2008 Infinity M35 We Finance Clean Carfax Non-smoker Runs Perfect Gorgeous on 2040-cars

Auto blog

The yin and yang of the 2017 Infiniti Q50 Red Sport 400

When we first drove the Q50 Red Sport 400, Infiniti had the car out at a prepared slalom-and-cone course in a large, open parking lot. The car was stacked up against another Q50 without the Direct Adaptive Steer steer-by-wire system, and the course was designed to show that the DAS-equipped Red Sport 400 (it's a $1,000 option) required less steering input to master the same course. With all due respect to Infiniti, which is invested in this unfortunate system and has been working hard to revise it, the comparison doesn't make a lot of sense. The non-DAS Red Sport 400 has a steering ratio of 15:1 in RWD and 16.7:1 in AWD forms. The DAS system can vary between 12:1 and 32.9:1 in RWD and 11.8:1 to 32.3:1 in AWD flavors. At its extremes, the DAS system's ratio is vastly different than the fixed-ratio cars. So sure, with a super-quick steering ratio available, the DAS driver's going to do less work. It's all in the gearing. Does this mean it's better, that the steering feel is more natural, that it's easier to hustle quickly? The amount the driver saws at the wheel isn't an indication of that, necessarily. After a few days in a rear-drive Red Sport 400, I'm saying that the spooky disconnection between the driver and the front wheels would be a severe deficit to a driver on a real autocross course. It's not like the DAS system is choosing bad ratios within its range, it's just not supplying the feedback to make it enjoyable. Knowing what your front tires are up to is critical. I can hear you saying right now, "But what Q50 Red Sport 400 owners are going to autocross their cars?" Sure, but it was just a means to an end: showing off the DAS in a good light. And in that case, it probably did. The thing is, in isolation, not back-to-back with a non-DAS car with a slow steering ratio, the DAS system has the same issues it's always had: It simply doesn't feel natural. It doesn't feel intuitive. There doesn't seem to be any real advantage over a slightly quicker rack. I don't hear about people making buying decisions based on how much work they have to do sawing at the wheel, do you? So, that's one side of the Q50 coin – one that's hard to ignore if you're an enthusiast and steering feel is an important connection between you and the vehicle you just dropped a large hunk of change on, and will be spending a lot of your time in. The other is that there's a really compelling reason to drive a Red Sport 400: The 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 is a monster.

2022 Infiniti QX55 pricing is out, and it carries a premium over the standard QX50

Pricing for the coupe-ified 2022 Infiniti QX55 crossover is out, and just like every other coupe-like version of a crossover, it’s more expensive than the regular one.  For starters, the QX55 comes with standard all-wheel drive. It also starts at the second trim up the QX50Â’s hierarchy, Luxe. The premium over an equivalent QX50 is $3,000, landing the QX55 at a $47,525 starting price, including the $1,025 destination charge. There are only two other trims available: Essential and Sensory. A QX55 Essential starts at $52,625 and adds leather seats (heated/cooled in front), a heated steering wheel, navigation, 16-speaker Bose audio and a 360-degree camera. For a little more cash, you can tack on a ProAssist and ProActive package to the Essential trim for a host of driver assistance features, including all the goodies weÂ’re accustomed to in NissanÂ’s ProPilot Assist. The last and top trim is Sensory, and it starts at $58,075. You get all the packages and features of the lower trims, plus a motion-activated hatch, semi-aniline leather seats, open-pore wood trim, tri-zone climate control and ambient lighting. Unlike the regular QX50, there is no top-of-the-line Autograph trim. If youÂ’re interested in a QX55, Infiniti says itÂ’s opening up a digital reservation program today. If you reserve one via this method and go through with the purchase or lease, Infiniti promises you the choice of “a tasteful trendsetting gift.” Your options include a Transparent Sound speaker, Away luggage bundle or a Tom Dixon Brew coffee set. QX55s will start landing in dealers this spring, where you can buy one the old-fashioned way, sans gift. Related video:

Infiniti QX70 S Design goes dark in the City of Light

As Infiniti continues its attempts at making inroads in the European market, it's showing off a sharper-looking version of its QX70 crossover. Much as it does in the US market, the CUV, formerly known as the FX, is adding an S Design trim.
The new trim pack adds plenty of dark chrome to the exterior of the fashion-forward QX70, with the stuff finding its way onto the grille, foglight surrounds and side grilles. While not dark chrome, the 21-inch alloys, mirror caps and roof rails are now painted black, while the headlights are smoked. Black lacquer trim, black leather and purple stitching stand out in the S Design's cabin.
Hop up top for our full gallery of live photos of Europe's new, dark-chrome-adorned QX70, and then head below for the original press release, issued by Infiniti earlier this month.