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2016 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 First Drive

When the original Infiniti Q50 arrived to replace the long-lived G Sedan, our reaction was lukewarm. It lacked poise, refinement, and efficiency, and we hated the Direct Adaptive Steer system. We originally thought of this steer-by-wire system as, "technology for the sake thereof." Infiniti is hoping to address these shortcomings with the 2016 Q50. It gets a new and far improved version of DAS, and a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V6 sits atop a diversified powertrain family. And at the top of the ladder sits this: the Q50 Red Sport 400. The Red Sport's all-aluminum 3.0-liter V6 pumps out 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, the latter of which can be called upon between 1,600 and 5,200 rpm. That low-end thrust is what's most evident out on the road – everything from standing starts to freeway passes are effortless. It's actually kind of ferocious – the tachometer needle climbs relentlessly, and the engine feels strong and purposeful all the way up to its 7,000-rpm redline. It's a refined and smooth powerplant, too, which is a tremendous improvement over the old 3.7-liter V6. The sensations the revised Direct Adaptive Steer system delivers are comparable to the average, modern, electric power-assisted setup. The bigger accomplishment is Infiniti's second-generation Direct Adaptive Steering system. Owners can choose from three steering weights and three levels of responsiveness, but steering adjustments feel more incremental rather than dramatic, so you won't be jarred if you suddenly switch from an aggressive mode to a more comfortable setup. Computer wizardry still can't match natural feedback, but the sensations the revised Direct Adaptive Steer system delivers are comparable to the average, modern, electric power-assisted setup. Make no mistake, that's a huge improvement and it means DAS performs far better dynamically, especially when you ask for its most aggressive behavior. See the differences between the different modes in the video below. Even half-throttle situations in the standard drive mode required counter-steering. Direct Adaptive Steer feels perfectly fine during everyday driving. We spent about 75 percent of our time testing a DAS-equipped car, but hopped into a non-DAS model a the short, 20-mile drive back to our hotel. DAS felt more stable and easy to track down the road – it didn't require the constant, tiny steering inputs of the traditional system.

Infiniti QX80 refreshed for 2015, range-topping Limited trim added

Alongside the updated Q70, Infiniti has refreshed its fullsize SUV, the QX80, for the 2014 New York Auto Show. Like its freshened sedan, the QX80 is full of incremental styling tweaks typical of a mid-cycle update like this. Also like the Q70, there's a new member of the QX80 family for the 2015 model year.
But first, the overarching changes for the QX80 range. As we said, this is pretty standard fare, with new headlights and taillights and a restyled grille designed to fit the full-sizer in with the most recent Infiniti design language. Full LED headlights, turn signals and fog lights should provide a bit more illumination, while the mesh inserts on the "double-arch" grille remind us of the Q50. Still, this is a rather bulbous, inelegant piece of design in our eyes. Out back, the shape of the taillights has been tweaked, and they now sport LED illumination. The new rear bumper is larger, as well.
In the cabin, upgrades are similarly sparse. There are a few new tech items, like automatic high beams and predictive forward collision warning. Overall, though, this is the same wood-and-leather-lined cabin Infiniti has been selling for the past few years.

Recharge Wrap-up: Infiniti considers EV for China, NextEV hires former Tesla, Apple engineer

NextEV has hired Tesla Autopilot and Apple veteran Jamie Carlson as Senior Director of Advanced Technologies. The seasoned autonomous driving engineer joins fellow former Autopilot engineer Kurt Thywissen, who is now NextEV Senior Director of Human-Machine Interaction. NextEV, which is working on an all-electric supercar before focusing on mainstream EVs, recently obtained a self-driving car permit from California and opened its North American headquarters in San Jose. Read more at Electrek. Infiniti is considering launching its first EV in China. "When I think about EV, we design it for China definitely, even as the first market to launch," says Infiniti President Roland Krueger. "We are discussing this internally constantly what is the right timing for Infiniti to have such vehicles." Infiniti has held back on launching an EV, focusing instead on hybrids, but says it could be "very fast" in deploying an EV once it decides to do so. Having Nissan and Renault backing Infiniti, the luxury brand is confident about its access to proven EV technology. Read more at Automotive News Europe. Thrifty car rental has added a Tesla Model S to its fleet in Canberra, Australia. Available at the Canberra Airport, it's the first luxury EV offered for rent from a mainstream rental company in Australia. Australia's capital offers a small registration discount and no stamp duty for EVs, making it a cheaper and more practical place to locate the country's first rental Tesla. Thrifty's parent company, NRMA, is calling on Australia's other states and territories to remove financial and regulatory barriers to EV technology. Read more at The Motor Report.