Infiniti Qx56 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Next Infiniti FX to gain interior volume

The Infiniti FX, soon to be renamed QX70 thanks to the Japanese brand's convoluted naming scheme, is currently in the midst of its second-generation. And while we like the compact, sporty crossover's driving character a lot, it lacks the "utility" part of the CUV moniker. That lack of cabin space will be addressed in the future, though.
Automotive News recently sat down with Nissan's global design boss, Shiro Nakamura, to talk about the future of what he called "the icon of Infiniti." And while Nakamura-san admitted the FX/QX70's worth to the brand, its sales have long been something of a disappointment. "Exterior and styling-wise, it's very strong as an icon. But to be honest, its sales volume has not been as big as we wanted," a reality Nakamura believes is due largely to its tight cabin relative to its competition.
Finding the right balance might be difficult, though. The FX/QX70 is selling extremely well in both China and Russia, according to Nakamura, because of its looks. Altering that style in order to increase interior space risks alienating a new and important group of buyers for Infiniti. The designer put it best when he told AN, " It is selling well in China and Russia because it stands out. So we want to maintain that striking look." As it stands, we'll likely be living with the current vehicle for a few more years - AN doesn't expect the third-generation of the FX/QX70 to arrive until 2015 or 2016.

Infiniti announces pricing for 2014 QX60 and QX70

With the exception of the G37, customers walking into Infiniti showrooms this summer are going to see a bunch of different names pop up as the automaker switches to its new Q-for-car and QX-for-crossover/SUV naming convention for 2014. The first of these renamed models are the 2014 QX60 (which replaces the JX) starting at $41,550* and the 2014 QX70 (which replaces the FX) priced at $44,950* (*prices do not include $995 for destination), and both are on sale now.
Compared to the outgoing models, the new QX60 (seen above, click to enlarge) lineup starts $300 more than the outgoing JX models (base and AWD), while pricing for the QX70 will remain the same as the trio of 2013 FX models (FX37, FX37 AWD and FX50). What is still unclear is how much the all-new QX60 Hybrid model will cost or how much option and package pricing will change, if any. Scroll down for more info on the new QX60 and QX70 crossovers.

Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge racing toward Detroit with Red Bull in its veins

There are several ways an automaker can get into Formula One racing. It can start its own team from scratch (like Toyota did in 2002), it can buy an existing team (like BMW did with Sauber in 2005) or it can supply engines to other teams (as so many manufacturers have done over the years). Infiniti chose another direction and opted to sponsor the world-champion Red Bull Racing team.
Infiniti has undoubtedly poured millions into its partnership with Red Bull since it started in 2011, but aside from the Sebastian Vettel edition FX (which technically emerged from the company's sponsorship of the driver as separate from the team), the tie-in has yet to translate into a Red Bull-tuned (or at least -inspired) Infiniti for the road. But that's just what Nissan's premium brand has in store for us at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show in January.
Well, almost, because the concept just announced is still a step or two away from reaching your local Infiniti dealership, but here it is just the same. It's called the Q50 Eau Rouge, and it's based on the company's latest tech-laden sports sedan. It takes its name, of course, from the famous uphill section of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit where Sebastian Vettel won the Belgian Grand Prix earlier this year, but Infiniti isn't telling us much more than that.