1998 Infiniti Qx4 Base Sport Utility 4-door 3.3l on 2040-cars

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Watch Sebastian Vettel become first driver to lap Sochi GP circuit

In April of last year, Sebastian Vettel and David Coulthard drove the unpaved Sochi Formula One circuit in a pair of Infiniti M sedans, getting both muddy and airborne in the process. Now with tarmac laid down and fences put up, Vettel and Coulthard have gone back to the Black Sea vacation spot for another hot lap, this time in a Q50 Hybrid and without the need for mud flaps.
Sochi has earned the blessing of F1's race director, so now the next test will be the fans. With a healthy amount of wall-and-fencing along the straights, it has shades of Valencia for the viewer. We hope it will be much more exciting than its Spanish counterpart when racing happens on October 12. You'll find more videos below covering Infiniti's visits to the Sochi Autodrom, and a press release on the latest lap.

2025 Infiniti QX60 ditches V6, gains VC-turbo

The 2025 Infiniti QX60 will ditch its long-running VQ-series V6 in favor of Infiniti's variable-compression turbo engine. There's news beyond the powertrain overhaul too as the 2025 model sees some equipment upgrades and a new Black Edition. The blackout package is not new to Infiniti, but it's a first for this QX60. Let's start under the hood.  With 268 horsepower and 286 pound-feet of torque, the VC-T four-cylinder gives up 22 horses in exchange for 16 lb-ft of torque. That's a bit of a side-grade rather than an upgrade, perhaps, but the new four-cylinder delivers better fuel economy, making the whole pill a bit easier to swallow. The FWD model will return 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined, the EPA says (vs. 21/26/23 with the V6) while the AWD model improves to 22 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 24 mpg combined (from 20/25/22). That's a 10% bump in city mileage vs. the V6 — not earth-shattering, but not bad, either. And we know what you're thinking, but fear not; this doesn't mean the QX60 is now saddled with a CVT. The nine-speed auto carries over and yes, it can still pull 6,000 pounds with AWD and the tow package.  For 2025, all QX60s get a new fob with an optional automatic lock/unlock feature. The Black Edition (see the gallery above) will be available on Luxe models and includes the gloss black wheels, grille surround, roof rails and exterior badges; illuminated front and rear kickplates; "radiant" grille badge; welcome lighting and a black headliner. The base price of the Pure model is up just $550 from 2024, however the FWD variant of the Autograph has been dropped, making it $4,300 more expensive to get into the trim. However, the AWD variant only increases by $50. Here's pricing information for the entire 2025 QX60 lineup with front-wheel drive (including destination). AWD is $2,000 more on every trim but the Autograph, which bakes it in as standard equipment for 2025.  Pure: $51,550 Luxe: $58,150 Sensory: $60,450 Autograph: $67,500 Related Video:  2023 Nissan Pathfinder Rock Creek walkaround This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Infiniti Prototype 9 is a wonderfully beautiful EV grand prix car

Few automobiles are as elegantly beautiful as the open-wheel grand prix cars of the 1940s, '50s and '60s. The simple, slender shapes of these cars bear no extravagant flourishes or adornments. The purposeful design is what gave these cars their beauty, and it's these classic machines that inspired the new Infiniti Prototype 9. Teased earlier this week, this concept blends old and new, with classic lines hiding a modern all-electric powertrain. The Prototype 9 will make its full debut next week at the 2017 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. Infiniti says the car was built around a simple idea: what would a 1940s Infiniti grand prix car look like? While the silver paint may be more German than Japanese, the design could easily be mistaken for an actual '40s grand prix car. Only the Infiniti-styled grille gives it away. Everything about it, from the thin bias-ply tires wrapped over center-locking wire wheels to the bulging screws around the driver's seat, is pitch perfect. Underneath that achingly long hood rests a prototype electric motor and battery from Nissan's Advanced Powertrain Department. The combo sends 148 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque straight to the rear wheels. That's good enough to send the svelte 1,962 lb car to 62 mph in just 5.5 seconds. Top speed is right at 106 mph. While speed may die off towards the top end, all that torque and a 43/57 front to rear weight distribution should make the Prototype 9 a riot on a small, tight circuit. There's only enough juice in the battery for about 20 minutes of flat-out racing. The handmade steel body rests on a steel ladder-frame chassis. The front suspension uses a leading-arm rigid axle with transverse leaf spring while the rear uses a De Dion axle, also with a transverse leaf spring. The Prototype 9 also uses old-school hydraulic rotary type dampers. There's no power steering and no brake booster for the four-wheel disc brakes. The car was designed and built by a number of different departments within Infiniti and Nissan. A simple sketch expanded as more and more designers and engineers wanted to have a hand in the project. The steel body panels were all shaped and hammered by hand. The bare cockpit is only adorned with a thin seat, three gauges, a few switches, a gear selector and the steering wheel. The gauges are set into a fixed aluminum hub in the center of the steering wheel.