- All-new model sets fresh design, performance and technology direction
- World’s first technologies designed to enhance driving experience;
- Direct Adaptive Steering
- Active Lane Control
- Infiniti InTouch™ next-gen smart connectivity features dual touch-screens
- Choice of two powertrains for United States;
- 3.7-litre V6 petrol
- 3.5-litre petrol/electric Hybrid
- Building on Infiniti’s legendary sports saloon design, performance and technology leadership, the all-new 2014 Infiniti Q50 is designed to create a new distinct level of customer engagement when it launches in the North American market in summer 2013.
Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen: “This exciting new Infiniti Q50 stretches the boundaries of what a sports saloon can be, propelling Infiniti in a bold new direction.”
A New Dimension in Dynamic Design
While Infiniti sports saloons have always been noted for their outstanding proportions and presence, the new Infiniti Q50 adds a new dimension of premium style.
Its strong first impression is anchored by the smooth yet dynamic character line arising from its “double arch” grille. It energetically flows along through the sides of the body like a wave and merges with the rear, creating a highly fluid and intriguing profile and fully illustrating the Infiniti Q50’s dynamic and athletic stance.
“The car reflects the direct influence of the concepts known as the ‘Infiniti Trilogy’, particularly Essence, while honouring the iconic design dynamics of earlier Infiniti sports saloons. The new Q50’s athletic and tightened appearance blends its lower and wider proportions with enhanced interior roominess to stunning effect inside and out,” said Shiro Nakamura, senior vice president and chief creative officer.
Signature Infiniti exterior design features include the “double arch” grille, dynamic arch roofline and Crescent-cut C-pillar. The front end is decidedly aggressive, with a sport front fascia offered on the Sport models. The new grille’s three-dimensional, textural quality is provided by elaborate detailing of the waved mesh pattern surface and chrome surround, while the distinctive sharp lines of the LED headlights and marker lights suggest an almost human look.
The lean, robust body sides are designed to anchor the performance stance with a strong, solid “bone” and arched roofline that flows to the crescent C-pillars that are similar to those that originally appeared on the Essence Concept. In the rear, the side character lines smoothly merge with the shape of the rear LED combination lights. The familiar rear double-arch boot line completes the strong, unforgettable view from behind. Heated outside mirrors with integrated LED turn signals are standard, while a power sliding and tilting glass sunroof is optionally available.
Other exterior refinements include new door architecture with narrower, roll-formed A and B-pillar sashes that provide improved access, as well as a more open cabin environment. A new colour palette has been specially selected to accentuate contours and sculpted surfaces of the Q50 and includes a range of eight premium colours.
The new body design also offers enhanced airflow over both the upper and lower body portions, resulting in a coefficient of drag of just 0.26. The Q50 also features zero front and rear lift.
“Moving forward, we want all Infiniti vehicles to reflect an energetic force rooted in nature, such as the shape of a dynamic wave,” said Nakamura. “The Q50’s enhanced sense of three-dimensionality gives it a look of strength and agility – a look that is highly personal, seductive and slightly mysterious.”
Performance With a Personal Touch
Throughout the Infiniti Q50’s development, compromise was never an option. No compromise on innovation, design or performance targets, allowing the development teams to stretch the boundaries of what a sports saloon can be.
“The new Q50 amplifies every driver’s performance preference and enjoyment behind the wheel. We have one of the fastest accelerating hybrid engines, which also happens to be projected as one of the most fuel-efficient. We have advanced performance and safety technologies that can see and react before the driver can. And, we have the world’s first quick and precise Direct Adaptive Steering technology,” said de Nysschen.
At launch in North America, two advanced petrol engines will be available, followed by additional options in other global markets later in the year. The Q50’s refined 3.7-litre aluminium-alloy DOHC 24-valve V6 is rated at 328 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque and features Continuously Variable Valve Timing Control System (CVTCS) and Variable Valve Event & Lift (VVEL®).
The available hybrid powertrain features the Infiniti Direct Response HybridÔsystem with Intelligent Dual Clutch Control. It combines a 3.5-litre 24-valve DOHC aluminium-alloy V6 and compact laminated lithium-ion battery design with an innovative one-motor/two-clutch motor control. The system’s V6 is rated at 302 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, while the advanced 50 kW electric motor is rated at 67 horsepower and 199 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid system net power is 360 horsepower, providing strong acceleration and lean fuel economy.
“True to the Infiniti DNA, our hybrid powertrains put performance first, without compromising fuel efficiency. It takes full advantage of the electric motor’s instant torque for exceptional acceleration and, in combination with the 3.5-litre V6, provides a sporty driving feel under all driving conditions. We have targeted the best balance of performance and fuel economy and hit it dead centre,” said de Nysschen.
