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Infiniti aims to "de-Americanize" lineup, add flagship

Nissan launched Infiniti back in 1989 as a US brand, but more recently, Nissan's luxury marque has started focusing on more of a global presence. With a new global headquarters set up in Hong Kong and former Audi bigwig Johan de Nysschen at the helm, Wards Auto is reporting that the automaker's next goal is to create a "de-Americanized" lineup of vehicles.
This plan essentially consists of smaller cars and smaller-displacement engines to make Infiniti more attractive for buyers in Europe and Asia - two regions that tend to skew more toward smaller vehicles and smaller powerplants. To this point, Infiniti has been focused on vehicles better-suited to the US market - in fact, its smallest engine is a 3.7-liter V6 with 330 horsepower, and it doesn't offer a single diesel.
The first step in this transformation will be part of the Daimler-Nissan engine deal that will see a four-cylinder diesel eventually used in the 2014 Q50, but the report also reconfirms the importance of the soon-to-arrive Q30 production model (a concept of which was revealed last week in Frankfurt), along with the idea of a QX30 based on the Nissan Qashqai. There's also the latest projection of a full-electric Infiniti model that Wards says will debut sometime around 2015. Of course, Infiniti isn't giving up on large cars entirely - the reports indicates that Infiniti is planning a fullsize flagship model - possibly named Q80 - to compete against German sedans like the Audi A8, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

Red Bull to run TAG Heuer-branded engines next season

After a drawn-out and very public effort to switch to a different engine supplier, Red Bull Racing will once again be running under Renault power next season. Only it won't be labeled as a Renault. Instead, it will be branded by TAG Heuer. Now if you're thinking that TAG Heuer was in the McLaren camp, you were right up until today's announcement. One of McLaren's oldest partners, the watchmaker jumped ship to join up with Red Bull instead, ostensibly replacing Casio as the team's official timekeeper. Now here's where it gets a little tricky: Mansour Ojjeh and his Techniques d'Avant Garde holding company remain a major stakeholder in McLaren. The firm owned Tag Heuer from 1985 to 1999; now its former watch brand is leaving for Red Bull. This isn't the first time that the TAG name has transferred from one F1 team to another, nor is it the first time we'll see its name replace that of a major automaker on an F1 engine. Techniques d'Avant Garde previously partnered with Williams before Ron Dennis took over in Woking and convinced Ojjeh to come on board. That partnership saw TAG work with Porsche on a successful F1 engine program that won three drivers' championships (with Niki Lauda and Alain Prost), two constructors' titles, and 25 grands prix. While unusual, the deal is hardly unprecedented. Aside from the McLaren-TAG-Porsche arrangement, Sauber once ran Ferrari engines under the brand of its sponsor Petronas (which has long since switched to Mercedes). For another example, the 1998 world championship saw Benetton running Renault engines under the Playlife name, while Williams rebranded its version as Mecachrome, as the French automaker shifted its priorities in F1 much as it is right now. The announcement still leaves a few questions unanswered, however. For one, will Red Bull continue running TAG Heuer-branded engines made by Renault (or another supplier) after 2016? And what does this spell for Infiniti, Renault's sister-brand that has sponsored the team for the past several years? Infiniti declined to comment, but we're told there'll be some sort of announcement early next week. Red Bull Racing to drive forward with TAG Heuer power unit in 2016 From the milliseconds that separate victory from defeat to the finely balanced and perfectly measured rhythm of a racing engine, in motorsport timing is everything.

2022 Infiniti QX60 Review | Redesigned and relevant for the first time

Previously an afterthought in its segment, the completely redesigned 2022 Infiniti QX60 is a large luxury SUV now worth considering. It's far more stylish on the outside, and it's combined with a more luxurious interior with great standard technology and convenience features. It drives much better thanks to a new transmission and sharper suspension tuning. It all adds up to a real competitor. That doesn't mean it's a class-leader, but it's well matched to similarly priced options from Acura, Lincoln, Cadillac, Volvo, Jeep and Hyundai. In fact, with a base price of just over $47,000, it's cheaper than many of the luxury-branded alternatives, and very competitive with the high-end options of mainstream brands. Its one real weakness is a lack of powertrain options. Many vehicles in this segment have at least a couple engines to choose from, including hybrid options. Infiniti offers only a single V6 option. But the affordable price point, spacious and well-appointed interior, and good driving dynamics nevertheless make it a luxury SUV you should check out. Interior & Technology   |   Passenger & Cargo Space   |   Performance & Fuel Economy What it's like to drive   |   Pricing & Features   |   Crash Ratings & Safety Features What's new for 2022? The Infiniti QX60 is completely redesigned for 2022. You can read more about the changes in our first drive review. What are the QX60 interior and in-car technology like? Some of the biggest improvements to the QX60 are inside. The dash has a low and wide lower plane that feels modern and airy. The air vents are hidden in one wide opening in this zone, and various surfaces feature stitched upholstery. Base models feature gloss black trim, with upper trims getting aluminum or natural finish wood trim. The top Autograph trim, which is pictured in this review, combines that lovely wood trim with unique-looking quilted leather on top of the dash. All QX60s feature a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It runs basically the same infotainment suite that you find on Nissans, and that's a good thing. It features large, easy-to-find and easy-to-press icons. It all runs quickly and smoothly and is responsive to taps. We also appreciate that climate and audio controls have dedicated controls below the air vents. The volume and climate knobs are particularly appreciated, though the touch-sensitive buttons are less so.