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A look inside Infiniti's variable-compression engine

We're sympathetic to anyone who had trouble understanding what's going on with Infiniti's new variable-compression engine. While we got a full tech briefing on the novel VC-Turbo back in August, the visual aids were lacking. The cutaway engine Infiniti brought to the Paris show fixes all of that. You can thank the little green and pink lines on the cutaway for making the whole idea a little more clear. Click through the gallery to see two lines – one green and one pink – that represent the different strokes allowing for different compression ratios. Remember, the compression ratio is the amount of volume in the cylinder on intake compared to the amount at the end of the compression stroke. Leave more room at the end and you lower that ratio. The length of the stroke doesn't change with this system, but where it sits along the cylinder does. Hence those two lines. The variable compression ratio allows this new turbocharged engine to maximize fuel economy when the turbo isn't needed by raising the compression ratio. It will see its first use in the next Infiniti QX50 crossover, previewed by the QX Sport Inspiration concept that's also on display in Paris, and has performance targets of 268 horsepower and 288 pound-feet of torque. After, it will migrate to other Infiniti and Nissan vehicles, with transverse front-drive-based applications first in line. Eventually, it's likely to completely replace Nissan's corporate 3.5-liter V6. We'll be poking around the engine a little more in Paris today to try and get some more info. For now, enjoy those cutaway images and those friendly little lines. Featured Gallery Infiniti VC-Turbo engine cutaway View 14 Photos Paris Motor Show Infiniti Nissan Technology Emerging Technologies engine 2016 paris motor show

2016 Infiniti QX60 Quick Spin

UPDATE: The original version of this story called Mazda's range-topping CX-9 the Platinum. This is incorrect. The top-of-the-line model will be called the CX-9 Signature. The story has been edited accordingly. When it comes to selling cars, getting customers into showrooms is half the battle. For Infiniti, one of its biggest draws is the QX60 – the three-row CUV originally known as the JX35, based on parent company Nissan's Pathfinder. QX60 buyers are young, female, and – most importantly – nine out of ten are new to the brand. The facelifted QX60, which was originally introduced in December, is here to maintain those stats. That's important, especially now, as increasingly premium mainstream offerings are proliferating throughout the market. This isn't a new trend – GMC's Acadia Denali predates the JX35, for example – but now the QX60 has to contend with things like the Ford Explorer Platinum, Honda Pilot Elite, Dodge Durango Citadel, and the upcoming Mazda CX-9 Signature. These vehicles are similarly priced, and offer similar capabilities and accoutrements to the QX60. Infiniti timed its QX60 update well, then, with a focus on aesthetics and maintaining the same driving dynamics. In the end, Infiniti offers a freshened CUV that should have no trouble keeping foot traffic flowing into the brand's showrooms. Driving Notes This might not be the popular opinion, but to our eyes, the QX60 is the best-looking product Infiniti currently makes (of course, the Q60 Coupe will trump that when it enters production). This thing has presence – we caught ourselves staring a number of times. But our lingering glances make sense when you look at the QX60 alongside the original JX35. The former lacked real hard edges or sharp details. Look at this comparison gallery to see the difference. What's remarkable is that Infiniti made this big visual improvement as part of a mid-cycle refresh. Yes, the front and rear fascias, headlights, and taillights were swapped out, but the cumulative effect is a dramatically more premium and refined aesthetic. We dig the way the dark grille integrates more neatly with the lower intake, and the LED running lights give the sharper, more aggressive headlamps a piercing effect. Out back, a revised rear bumper and a wider chrome strip produce a more substantial, upright appearance. These are little changes, to be clear, but taken as a whole they feel far more sweeping. The same can't be said of the cabin.

2021 Infiniti QX80 gets simultaneously more and less expensive

Infiniti has released pricing for the 2021 QX80, and the brand's range-topping SUV sails into the new model year with revisions to its trim lineup and minor equipment changes. The starting price of the QX80 rises, but the asking price for the fanciest version is lower for 2021. The entry-level QX80 is again the Luxe, and in rear-wheel-drive form, it starts at $70,445 (with $1,395 destination) or $73,545 with all-wheel drive. Both figures represent an increase of $2,300 over 2020. A new middle-level trim is the Premium Select, and it steps in for last year's Edition 30 model, featuring that version's dark-chrome exterior accents and 22-inch wheels. Prices for the QX80 Premium Select are $74,745 (RWD) and $77,845 (AWD), which are $3,100 more than last year. For those with a hankering for the very finest of QX80s, however, the news is better. In place of last year's Limited, the new range-topper is the Sensory, which includes Infiniti's Hydraulic Body Motion Control System. The Sensory is $81,595 with rear-wheel drive and $84,695 with AWD. And while that's not cheap, it's some $8,000 less than what Infiniti was asking for the 2020 Limited. The big tech news for 2021 is the Infiniti's rear camera mirror has higher resolution and a larger viewing surface. Previously standard on the top trim, it's now included on all models. Last year saw the arrival of larger display screens in the dash and the instrument cluster. No changes are on hand in the engine room, where the QX80 continues to be motivated by Nissan's 5.6-liter V8 that makes 400 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque, dispatched by a 7-speed automatic transmission. The 2021 Infiniti QX80 is on sale now. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.