Both powertrains are available in rear-wheel drive and Intelligent All-Wheel Drive layouts matched to an advanced 7-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission with manual shift mode and available steering column-mounted magnesium paddle shifters.
Precise handling is provided by the 4-wheel independent multi-link suspension. The front is a single pivot double-wishbone design, while the revised rear design utilises a multi-link design with coil springs and Dual Flow Path® shock absorbers, with increased camber stiffness and improved ride comfort. The suspension features extensive use of lightweight aluminium components, along with front and rear stabiliser bars. A sport-tuned suspension is available with Sport models. Also supporting the enhanced handling is an improvement in front body stiffness (versus the previous generation).
The Q50 rides on 17-inch machine-finished aluminium-alloy wheels with 225/55R17 all-season run-flat tyres. Also available are 19-inch aluminium-alloy sport wheels with 245/40R19 run-flat all-season or summer tyres. Confident braking is provided by 4-wheel power-assisted vented disc brakes with 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake force Distribution and Brake Assist. Also available are sport brakes with upgraded discs, 4-piston front calipers and 2-piston rear. Steering is provided by a power-assisted vehicle-speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion system.
The new Q50 also features Infiniti Direct Adaptive Steering technology, a world-first for production vehicle design. The system allows independent control of the Q50’s tyre angle and steering inputs, transmitting the driver’s intentions to the wheels faster than a mechanical system.
This increases the direct driving performance feel by quickly and intelligently communicating road surface feedback to the driver. Four different steering settings are offered, allowing customisation by driver preference or road conditions. This ground-breaking technology provides the flexibility for the driver to change both steering effort and the steering gear ratio. A backup mechanical steering system is provided with models utilising the new Direct Adaptive Steering technology.
Also offered is another world-first: Active Lane Control, which uses a camera-based straight-line stability system to further enhance on-centre driving capability and improve vehicle stability. The system is included as part of the Lane Departure Prevention system, not only adjusting for unintended lane drift, but also making finer adjustments for minor road surface changes or crosswinds (as detected by the camera-based, lane marker detection system). The system goes beyond the traditional Lane Departure Prevention system, taking it a step further by not only reading the road ahead (the camera is located above the rear view mirror) for unintended lane drift but also by making small steering input angle adjustments if the Q50 undergoes minor direction changes due to road surface changes or crosswinds (as detected by the lane marker detection system). By reducing the amount of steering adjustments the driver could experience less tiredness over longer distances.
“The beauty of these advanced systems is to allow a more personal driving experience, with more input when desired and less intrusion of road imperfections to the steering wheel,” said de Nysschen. “These are just the start of a range of future technologies that are becoming a point of differentiation for our Infiniti customers.”
In fine-tuning the Infiniti Q50’s exceptional performance standards, Infiniti’s partnership with Red Bull Racing enabled three-time Formula One™ World Driver’s Champion Sebastian Vettel and the team’s Test & Reserve driver Sebastien Buemi to provide an extra dimension to its development. With the goal of making the new model the most dynamic and exciting sports saloon on the market, Vettel provided input on the Q50’s performance and handling at Infiniti’s Tochigi facility in Japan.
Buemi tested at the Nurburgring – one of the toughest proving grounds in the world – pushing prototypes to the limits to help produce a chassis with outstanding handling characteristics.
Infiniti recently announced that from 2013 it will be Title Partner and Technical Partner to ‘Infiniti Red Bull Racing.’ This deep collaboration will lead to joint technical projects providing mutual benefits for both companies on the track and the road.
“Having the opportunity to receive feedback on chassis development from two world class drivers is priceless,” said de Nysschen. “Our partnership as ‘Infiniti Red Bull Racing’ is an extensive one. We are working together to identify a number of areas for technical collaboration and to apply the benefits of partnering with the Formula One World Champions to our own people, processes and technology.”
Another way that the new Infiniti Q50 raises the performance standards in class is the high degree of personalisation available, which is made possible with the new fully customisable digital environment. The system works with the vehicle’s advanced i-Keys to recognise the vehicle settings for up to four different drivers.
Offering a sense of ‘my car knows me,’ the i-Key can recognise each driver and automatically engage pre-set preferences for driving position, heating and cooling, audio, navigation and telematics. For example, up to 96 optional settings are offered in the custom mode alone. Easy setting or changing of settings is accessed through the innovative dual touch-screen displays.
In addition, by using the drive mode selector located on the centre console, engine, transmission, handling and steering adjustments can be instantly tuned, for example, to provide different sport or touring settings.
Modern Luxury Meets Meticulous Craftsmanship
Matching the inspired Infiniti Q50 design and performance is an interior created to the same extraordinary standards. The interior environment offers a powerful blend of three-dimensional textures, the highest levels of craftsmanship and premium quality, combining modern luxury and user-focused advanced technology.
