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Infiniti's QX Sport Inspiration is still attractive, in Paris, and now gray

Yes, crossovers tend to be boring. But this one is pretty! Then we remember it's going to turn into the front-drive-based QX50, so we automatically lose some interest. But the wheels will be driven by Infiniti's new VC-Turbo engine, which is kind of exciting! And for the 2016 Paris show, those wheels are bigger – 22-inchers in place of the 21s that the QX Sport Inspiration concept debuted with in Beijing earlier this year. (It's hard to tell a difference in the photos, but you can bet the imaginary ride of this concept will suffer, imaginarily.) The 22s are also painted bronze now along with the brake calipers, and the whole vehicle gets a coat of matte gray paint to replace the silver it was originally shown with. There's also some new brown leather in the previously very black and white interior. It's still pretty black and white, actually. Then there's the variable-compression-ratio VC-Turbo engine that will power the production QX50. We're getting a better look at this 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo in cutaway form at the Paris show, and it continues to fascinate. It's a pretty neat thing, with a movable stroke position that allows it to vary the compression ratio between 8:1 for performance and 14:1 for efficiency (when the turbo isn't needed). That might not sound terribly cool, but it's a pretty big step forward in the march of efficient power. So yeah, crossovers can be boring, but at least this concept and the production car that will soon follow it have a few things going for them. Related Video: Featured Gallery Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration: Paris 2016 View 12 Photos Related Gallery Infiniti QX Sport Concept Related Gallery Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration concept for Paris View 10 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Paris Motor Show Infiniti Crossover Concept Cars Luxury 2016 paris motor show infiniti qx sport inspiration concept

2020 Infiniti QX50 Luggage Test | Not infinity, but enough

The 2020 Infiniti QX50 is a comfortable five-seat luxury crossover that competes with the Audi Q5, Acura RDX, Volvo XC60, Lexus NX and others. If you’re interested in a QX50, itÂ’s probably got something to do with its impressive, technologically advanced VC-Turbo variable compression engine. It also has sumptuous swales of bodywork, a long list of driver-assist and safety features, and a solidly luxurious interior with a two-screen infotainment setup. The window sticker for the QX50 we drove recently in Essential trim says the seats were leatherette; if true, itÂ’s the most buttery fake leather out there. Still, the engineÂ’s the star. If performance is your only consideration, you can also get the VC-Turbo in the Nissan Altima sedan weighing 400 to 500-plus pounds less and at an MSRP starting $7,500 lower, a price spread that quickly expands as you option up the QX50. But if you want the QX50, itÂ’s probably because itÂ’s a crossover. You want to haul stuff. Which brings us to: luggage test. The QX50 has a cargo capacity of 31.1-31.4 cubic feet behind its raised back seat, which expands to 65.1 cubic feet with the rear seats down. That's more than most in its class, and the QX50Â’s cargo hold certainly looks big and usable enough. To test it, I had six roller suitcases at my disposal. Three would need to be checked at the airport, and one of those is particularly mondo (29x19x11, 26x17x10, 25x16x10). Three others were small enough to carry on (24x14x10, 23x14x11, 22x14x9). Several bags have four wheels that protrude and were counted in the dimensions. I lacked access to RiswickÂ’s wifeÂ’s fancy bag. An asterisk to all our luggage tests: Our crack team of test suitcases is empty. I know someone who can seriously overstuff a soft-sided bag, so depending on how you pack, your results may vary. The QX50 didn't arrive with a cargo cover, so that made things easier. My first stab at loading all those bags seemed promising — five out of six bags fit. Two of the big boys on edge, three carry-ons standing up. That would be one bag for every occupant, but hey, we can do better.  Standing them all up was the easy solution. This fits all six bags, and I'm certain they wouldn't fly forward in a hard stop. But the driver's rear view is impeded. I'd be annoyed to look back at this throughout a long trip. That biggest bag is the biggest offender, so can we just lay that one down? Sure, but we're back to just five bags fitting.

Infiniti hybrid sports car coming by 2016 after all?

Infiniti makes plenty of good cars, crossovers and SUVs. The premium Japanese brand also has a well-defined presence in racing on the world's largest stage in the form of a partnership with Red Bull in Formula 1. What Infiniti doesn't have, though, is a range-topping halo car.
A report from Autocar in the UK suggests that Infiniti's gaping top-shelf hole may soon be plugged by 2016 with a new hybrid sports car along the lines of the well-received Emerg-E and Essence concepts. This report is contrary to news we heard from Autocar late last year, when company officials reportedly told the publication that a swoopy and fuel-efficient machine like the Emerg-E wouldn't be produced.
Interestingly, Infiniti is said to sense strong demand from so-called "little emperors ... who are used to getting what they want," many of whom live in Asian countries, who are also environmentally conscious. Infiniti exec Andy Palmer told Autocar to expect something "like the Tesla sports car option, but with more flexibility in terms of range."