The 2014 Infiniti Q50 is the first new vehicle to feature the Japanese luxury brand’s revised naming scheme, which assigns all passenger cars the letter Q and then a number to denote their place in the lineup. The Q50 replaces the G sedan, which means that it represents the volume leader for Infiniti and is for many the gateway to the brand. The name, of course, is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what the Q50 has in store for 2014, including the expansion of the lineup to featue hybrid, turbocharged four-cylinder, and diesel drivetrains, as well as several upgrades to its overall platform, and refreshed styling.
What’s New for the 2014 Infiniti Q50:
- Nip-and-tuck sheet metal
- New steering system
- Multiple drivetrain options past traditional six-cylinder offering
- Re-engineered platform
New 2014 Infiniti Q50: Styling and Design The 2014 Infiniti Q50 comes across as a blend of the muscular, yet sleek styling found on the larger Infiniti M (soon to be the Q70), as well as the new trend that is sweeping across the premium segment where designers are pinching the corners of a vehicle’s grille in order to enhance its trapezoidal appearance. From the front, the Q50’s fascia bears a distinctly Lexus-like attitude, although this impression is quickly dispelled when moving along the sides and finally to the rear of the sedan, where the vehicle is clearly all-Infiniti. One thing that is inescapable no matter what your viewing angle is the size increase of the Q50 over the G, as the wider, longer look comes across immediately and makes the automobile again resemble the M.
New 2014 Infiniti Q50: What’s Under the Hood The 2014 Infiniti Q50’s base 3.7-liter engine largely maintains the status quo, delivering 328 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque that is delivered to the rear wheels (or all four wheels if optional all-wheel drive is selected) via a seven-speed automatic transmission. A more powerful, 3.5-liter V-6 hybrid version of the Q50 is also on the way, and this mill will produce a total of 360 horsepower thanks to the efforts of its battery-powered electric motor. Theoretically, the hybrid model will be faster as well as more efficient than the standard Q50, although it will also be heavier. Turbodiesel and turbo four-cylinder engines may or may not make it to North America, but they could help Infiniti scoop up new sets of buyers for their sedan.
New 2014 Infiniti Q50: Features and Technology Infiniti has stuffed the 2014 Q50 with a host of its typical high tech features, but the focus at the debut was on its available Direct Adaptive Steering technology. This feature is able to customize steering feel and response across four different settings that aim to take into consideration road conditions as well as how the driver prefers the car to handle. A back-up mechanical system is on-board, but Infiniti is presenting the electric setup as the way of the future not just for the premium brand, but for all automakers.
New 2014 Infiniti Q50: What Autobytel Thinks The 2014 Infiniti Q50 looks good, and the addition of a hybrid model is an important step for the brand as it attempts to expand its lineup into a greater number of niches. The absence of a clear strategy for the introduction of either diesel or turbo four models of the Q50, however, leaves Infiniti treading water with its excellent, but solitary V-6 drivetrain. Infiniti is fully capable of bringing the massive resources of parent company Nissan to bear on reigning entry-level sport luxury company BMW, and once the Q50 begins to assert itself across a wider range of trim levels and price points then the vehicle will be able to turn a greater number of heads in the market.