“An interior is a confluence of thousands of parts and many materials, including leathers, fabrics, metals and glass. The harmony with each element is an important part of the Q50’s warmth and high quality feel,” Nakamura explained. “Our designers approached the integration of every element in the interior in terms of not just function but also of stimulation of the senses – colour, touch, texture, finish and beauty – creating an environment that is both intuitive and indulgent.”
The Q50 interior is also designed as an invitation to drive – to celebrate the elation of driving that is often lost in the modern world. As such, special attention was paid to the driver’s position, offering a generous range of customisable adjustments within a cosseting yet comfortable cockpit. The Q50’s instrument panel honours Infiniti’s “double wave” design tradition, while updated with a new asymmetrical flow from the top of the centre cluster to the wide centre console. Access to all key operations and controls is designed so that the driver does not need to change driving posture, including use of hard switches, touch panels and the drive mode selector controller.
The front and rear seats are a new ergonomic design, developed to help distribute body pressure across a wider range of the upper seating surface. When sitting, the pressure load on the backbone is about 1.4 times greater than while standing. The bending moments that become a factor of load are reduced by the new seat design, with the additional support for the pelvis.
The roomy interior space offers ample front and rear head room with rear knee space enhanced by the new thin front seatback design and greater front seat slide and lift adjustability. Front and rear seat hip points have also been adjusted for greater comfort. Foot space in the rear is also expanded by moving the B-pillar forward nearly an inch (versus traditional designs), making it easier to enter and exit. Effective luggage space is expected to be the best in the segment at 510 litres with the 3.7-litre V6 and 399 litres with the hybrid power-train.
The Infiniti Q50 features a choice of interior fabrics and colours, including leather-appointed seating surfaces. Three interior colours are offered: Wheat, Graphite and Stone.
Finishing off the elegant interior is a combination of “Kacchu” aluminium inspired by traditional Samurai armaments and genuine maple wood trim, which is representative of the 16th Century Urushi painting technique.
“Quality is another Infiniti Q50 strong point,” added Nakamura. “Our designers’ passion, obsession with detail and devotion to craftsmanship and continuous improvements ensures we are producing a truly premium product of the best quality.”
The Q50’s quiet cabin is augmented by standard Active Noise Control, with cancelling of intrusive low frequency noise from four door-mounted speakers, allowing easy conversation with passengers. Premium audio systems include an available next-generation Studio on Wheels by Bose® with a new 3-speaker instrument panel (14 speakers in total throughout the cabin) and Advanced Staging Technology®. SiriusXM Satellite Radio (SiriusXM subscription required, sold separately) and High Definition (HD) radio are standard.
Other features include Dual-Zone Automatic Temperature Control, Bluetooth®Hands-free Phone System, RearView Monitor and optional Advanced Climate Control System (ACCS) with Plasmacluster® air purifier and Around View® Monitor with Moving Object Detection.
Infiniti Connected Technologies
Building on Infiniti’s unique approach to making owners’ lives easier, which includes the Infiniti Personal Assistant program with 24-hour access to a team of professional assistants, the new Infiniti InTouch™ telematics system brings the future of in-car connectivity to the Q50 interior today. Unlike conventional interfaces, the Q50 has not one but two touch capacitive screens with intuitive hand gesture screen operation to easily connect drivers to their lives outside the car.
“We have new technologies that embrace the way people live today – seamless connectivity and personalisation everywhere they go, including while in their cars, with an optimised human-machine interface for ease of use,” said de Nysschen.
Along with the large dual screens, the Infiniti InTouch™ system is designed to effortlessly synchronise car and driver. Content and functions directed to the upper screen includes the most frequently used applications, such as navigation maps. Other content is directed to the lower display screen.
The two screens work together so that, for example, the navigation map can be viewed on the top screen while setting destinations or finding points-of-interest can be done on the lower screen. A limited number of critical functions, such as heating and cooling, are operated by hard switches. Content can be customised using easy-to-understand menus. A selection of vehicle-centric apps will be pre-loaded into the system. Owners will also be able to download, update and sync personal apps through their smart-phones and USB drives. Additional details on the system’s operation will be available at a later date.
Safety Shield Technologies
The final area of segment leadership for the new Infiniti Q50 is its advanced safety systems. Building on the long list of safety and security technologies already found in other Infiniti models, the Infiniti Q50 offers available Intelligent Cruise Control with Full Speed Range, predictive Forward Collision Warning (world-first technology), Forward Emergency Braking, Distance Control Assist, Blind Spot Intervention, Back-up Collision Intervention®, Lane Departure Prevention and Active Lane Control.
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