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Infiniti takes QX60 on vacation for National Lampoon-inspired ad

Infiniti is packing up its version of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster for a new ad inspired by the American comedy classic National Lampoon's Vacation. Well, actually the 30-second spot replaces the green station wagon with a QX60, but the commercial does a great job of evoking the movie in a short time. The release timing is clearly perfect too given the remake hitting theaters on July 29 with Ed Helms and Christina Applegate. Infiniti's ad replicates one of the film's memorable scenes, but it replaces Chevy Chase behind the wheel of the Family Truckster and Christie Brinkley in a Ferrari 308. Instead, we get Ethan Embry in a QX60 and a blonde in a Lamborghini Gallardo droptop. The slight twist at the end really makes the commercial work, though. The ad starts airing nationally on July 9, but you can watch it streaming above now. Beyond just the surface-level homage, Infiniti gives the spot a slightly deeper connection to the Vacation series. In 1997's Vegas Vacation, Embry played Rusty. INFINITI DEBUTS NEW QX60 "VACATION" AD CAMPAIGN Infiniti recreates famous scene from "National Lampoon's Vacation" in 30-second commercial with 2015 QX60 Luxury Crossover Commercial stars Christie Brinkley and Ethan Embry Campaign includes extensions in digital and social media NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Infiniti has released a new campaign for the 2015 QX60, inspired by the 1983 classic "National Lampoon's Vacation" which coincides with the July 29 release of Warner Bros. Studio's remake. The campaign begins with a TV commercial starring the original movie's car-loving blonde bombshell and supermodel, Christie Brinkley, and puts a spin on the famous movie scene as the modern day family heads to Walley World. In the national spot titled "Vacation," Ethan Embry (who notably starred as Rusty in "Vegas Vacation") loads his family in the roomy 3-row QX60 and hits the road for Walley World. While on the road trip, Ethan looks in his side view mirror and sees an attractive blonde in a sports car fast approaching. As Ethan and the blonde keep up with each other on the highway, Christie Brinkley is revealed as his wife who catches this action and ends the scene with an ironic response: "Honey, a blonde in a convertible? Seriously?" The popular Infiniti QX60 continues to stand out in the premium crossover segment, excelling in the areas that luxury crossover buyers desire most – interior versatility, roominess, available safety, and available advanced hospitality features.

Infiniti EV delayed to add better tech

An evolution in lithium-ion batteries and "interesting advances in electric technology" are said to be responsible for the delay of Infiniti's electric car, the production version of the LE concept first shown at the New York Auto Show in 2012. At the time of its introduction, Infiniti said we'd have a version we could buy within two years; that timeline became 2015, and now Automotive News Europe reports that it's"still within in our mid-term plan" but officials aren't saying how long the delay will be.
When shown, the LE had a 24kWh lithium-ion battery and a 100kw electric motor producing 134 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque, a 100-mile range and the potential for wireless charging. It isn't clear if the postponement will bring improved specs or perhaps improved packaging and technology - or both. All we have for now is that the new timeframe is "not significantly" beyond the original plan.

4 ways Infiniti’s Q Inspiration concept bridges present and future

Infiniti's new Q Inspiration concept is a striking fastback sedan that the company says reflects an inflection point for both the luxury brand and the broader auto industry itself. It represents a bridge between technologies. That's true in the literal sense; it employs Infiniti's new variable compression turbocharged engine technology, which provides performance features while maximizing efficiency, and bridges the gap to more advanced powertrains. It also features Nissan's ProPilot semi-autonomous driving technology. But it's also true for the concept car's design, which Infiniti says provides a simple, elegant solution to complex technological questions — offering a palate cleanser, if you will, for the complicated technologies hidden beneath the gleaming surfaces. Oddly enough, the futuristic-looking Q Inspiration owes a debt of gratitude to the Prototype 9, the concept based on a 1940s-style grand prix car that Infiniti released last year. Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti's senior vice president for global design, said that project became "a kind of a blank canvas for us to play with" and allowed for new discovery and expression with minimal brush strokes. It also led designers back to Ma, the Japanese concept of mastery of empty space. We spoke with Albaisa about how the concept's design echoes the theme of bridging the present and future. 1. The cabin's forward proportion and roominess Using the space-efficient VC-Turbo engine gave the designers space to shift the cabin forward and move the A-pillars back, creating a more centered and elongated cabin, with maximum headroom. The interior is clean, with orange and black leather with orange accents and backlit birch wood accents. The center console is floating, providing seamless connectivity to technology and hiding mechanical elements. Albaisa says it's the first manifestation of Infiniti's new form language for an era of advanced powertrain and future technologies. 2. The grille In what Albaisa describes as "a little bit of an accident" and "kind of tongue-in-cheek," the Q Inspiration's grille is a kind of trompe l'oeuil phenomenon. From directly in front, you can see the small fins, but viewed from the side, they disappear. So much so that Albaisa said he was initially fooled. "From a functional point of view, we need to breathe," he said. "But I think in the future, where there'll be a lot different types of technology, probably the car can breathe less. So we don't need that dominating big open mouth.