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New Infiniti QX crossover: expect a pretty Q60 on stilts

When the doors open at the Beijing Motor Show later this month, Infiniti will have a new concept to show off dubbed the QX Sport Inspiration. It takes the form of a mid-size sport-ute that could preview the next-generation QX70 crossover. The Japanese luxury automaker isn't giving us much to go on aside from the decidedly enigmatic teaser image above. But we're expecting the crossover concept to follow closely along the stylistic lines of the Q60 coupe concept we saw in Detroit earlier this year – albeit in a taller form with more space inside. And that's no bad thing, considering how sexy that two-door show car was. Infiniti tells us to anticipate such design elements as floating A-pillars and wide wheel arches, giving it a forward-looking and aggressive appearance that will foreshadow the company's next generation of crossovers. Watch this space for more as the Chinese auto expo prepares to open its doors on April 25. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. INFINITI QX SPORT INSPIRATION BREAKS COVER AHEAD OF 2016 BEIJING AUTO SHOW - First glimpse of exciting new SUV concept from Infiniti - Inspired by 'Powerful Elegance' form language - World premiere at 2016 Beijing Auto Show Rolle, Switzerland – Infiniti has revealed a first glimpse of its daring new QX Sport Inspiration, an exploration of the brand's vision for a next-generation, mid-size premium SUV. Inspired by Infiniti's 'Powerful Elegance' design philosophy, the QX Sport Inspiration features the brand's design hallmarks and stands out thanks to its striking design details and sophisticated craftsmanship. The concept rendering illustrates SUV-like proportions highlighted with wide muscular lines reminiscent of the Q60 Concept, floating A-pillars and extra-wide wheel arches. Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director, commented: "The QX Sport Inspiration expresses a power and purpose that is uniquely Infiniti. With a flowing, natural aesthetic, this concept demonstrates how Infiniti can offer something new and exciting with future QX SUV models." The Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration makes its global debut at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show (press days on April 25/26, public days from April 29 – May 4).

Infiniti is blazing an unconventional path to electrification

When it comes to electrification, Infiniti has a history of speaking a great deal but doing little. The Nissan-owned company's plug-in offensive will start in the 2020s, and it provided preliminary details about the technology that motorists can expect to find in showrooms in the not-too-distant future. Eric Rigaux, Infiniti's general manager of product strategy and planning, told Roadshow the firm's engineering department is putting the final touches on two forward-thinking electrified powertrains. The first one will run solely on electricity, while the second one will rely on a gasoline-powered generator to provide more range. Both are being developed to fit into a flexible new platform. Technical details about the electric setup remain vague, so we don't know how big of a battery pack Infiniti will use, or how many motors will draw electricity from it. However, Roadshow learned the gasoline-electric layout will never need to be plugged in, because a 1.5-liter, three-cylinder engine equipped with Infiniti's innovative variable-compression technology will produce the electricity it needs to run. The triple won't directly spin the wheels; it will channel the juice it creates to a battery pack. It's not a zero-emissions solution, but it's one that makes a lot of sense, because users won't need to wait for a charge, and they'll be able to drive for about 500 miles between fill-ups. The now-defunct Chevrolet Volt featured a similar drivetrain, but owners had the possibility of plugging it in. Infiniti won't give motorists that option; there won't be a plug anywhere on the car. Fluid-filled motor mounts and active noise cancellation will ensure the passengers don't feel or hear the triple whirring away. Meanwhile, two electric motors (one over each axle) will deliver between 248 and 429 horsepower; final specifications haven't been signed off yet. And, because power will come from gasoline, there's no need to integrate a bulky battery pack into the chassis. Infiniti's future gasoline-electric models won't require anything bigger than a 5.1-kilowatt-hour unit, which can unintrusively be stuffed under the trunk floor or sandwiched between the floor and the rear seat. Infiniti chose a crossover to inaugurate its battery-electric powertrain; the QX Inspiration concept (pictured) unveiled during the 2019 Detroit Auto Show shed light on what the model will look like.

Infiniti's QX Sport Inspiration is still attractive, in Paris, and now gray

Yes, crossovers tend to be boring. But this one is pretty! Then we remember it's going to turn into the front-drive-based QX50, so we automatically lose some interest. But the wheels will be driven by Infiniti's new VC-Turbo engine, which is kind of exciting! And for the 2016 Paris show, those wheels are bigger – 22-inchers in place of the 21s that the QX Sport Inspiration concept debuted with in Beijing earlier this year. (It's hard to tell a difference in the photos, but you can bet the imaginary ride of this concept will suffer, imaginarily.) The 22s are also painted bronze now along with the brake calipers, and the whole vehicle gets a coat of matte gray paint to replace the silver it was originally shown with. There's also some new brown leather in the previously very black and white interior. It's still pretty black and white, actually. Then there's the variable-compression-ratio VC-Turbo engine that will power the production QX50. We're getting a better look at this 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo in cutaway form at the Paris show, and it continues to fascinate. It's a pretty neat thing, with a movable stroke position that allows it to vary the compression ratio between 8:1 for performance and 14:1 for efficiency (when the turbo isn't needed). That might not sound terribly cool, but it's a pretty big step forward in the march of efficient power. So yeah, crossovers can be boring, but at least this concept and the production car that will soon follow it have a few things going for them. Related Video: Featured Gallery Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration: Paris 2016 View 12 Photos Related Gallery Infiniti QX Sport Concept Related Gallery Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration concept for Paris View 10 Photos Image Credit: Live photos copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Paris Motor Show Infiniti Crossover Concept Cars Luxury 2016 paris motor show infiniti qx sport inspiration concept