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2014 Infiniti Q50S

Ten years ago, nearly to the day, I took delivery of a brand-new 2004 Infiniti G35 6MT. The sporty rear-wheel drive sedan, equipped with its throaty 260-horsepower V6, slick manual gearbox and limited-slip differential replaced my 2001 BMW 330i because the Japanese competitor touted a product that was roomier, better equipped, quicker and lower priced. The G35 trumped the German in nearly every measurable category - at least on paper.
The 2014 Infiniti Q50 is the direct descendant, albeit two generations later, of the car I owned a decade ago. It is dimensionally about the same size, but it has gained more than 300 pounds of mass thanks to numerous safety upgrades and technical innovations. The additional weight is largely dismissed by a larger and more efficient powerplant that delivers an additional 68 horsepower, a welcome arrival, but the manual gearbox that charmed enthusiasts has been pushed out of the picture by a mandatory seven-speed automatic transmission.
As it has in the past, Infiniti touts its all-new Q50 as a luxury sport sedan worthy of the title. Decades ago, impressive performance statistics may have sealed the deal. Yet there is much more to the assignment today, as the model must offer premium appointments, sophistication and engaging driving dynamics if it's going to entice and capture the next-generation of young, premium buyers - much like the G35 did for me ten years ago.

Infiniti Vision Qe concept will preview the brand's first EV

Infiniti released a dark preview image to give us an early look at its next concept. Called Qe, the design study will make its debut in October 2023 and provide a glimpse at what the Japanese brand's first series-produced electric car will look like when it lands later in the 2020s. Details about the Qe concept are few and far between, and the dark picture published by Infiniti leaves a lot to the imagination. It shows light reflecting on what looks like a fastback-like silhouette, so we know we're not looking at a convertible or at a big, burly SUV like the QX80. We think we see four doors, but the bottom part of the car is obscured so it's too early to tell whether this is a low-slung sedan or a crossover. Out back, a rear light bar is seemingly integrated into a spoiler that's positioned above backlit "INFINITI" lettering. We'll need to be patient to find out more, but an earlier report casts a little bit of light on what to expect from the Qe. Although unofficial, it details four new Infiniti models due out in the coming years, and two are electric. The first is a replacement for the Q70. It will reportedly land by the end of 2026 as the brand's first electric car, and it will feature shorter overhangs as well as a longer wheelbase than its predecessor, which retired in 2019. The second was described by insiders as "a midsize crossover." That's all we know, but odds are the Qe previews one of these two EVs. Infiniti will fully unveil the Qe on October 24, 2023. It also pledged to announce "several stunning new models" at the unveiling event. We're notably expecting to learn more about the next-generation QX80, which was previewed by the QX Monograph concept in August 2023.

Infiniti Q50 BTCC ready to race

A few months ago, Infiniti announced it would field its Q50 sedan (or a racing derivative thereof) in the British Touring Car Championship, and now the Japanese automaker has revealed the tin-top racer in its final form as it prepares to roll onto the grid. Like the rest of the BTCC field, the Q50 racer is based on the series Next Generation Touring Car (NGTC) regulations. That means it's based on the production model, and not on a control chassis (like the one you'd find in NASCAR) done up to look like the showroom version. It also means a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine driving upwards of 300 horsepower through an Xtrac six-speed sequential gearbox with AP Racing clutch, throttle by wire and the manufacturer's choice of front- or rear-wheel drive, the latter of which we assume Infiniti has chosen for its touring car. Two examples of the Q50 BTCC will be fielded by Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing, a non-profit venture with proceeds (assuming there are any) going towards the British paratroopers' charity. The team is being run by Derek Palmer Sr, whose son Derek Jr will drive one, with the other piloted by Richard Hawken, and injured paratroopers filling out the pit crew and support staff. The Infiniti Q50 BTCC will be showcased on the Dunlop stand at the Autosport International show in Birmingham this weekend. NEW Q50 BTCC LIVERY AT AUTOSPORT INTERNATIONAL SHOW Wednesday, 7 January 2015 The recently announced 'Infiniti Support Our Paras Racing' team, which will contest the Dunlop British Touring Car Championship this season, will unveil a new livery for its two NGTC Infiniti Q50 race cars at the Autosport International Show in Birmingham later this week. The new livery on the Q50, being displayed on the Dunlop stand, has been designed by Infiniti's own design team in Paddington London, further enhancing the ongoing partnership of Infiniti with the Mallory Park-based team, which will employ injured ex-Paratroopers to prepare both race cars. Simon Cox, Infiniti Design Director from Infiniti Design London, said "The new Q50 race car livery was developed to contrast against the traditional branding schemes normally associated with the BTCC grid. However, it still retains a high level of visibility, reflecting both the dynamic qualities of the Infiniti Brand along with the performance and striking contours of the Q50 road car.