materials accentuate the car’s performance potential, such as aluminum with a patterned surface, matte dark chrome on the doors and a black headlining for a more focused and cocooned interior.
At the heart of the centre console is INFINITI’s InTouch Services, bringing the future of in-car connectivity to the interior of the Q50. Unlike conventional interfaces, the Q50 has two touch-capacitive colour screens (LCD/VGA 8-inch upper and 7-inch lower). The system is designed to effortlessly synchronise car and driver – content and functions directed to the upper screen include the most frequently viewed applications, such as navigation, while other content is directed to the lower display screen for easy access.
InTouch allows occupants to personalise the interior environment of the Q50 according to their preferences, and can store profiles for multiple drivers, identified by their I-key (intelligent key). This includes an easy entry and exit assist system. Based on the profile detected on the I-key, the Q50 moves the driver’s seat to the most rearward position and the steering wheel up and out of the way for comfortable ingress or egress, before automatically returning both to the custom memory setting.
The Q50 features a 16-speaker, Bose® Performance Series sound system, with new architecture and high-performance components. Featuring advanced staging technology, the signal processing algorithm designed especially for this system delivers a precise, rich and nuanced acoustic experience for driver and passengers. Bose’s CentrePoint 2.0 software, the Q50’s audio system enables listeners to enjoy a surround-sound experience from any stereo source. It has been specifically engineered to meet the unique demands of reproducing surround sound in the saloon.
New Q50 packages driver support technologies under ProPILOT Assist banner
- New Q50 now offers driver support technologies in a new ProPILOT Assist package, empowering drivers rather than replacing them
- ProPILOT Assist technologies underpinned by Direct Adaptive Steering system, a building block for future autonomous drive development
“INFINITI has introduced a number of world-first innovations through the Q50 in recent years. As INFINITI’s best-selling model, the Q50 has always embodied our commitment to make driver-empowering technologies accessible to a large number of customers. The new model will let customers benefit from the latest advances in active safety with our ProPILOT Assist driver support technologies.”Roland Krueger, President of INFINITI
The INFINITI Q50 sports saloon delivers an empowering and rewarding drive thanks to a range of innovative powertrains and next-generation technologies to enhance ride and handling.
New for 2017 (2018 for Europe), the Q50 becomes the first INFINITI vehicle to package all of the company’s driver support technologies under the ProPILOT Assist banner. ProPILOT is the platform upon which all future INFINITI autonomous drive technologies will be based.
Allowing drivers to retain ultimate control over their vehicle, the ProPILOT Assist function empowers drivers, giving confidence to them rather than replacing them. ProPILOT Assist supports more onerous driving tasks, like easy navigation in highway conditions or keeping track of the position of surrounding vehicles.
ProPILOT Assist in the new INFINITI Q50 includes Direct Adaptive Steering; Active Lane Control; Intelligent Cruise Control; Distance Control Assist; Backup Collision Intervention; Blind Spot Warning and Intervention; Lane Departure Warning and Prevention; Forward Emergency Braking; and Predictive Forward Collision Warning.
INFINITI’s second-generation Direct Adaptive Steering is a steer-by-wire system that supports the driver by providing smooth operation, more direct steering responses and easy manoeuvrability. Direct Adaptive Steering is a precursor to future steering systems that will form a key building block on the way to achieving fully-autonomous driving.
The system does away with mechanically linked parts, instead employing digital components to improve steering reactions and feedback. The electronic connection between components means reactions to driver input are instantaneous.
The new Direct Adaptive Steering system provides customisation options accessed through the Drive Mode Selector. Using controls on the centre console, the Drive Mode Selector allows the steering response to be selected from six available options: ‘Personal’, ‘Standard’, ‘Snow’, ‘Eco’, ‘Sport’, and ‘Sport+’. Standard mode is more akin to that of a conventional steering system.
The Q50 is the first INFINITI model to benefit from two generations of Direct Adaptive Steering, both in 2013, when the world’s first digital steering system was introduced, and in 2016, when an upgraded version was made available. The upgraded Direct Adaptive Steering system followed consultation with Q50 customers around the world, and after more than 625,000 miles of on-road testing.
ProPILOT Assist’s Active Lane Control system works with Direct Adaptive Steering to maximise safety on highways, activating automatically above 70 km/h (43.5 mph). It uses a camera system to detect the Q50’s position on the road and is able to prevent the Q50 from straying from its lane. It assumes momentary control of the Direct Adaptive Steering system to help the driver avoid a potential collision.
Wide range of innovative powertrains and adaptive digital suspension
- Award-winning 3.0-litrer V6 twin-turbo engine produces 400 hp for new Red Sport 400 model grade
- Drivers can specify fully-customisable Dynamic Digital Suspension, with choice of rear-wheel or Intelligent All-Wheel drive
In addition to ProPILOT Assist and Direct Adaptive Steering, innovative engine, chassis and drivetrain technologies enable the Q50 sports saloon to deliver an empowering and rewarding drive.
The Q50 can be equipped with the award-winning 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine from the new ‘VR’ powertrain family. The new engine offers increased power and torque while maintaining high levels of efficiency, and has been named one of Ward’s ‘10 Best Engines’ for 2017 – one of the highest global accolades in engine technology development.
For the Red Sport 400 model grade, the high-output version of the power unit delivers 400 hp (298 kW) at 6,400 rpm and 475 Nm (350 lb-ft) maximum torque at 1,600-5,200 rpm.
Additional Q50 powertrain options include two four-cylinder engines – a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol unit, and a 2.2-litre direct-injection turbodiesel. The 2.0-litre gasoline engines produces 208 hp at 5,500 rpm, with 350 Nm peak torque from 1,250 rpm. The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine produces 168 hp at 3,200 rpm, with peak torque of 400 Nm from 1,600 rpm.
The final powertrain option, powering the Hybrid Blue Sport model grade, is INFINITI’s Direct Response Hybrid® system, featuring a 3.5-litre 24-valve DOHC aluminium-alloy V6 and a compact laminated lithium-ion battery. The system’s V6 is rated at 302 hp and 350 Nm of torque, while the advanced 50 kW electric motor is rated at 67 hp and 290 Nm of torque. The hybrid system’s combined power output of 360 hp provides strong acceleration and lean fuel economy.
In 2016, the Q50 was the first INFINITI model to feature Dynamic Digital Suspension, combining enhanced ride comfort with direct handling responses and agility. Dynamic Digital Suspension is aided by new electronic and adaptive dampers, and – as with Direct Adaptive Steering – drivers can customise the settings through the Drive Mode Selector. As standard, the Q50 features independent multi-link suspension, now providing an improved balance between confident handling and a comfortable ride. The new Q50 benefits from revised front and rear stabiliser bars, improving the ability of the chassis to resist lateral suspension movement, resulting in a flatter ride and greater agility during cornering.
The Q50 can be configured with one of two drivetrain options – rear-wheel drive or Intelligent All-Wheel Drive.
Launch schedule
The Q50 is produced at INFINITI’s manufacturing facility in Tochigi, Japan, and will go on sale across global markets from second quarter of the 2017 calendar year.
Please note: All product information contained in this press kit relates to global Q50 information, including technical specifications, powertrains and standard/optional equipment and features. Please contact your country’s INFINITI PR office for product details relevant to your market.
