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Infiniti darkens down QX70S Design for Paris debut

Dig the Infiniti QX70 but wish it were just a touch more low-key? Infiniti will have the answer at the fast-approaching Paris Motor Show, where it will launch the QX70S Design.
Based on the vehicle erstwhile known as the FX, the QX70S Design gets dark chrome all over: on the grille, foglight surrounds, side air vents, side sills and license plate surround. The headlights are smoked and the 21-inch six-spoke wheels, roof rails and mirror caps are painted black.
The darkened treatment continues inside with black lacquer trim and black leather with purple stitching. The S Design otherwise gets all the equipment of the S Premium model. It goes on sale in Europe right after its debut in Paris, and while we're told this trim isn't planned for the North American market, there's no telling what the future will hold.

1992 Infiniti Q45 with under 9,000 miles is a window into the glory days of Japan, Inc.

The 1980s saw Japanese auto boom in the U.S., while at home the "Bubble Economy" of the latter half of the decade swelled corporate coffers. The heady atmosphere lead first Honda, then Toyota and Nissan, to launch luxury divisions, aimed primarily at the U.S. market. Nissan formed a secret task force in 1985 to create Infiniti, and the brand launched (simultaneously with Lexus) at the 1989 Detroit Auto Show. The Infiniti Q45 was the brand's flagship and displayed a distinctly Japanese take on the luxury sedan. Whereas the Lexus LS400 was like the world's most perfect Cadillac — all silence and smoothness — the more driver-oriented Q45 was something akin to an Asian Jaguar. The Zen-like styling eschewed luxury car cliches such as interior wood trim and a fancy chrome grille. Instead, the nose of the Q45 was adorned with a stylized badge that was suggestive of a samurai shield. When Lexus stormed out of the gate and left Infiniti far behind, Nissan's luxury division began to dial back the iconoclasm and tack toward conventionality. All of which makes this early, 1992-model Q45 a rare and intriguing machine. It's all the more representative of Infiniti's early days because of its ultra-low mileage: just 8,800 miles are on the clock. Up for sale right now on the auction website Cars & Bids, this Q45 reportedly had just one owner up until last year. It features a leather interior, power seats, a sunroof and a trunk-mounted 10-disc CD changer. Under the hood is a DOHC 4.5-liter V8 that's good for 278 horsepower and pairs with a four-speed automatic transmission to drive the rear wheels. Of note is the factory case that houses the original titanium keys. At this writing, bidding for this rarely seen Japanese luxury sedan stands at $11,000 with two days left to go in the auction. That seems a small sum for such a well-preserved totem of the Japanese auto industry's master-of-the-universe period. Related Video:

Lotus could build production versions of Renault Alpine, Infiniti Emerg-E

As with one of those blockbuster three-team NBA trades that actually improves the fortunes of every team involved, a report in Autocar indicates that Renault, Infiniti and Lotus are in talks that could benefit both manufacturers and enthusiasts. Renault is considering a production version of the devil-in-blue Alpine A110-50 concept but has said that it "probably needs more than the Renault-Nissan Alliance on its own." Enter Lotus, whose Evora platform could supply the running bits for the mid-engined Alpine revival.
That same Evora platform, in range-extended 414E concept form, is the basis for the Infiniti Emerg-E concept. Even though a decision hasn't been made on the Emerg-E's production, it is still being developed and the company has admitted that it "could be built in Britain." For its part, Lotus has said that it's ahead of schedule on the Evora 414E, with its 408 horsepower, 738 pound-feet of torque and 30-mile electric range. Development funds from both Renault and Infiniti could help make all three cars a closer possibility.