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2020 Infiniti Q60 Infotainment Driveway Test | Baby steps forward

Infiniti is slowly coming round to the modern age of infotainment systems this year, and our first taste of that is in the 2020 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400. This performance coupe has an updated system in it that, while it looks a whole lot like it did before, represents a step forward for Infiniti. Most importantly, Infiniti has finally added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality for 2020. Every new 2020 model year car should ship with the smartphone connection technology baked in, and Infiniti has finally gotten with the program this year on nearly all of its cars (QX60 is the holdout). The delay might have something to do with Nissan/Infiniti's reluctance to share customer data to Apple and Google, or perhaps Infiniti was waiting to roll out a broader interface update, but either way, the hardware they've applied it to would seem to be the same as before.  2020 Infiniti Q60 infotainment system View 9 Photos This updated interface also has upgraded graphics for a smoother experience. The improved performance is acceptable, but the problem with Infiniti’s InTouch twin-screen system has always been more than just its lack of speed. Compared to the advanced infotainment systems from Germany, InTouch looks and feels about five years behind the curve. Mercedes' MBUX, BMW's iDrive and AudiÂ’s MMI all respond with the speed and vigor we expect from top-shelf smartphones these days. The Infiniti's UX is as uninspiring as it gets. Simple, colored boxes fill the bottom screen, and a difficult-to-reach navigation system fills the top. Unfortunately, Infiniti decided to drop Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality into the top screen, too — there was hardly any choice, as important car functions and settings are found on the bottom. Reaching all the way to the top row of icons on Spotify while driving is not easy when theyÂ’re all the way up there! And I promise you, my arms are normal length for a 5-foot 10-inch individual. A widescreen solution is better, which we once again found to be the case in the new Toyota Highlander. Another new feature this year is the addition of a WiFi hotspot for up to seven devices. Once again, itÂ’s a feature thatÂ’s been offered for years from other manufacturers, but itÂ’s still worth noting that a new Infiniti you buy will have it. After using the system every day for a week, nothing truly got on my nerves. It works, albeit slowly and without flare or excellence.

Infiniti parts ways with Red Bull Racing

The partnership between Infiniti and Red Bull Racing is done. The team announced that it will no longer run under branding from the luxury automaker and will drop the Infiniti name from its own. The shift is effective at the end of this year. Infiniti signed on as a sponsor of the Formula One team back in 2011 when Red Bull was at the height of its dominance and on the path to the second of four consecutive world championships. Two seasons later it stepped up to naming rights, with the team officially rebranded as Infiniti Red Bull Racing. But while the cars ran under motivation from the automaker's ally Renault, they stopped short of rebranding the engines as Infiniti's, leaving it in the unusual situation of being a title sponsor of (but not directly involved in) an F1 racing team. For next season, Red Bull will continue running the Renault power unit, albeit rebranded under the TAG Heuer name. In the process, the team will no longer have any branding from the French automaker or any of its associated brands. Meanwhile sister-team Toro Rosso is switching from Renault to Ferrari power for next season, while Lotus is prone to switch back to Renault engines and ownership. The French automaker also recently canceled its support of the feeder series known until now as Formula Renault 3.5. Infiniti has carried out only limited racing programs in its quarter-century history. Aside from the Red Bull partnership, it directly sponsored Sebastian Vettel up until his departure for Ferrari. The company also supplied IndyCar engines in the late 1990s, then sponsored the Indy Lights series for a few years. It recently helped a privateer team prepare a Q50 for the British Touring Car Championship, but otherwise hasn't had any top-tier factory racing programs to speak of. That makes it one of the few Renault Nissan Alliance brands (and Japanese automakers) not to actively participate in motorsports. Related Video:

2022 Infiniti QX60's new transmission helps improve towing capacity

Though it hasn't been fully revealed yet, we have reason to believe the 2022 Infiniti QX60 will be a big improvement over the outgoing model. The concept has more confident and elegant styling, and the company has announced that the unloved CVT will go away in favor of a more conventional nine-speed automatic. We're expecting that transmission to be more pleasant in daily driving, but it also has had the bonus of letting Infiniti get more towing capacity out of the crossover. The new maximum trailer weight for the QX60 is 6,000 pounds, an improvement of 1,000 pounds over the old model. That makes the QX60 one of the best options for the trailer set in its class, outperforming the Acura MDX, Buick Enclave, Cadillac XT6, Lexus RX and Volvo XC90. The only three-row luxury crossover in the price and performance segment to beat it is the Lincoln Aviator, which offers 6,700 pounds. The QX60 will be fully revealed later this year. The company has also announced that it picks up a bit of horsepower over the previous model. Pricing will probably be similar to the current model which starts around $45,000. Related Video: