2017 Infiniti Qx80 on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Vettel and Coulthard drive Russia's very unfinished Sochi Circuit

The next Winter Olympics will happen in Sochi, Russia from February 7-23, 2014. Sometime after that, barring any delays, a portion of the Sochi Olympic Park will be turned into the Sochi Olympic Park Circuit, a 3.65-mile track for the first Russian Grand Prix in 100 years (the last of two Formula One grands prix were held in St. Petersburg).
As we've come to expect from the Infiniti Red Bull team, it recently sent Sebastian Vettel and brand ambassador David Coulthard to the unfinished venue to run the route in Infiniti M sedans and offer some impressions. With average cornering speeds above 62 miles an hour, Coulthard called it a fast street circuit in the Monaco vein. You can watch them try it out - yes, that's Vettel gone airborne above - and avoid a "White Van Man" in the video below.

2014 Infiniti Q50 priced at $37,605*

Infiniti has released full pricing information for its new 2014 Q50 line, which, as you're probably aware, replaces the well-liked G-series sedan. You may be wondering why this is news, as Infiniti announced pricing for its new Q50 sedan back in March. Apparently, though, those earlier prices applied only to the special pre-sell offer announced earlier this year and are only good for cars ordered by October 31, 2013.
Starting in November, base 2014 Q50 models with the automaker's 328-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine will begin at $37,605 (*including a $905 destination fee), while the sportier Q50S model will begin at $44,105. Adding all-wheel drive to either model costs an additional $1,800 over the standard rear-wheel-drive models. Regardless of engine or whether it's rear- or all-wheel drive, the Q50 comes with a seven-speed automatic transmission.
Opting for the 2014 Infiniti Q50 Hybrid will get the buyer a powertrain consisting of a 3.5-liter V6, a 50kW electric motor and a lithium ion battery that offers up a total power output of 354 hp and a highway fuel mileage rating of 36 miles per gallon, all for a starting price of $44,855, which includes the Premium group. The most expensive version of the new sedan is the Q50S Hybrid with all-wheel drive. That model carries an MSRP of $49,055.

Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti JX in transmission safety probe

Nissan may be forced to recall 110,000 Pathfinder and Infiniti JX35 crossovers, due to a number of customer complaints. Consumers report suddenly losing power, with repair facilities blaming the issue on faulty transmission cooler line connections. Both the Pathfinder and JX35 use a continuously variable transmission. As of right now, the only vehicles being investigated are from model year 2013.
Nissan has been cooperating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a report from Reuters, and it has developed a fix for the affected vehicles. It's not clear whether this will develop into a full-blown recall, as there have been no known cases of injuries or crashes. But with a potential 110,000 vehicles prone to sudden power loss, a recall seems to be a likely outcome.