*deluxe Touring*navigaiton*sunroof*tech*awd*premium*infiniti Certified* on 2040-cars

Auto blog

These cars are headed to the Great Crusher In The Sky

It happens every year. We bid adieu to some cars and trucks that will be missed, and say good riddance to others wondering how they stayed around so long. Whether they're being killed off for slow sales or due to a new product coming along to replace them, the list of vehicles being discontinued after 2012 is surprisingly long and diverse.
CNN Money has compiled a list of departing vehicles, to which we've added a few more of our own. In the slow sales column, cars like the Lexus HS 250h, Mercedes-Benz R-Class and the full Maybach lineup appear, while the Ford Escape Hybrid, Mazda CX-7 and Hyundai Veracruz are all having their gaps filled with more modern and more fuel-efficient alternatives. Obvious exceptions to the rule include models that still sell in decent numbers like the Jeep Liberty and the Chrysler Town & Country (which will eventually be replaced by a crossover-like vehicle).
Check out our gallery of discontinued cars above, then scroll down for more information.

Infiniti Q80 Inspiration imagines future of brand's luxury flagship

Infiniti is among the best of the non-exotic brands when it comes to crafting concepts, with designers who just seem to know how to show a truly wild vehicle with subtle hints at a future model. Just take a look at its latest Q80 Inspiration at the 2014 Paris Motor Show to see what we mean.
Infiniti claims that the Q80 imagines how it would build a future, fullsize luxury sedan to take on the stalwart Mercedes-Benz S-Class. However, in the current form it seems like a flight of fancy. It's packed with fabulously weird styling tricks, including birdwing-shaped headlights. There's also the roof and windshield that look at first glance to be a single piece of teardrop-shaped glass terminating at a boat-tail rear. In addition, the Inspiration has every concept designer's favorite gimmick - suicide doors.
Under the hood sits a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 and electric motor hybrid with a claimed 550 horsepower. The company asserts that the powertrain is actually on the way in the next two years and could do 43 miles per gallon (5.5 liters per 100 kilometers), though it's not specified on what driving cycle that's calculated on.

Eau Rouge Lite: Infiniti Q50 gets 400-hp, twin-turbo V6

The Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge is still (probably) dead. But as consolation prizes go, a new 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged V6 isn't bad. The 3.0-liter biturbo will be offered in two different states of tune. Enthusiasts will flock towards the aforementioned 400-hp model, but the first VR series engine will also be sold in a 300-hp version, as well. Regardless of output, both engines have a very broad torque curve, ranging from 1,600 to 5,200 rpm with either 350 or 295 pound-feet. A Mercedes-sourced, 2.0-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder will serve as the Q50's new base engine, matching the CLA250's 208 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The hybrid powered Q50 soldiers on, as do a line of standard seven-speed automatic transmissions. The naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6 appears to be gone. Another big enhancement for the updated Q50 is a revised version of the widely disliked Direct Adaptive Steer system. Infiniti says its engineers "optimized the control logic to improve feedback from the road" – a huge area of complaint with the current steer-by-wire system. The Q50's new engine lineup will be showrooms later this winter. Read on for the official press release from Infiniti, and stay tuned for more from the brand – including the new Q60 Coupe – at the upcoming Detroit Auto Show. Related Video: Infiniti Announces New 3.0-liter V6 Twin-Turbo Engine – the Most Advanced V6 Ever Offered by Infiniti • New VR-series engine becomes the lightest, most powerful, cleanest and most fuel-efficient V6 engine that Infiniti has ever offered• Two power outputs available: 400 or 300 horsepower• Series of technical innovations enhance drivability and performance• Compact layout features new integrated exhaust manifold• The 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine family will first be available in the 2016 Infiniti Q50 sports sedan NASHVILLE (Dec. 15, 2015) – Infiniti's new compact, lightweight 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine is the most advanced V6 engine that the brand has ever offered, striking an ideal balance between drivability, efficiency, and performance. The 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo is an all-new engine from the new and exclusive VR- series powertrain family, born out of the brand's longstanding heritage of V6 powertrain production. The new engine has been engineered to empower the driver and offer increased power and torque and higher levels of efficiency than any comparable predecessors from the company.