2007 Infiniti M35 X Sedan 4-door 3.5l Bluetooth/backup Camera/navigation Gps Awd on 2040-cars

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Infiniti Q50 steer-by-wire system took 10 years to develop [w/video]

Infiniti's Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) is quite a novelty - the system employs no physical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels under normal circumstances and instead relies on a computer, clutch and steering-angle actuator to guide vehicles down the road with input from the driver.
In our First Drive review of a 2014 Infiniti Q50 equipped with the system, we weren't overly impressed by the artificial feedback. But we can't help but be impressed with how long Infiniti spent on its development: a full 10 years, according to Autoline Daily in the video report below. A staggering 70 percent of the research and development time spent on DAS was devoted to getting the steering feel right, and unfortunately, our first impression suggests their results still leave something to be desired, as we found it lacked the sporty feeling a sport sedan should have.
The weight of DAS is comparable to that of a conventional steering system due to its complexity. For example, three ECUs are used in the first-generation DAS system to ensure there's never a loss of steering, but Infiniti is refining the technology and is working to simplify it to reduce weight. One day Infiniti hopes that only one ECU will be needed to control DAS. We just hope it doesn't take the Japanese automaker another ten years to get the steering feel right.

Infiniti QX Monograph Concept debuts at Pebble Beach looking large

The Infiniti QX Monograph Concept is here, and it sure presents like a veiled look at the next Infiniti QX80 SUV to us. Now, Infiniti didn’t make any allusions to the QX80 in its announcement at Pebble Beach, but the full-size dimensions and general shape tell us pretty much everything we need to know. This reveal is also a continuation of InfinitiÂ’s “Monograph” line of concept cars with the most recent one being the QX60 Monograph. That concept previewed what would become the production QX60, suggesting that this next Monograph concept will do the same for the larger QX80. As for the details of this particular design concept, Infiniti went into great detail about all its elements. Starting up front, the grille is meant to evoke a bamboo forest with its gentle arcing lines surrounding the new Infiniti logo. Meanwhile, the black finish and surround hint at the power found behind it — Infiniti didnÂ’t say what this concept is powered by, but we fully expect the next QX80 to have a gasoline engine situated under the hood. Flanking the grille are the lights that Infiniti says feature its “digital piano key” design and both “welcome” and “farewell” animation sequences. Since the headlights and DRLs are separated, Infiniti went ahead with that intricate “piano key” look for the DRLs to create a distinct signature. They wrap from the grille to around the side of the front bumper in an attempt to emphasize the width and height of the QX Monograph. You really get a sense of the QX MonographÂ’s size from its side profile. It has a vast monotone greenhouse that visually separates itself from the body by being painted entirely in black. The minimalist styling Infiniti says it used for this vehicle is best seen from this angle. It has electric door handles that pop in and out to create an uninterrupted look all the way down the side of the SUV. Meanwhile, the massive wheels bring some visual pizazz to the whole package. TheyÂ’re machine-finished wheels with both black and red accents arcing through, and Infiniti says its design inspiration for them was wind turbines. And on the topic of paint, Infiniti says it developed a new hue called Akane for this concept. ItÂ’s difficult to tell in photos, but the six-layer paint glows in the sun in an attempt to mimic “a warm glowing red sunset as it transitions into a dark night sky.” Of course, in most conditions, itÂ’ll likely just look gray.

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