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Infiniti delays fastback-like QX55 crossover until late 2020

Infiniti confirmed it has delayed QX55 production by about five months. The as-yet-unveiled crossover is a swoopier, more stylish evolution of the QX50 with a fastback-like roof line inspired by some of the company's past models. The Nissan-owned company informed its suppliers production will start in November 2020, not in June as previously announced. It explained it needs to "ensure production capability" at the Aguascalientes, Mexico, facility that will manufacture the model. It didn't provide additional details, though a spokesperson confirmed the new timeline to Automotive News. The factory — a joint-venture between Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler and Nissan — also makes the QX50, the A-Class, the Kicks, and the Sentra, among other models. "Production schedules are internal and due to various operation priorities can move — sometimes forward, sometimes backward — as a normal course of business," a spokesperson told Autoblog.  The QX55 is based on the aforementioned QX50, and spy shots confirm the two models share several design cues when viewed from the front. Minor nameplate-specific details will set the 55 apart from the 50. It's a different story out back, where the 55 ditches the 50's family-friendly silhouette for a fast-sloping roofline penned with an eye on the first-generation FX released for the 2003 model year, five years before the original BMW X6.  Infiniti is not yet revealing technical specifications, but we expect the variable-compression VC-Turbo engine will be one of the available powertrains. The turbocharged, 2.0-liter unit makes 268 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque in the QX50. It also returns 26 mpg in combined driving, according to the EPA. What remains to be seen is whether the delay also affects the car's unveiling date, which hasn't been publicly announced yet. An Infiniti spokesperson told Autoblog the QX55 is scheduled to make its debut "in the next few months," and pointed out it's one of five new models due out in the next three years. When it does arrive, the Infiniti QX55 will compete in the same segment as the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe.

2025 Infiniti QX80 confirmed with 450-hp twin-turbo V6, 50 hp more than now

Infiniti's back to tease the 2025 QX80 that debuts in 15 days. Automaker executive Ivan Espinoza starts by telling us what we already knew, the ancient 5.6-liter V8 gets sent packing by a 3.5-liter V6. Espinoza calls it "all-new," but this is in reference to the application. Parent company Nissan loves itself a TTV6, the GT-R given the codename VR38DETT, the new Nissan Z's version codenamed VR30DDTT, the same mill formerly serving the Infiniti Q50 and Q60. The 3.5-liter displacement in the QX80 means its engine can be expected to be called the VR35DDTT. We've got output numbers at last, those being 450 horsepower and 515 pound-feet of torque, improvements of 50 hp and guaranteed-to-feel-it 102 lb-ft. That outdoes the closest Japanese competition, the Lexus LX that gets 409 hp and 479 lb-ft from its TTV6. The 2025 QX80 is going to shift through a nine-speed automatic gearbox, the two additional cogs over today's seven-speed providing a 40% wider range of ratios. Owners are going to get more performance down low and efficiency up high. Doubling up on the efficiency, engineers added active grille shutters to reduce drag when massive cooling isn't needed. Espinoza also cites "a new chassis and larger frame," however, the QX80 is expected to ride on an updated version of the current SUV's body-on-frame platform, Nissan's F-Alpha that once served the Pathfinder and Titan, plus the erstwhile QX56, and still serves the Nissan Frontier. The evolution yields 57% more lateral stiffness and 25% more torsional rigidity. A new electronic air suspension with active damping keeps the hardened cage from becoming a punishment. We get our best, albeit very brief, looks at the interior as well. The four-spoke wheel is now a two-spoke wheel, a la Genesis. The digital gauge cluster and separate infotainment binnacle morphed into what looks like a single, uncovered widescreen (composed of two or more screens), akin to what we've seen in several electric vehicles like the Kia EV9 and Honda e. The restraint and subtlety in these snippets matches what's been done to the exterior, so far as we can see. The livestreamed reveal happens March 20, expect a Monograph Concept plus some flourishes. A week later, we'll get up close and personal for the 2025 QX80's public debut at the New York Auto Show.

Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400 priced at $48,855, AWD at $50,855

Infiniti's most powerful production model, the new Q50 Red Sport 400, now has a starting price. You'll need at least $48,855 for the rear-drive model or $50,855 for all-wheel drive. (Both figures include the $905 destination charge.) A fully loaded, rear-drive Q50 RS400 with Direct Adaptive Steering, navigation, adaptive cruise control, a heated steering wheel, and Infiniti's entire alphabet soup of safety equipment, tops out at $57,045. (Again, add $2,000 for AWD). When it comes to rear-drive competition, the closest base price to the Q50 is the 320-hp BMW 340i. This German undercuts the Infiniti by two grand, $46,795 to $48,855. But the BMW outprices the Q50 as soon as you start selecting options. A 340i with similar equipment to a loaded Q50 Red Sport 400 costs just under $60,000. All-wheel-drive German competitors also lose out in the price war. Like with the rear-drive models, the BMW 340i xDrive undercuts the Q50 RS400 by around $2,000. Add the options, and the Infiniti becomes a better value. The other two big German rivals, the Audi S4 and Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG start at a higher price and only get more expensive. Technically the S4 starts cheaper than the Q50, but only with the standard manual transmission. Selecting the S-Tronic dual-clutch model kicks the price from $50,125 to $51,125, and going for the top-end Prestige trim will bump potential Audi owners up to $57,025. Throw on must-have S4 options, including adaptive cruise control, adaptive dampers, and a sport differential and you'll be shell out $64,425 for the Audi. The Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG is the priciest choice in this group, starting at $51,725, or roughly $900 more than a base Q50 RS400 with AWD. Options, again, are the downfall here. Building a C450 to match a loaded Infiniti will drive the Mercedes' price up to $64,315. While it occupies something of a weird space relative to these vehicles, it's also worth mentioning the Cadillac CTS VSport. It's the only car in this impromptu pricing comparo that can outgun the Q50, with its 3.6-liter, twin-turbo V6 good for 420 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. It also starts at $60,950, although that includes plenty of standard equipment. All this means that the Q50 Red Sport 400 represents a relative value. It packs more power than the Germans – 80 more than the 340i, 67 more than the S4, and 38 more than the C450 – and a more comprehensive list of options, too.