Infiniti's new Q60 Concept will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month.
Despite a few classic show car details, like the microscopic sideview mirrors, we’re likely to be seeing the new Infiniti Q60 Concept again in the not too distant future as the planned replacement for the Japanese maker’s current Q60.
Infiniti is giving us a first teaser glimpse of the Q60 Concept which will make its debut at the Detroit Auto Show next month and, the automaker suggests, it “builds upon the design language seen on recent Infiniti concept cars,” notably the Q80 Inspiration that was unveiled at the recent Paris Motor Show.
The current coupe is clearly in need of an update; it’s basically little more than a rebadged version of Infiniti’s old G37 Coupe which has seen little change since its introduction in 2008. But the image Infiniti released this morning is yet another indication of the distinctive styling themes in store as it sets out to greatly expand its line-up.
(Click Here for a closer look at the Infiniti Q80 Inspiration concept.)
There’s a bit of Audi A7 in the long sweep of the roofline. Softly sculpted curves are offset by sharp creases and bulging wheel arches that give the Q60 Concept a muscular and well-planted stance.
Says a terse statement from the luxury maker, “Overall proportions and full-sized wheels placed out at the corners of (the) Q60 Concept make an unmistakable design statement and add to the exhilaration of the performance coupe. This latest concept builds upon the design language seen on recent Infiniti concept cars, foreshadowing the strong visual consistency to be a key ingredient of products in the future Infiniti lineup.”
Indeed, Infiniti design chief Alfonso Albaisa told journalists at last month’s L.A. Auto Show that the Q60 Concept would be “very close” to the production model.
Infiniti introduced a four-door update of the old G line – renamed the Q50 – in late 2013. That model offered more than just new styling. It was loaded with a range of features, including the world’s first mass production steer-by-wire system. Whether that will be available on the Q60 Coupe remains to be seen, but the sportier model has a good shot at sharing the Q50’s hybrid driveline which was tuned for performance as much as for better mileage.
Infiniti is in the early stages of a major product expansion program that is expected to see it flesh out a long-stagnant line-up with more passenger cars and crossover models, as well as a new performance sub-brand that, for now, is being referred to as Eau Rouge.
The debut of the production Q60 Coupe will be one of the next steps in that process.
(Infiniti nabs People’s Choice Award at LA Auto Show. Click Here to check out its winning design.)