2004 Infiniti Fx35 Base Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Infiniti Formula One-inspired Q60 Project Black S has been canned

Infiniti gave enthusiasts a preview of what a high-performance hybrid coupe equipped with Formula One-derived technology could look like when it released the Q60-based Black S concept in 2017. While executives hinted the 563-horsepower model could reach production sooner rather than later, the company confirmed it's been axed. Industry trade journal Automotive News learned the concept was consigned to the automotive attic from an Infiniti spokesman. He pointed out the design study "continues to inspire us," but he didn't explain why the Black S won't reach production. We're not surprised by the decision, though. It was a complex, eye-wateringly expensive version of a slow-selling model unveiled in 2015. Making the numbers add up was likely easier said than done.  Interestingly, many Infiniti dealers didn't want the Black S. "In today's market, a premium Japanese performance coupe has to be very low volume. Anything that Infiniti produces for its dealers, we want it to be a volume product. We're not really in the racing business. I would much rather see something like the QX60. That's a volume vehicle, that's where this company needs to go," opined Ed Lennon, the chairman of the Infiniti National Dealer Advisory Board, in an interview with Automotive News. Unveiled at the 2017 edition of the Geneva auto show, and presented again the following year in Paris, the Black S was powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid drivetrain built around the twin-turbocharged, 3.0-liter V6 that powers the Q60 Red Sport 400. It worked with three motor-generator units similar to the ones found in the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) fitted to Formula One cars. One spun the rear wheels, and the others were connected to the turbochargers to eliminate lag and deliver instant boost. Infiniti quoted a sub-four-second sprint to 60 mph. Hybrid technology adds weight, and Formula One-like components are no exception. Infiniti noted the drivetrain weighed 441 pounds more than the Red Sport 400's V6. Had it been built, the Black S would have relied extensively on carbon fiber to keep weight in check, and it would have offered a 50/50 weight distribution. Much has changed since 2017, however. Roland Krueger, the former Infiniti CEO who championed the project, left the company in January 2019 to lead Dyson's ill-fated automotive unit. Infiniti announced plans to exit the European market later that year, and it ended its participation in Formula One in 2020.

Infiniti QX80 refreshed for 2015, range-topping Limited trim added

Alongside the updated Q70, Infiniti has refreshed its fullsize SUV, the QX80, for the 2014 New York Auto Show. Like its freshened sedan, the QX80 is full of incremental styling tweaks typical of a mid-cycle update like this. Also like the Q70, there's a new member of the QX80 family for the 2015 model year.
But first, the overarching changes for the QX80 range. As we said, this is pretty standard fare, with new headlights and taillights and a restyled grille designed to fit the full-sizer in with the most recent Infiniti design language. Full LED headlights, turn signals and fog lights should provide a bit more illumination, while the mesh inserts on the "double-arch" grille remind us of the Q50. Still, this is a rather bulbous, inelegant piece of design in our eyes. Out back, the shape of the taillights has been tweaked, and they now sport LED illumination. The new rear bumper is larger, as well.
In the cabin, upgrades are similarly sparse. There are a few new tech items, like automatic high beams and predictive forward collision warning. Overall, though, this is the same wood-and-leather-lined cabin Infiniti has been selling for the past few years.

Infiniti Q50 Active Lane control is scarily self-driving

Occasionally, we post videos that require us to tell you not to try something at home. They usually involve some unsafe activity that requires a high-degree of skill and planning to achieve. This video, though, gets a more interesting disclaimer: Don't ever try this. Ever. Never ever. Period. Seriously, don't try it.
Some clowns in Germany decided to put the Infiniti Q50's Active Lane Control system to the test. For those not in the know, ALC can make small adjustments to keep the vehicle in the correct lane, a feature that's just starting to pick up steam. Instead of using it the way you're supposed to - with both hands on the wheel - these guys not only take both hands off the steering, but at one point climb out of the seat while traveling at freeway speeds, just to see how automated the combination of ALC and adaptive cruise control really are.
Yes, we've seen this sort of stunt before, but it was done in extremely controlled circumstances that didn't put the cars, the driver or any other motorists at risk and probably had appropriate emergency personnel on hand should the worst happen.