It's been nearly four years since Infiniti->ke36 unveiled the Etherea Concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show,->ke228 and the brand's first five-door hatchback is about to see the light of day as a production car. Dubbed the Q30, the premium hatch was first showcased as a concept car in 2013 and began showing its camouflaged nose in public in 2014. After seeing it playing in Scandinavian snow camouflaged to the teeth, the Q30 returns in a friendlier disguise, this time around sharing more of its styling language with us.

Of course, the prototype you're about to see below is still hidden under a layer of camo, but at least it's no longer wrapped as if Infiniti left the testing facility in a hurry. With the thick, black camouflage and the grey duct tape out of the way, these shots provide us with our best look yet of the upcoming Q30. Speaking of which, word has it production will commence in late 2015 in Europe and early 2016 in the U.S., meaning the official unveiling could occur in a just a few months.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2016 Infiniti Q30.

Why it matters

The Q30 may still be camouflaged, but it's not like this hatch is a complete mystery. Sure, we still need a few pieces to solve the puzzle, but the Q30 Concept already provided us with mostly everything we need to know about the car's design. What's more, this prototype comes to confirm the production Q30 ditched the concealed door handles and the fancy mirrors of the concept, and the front bumper has been replaced by a toned-down piece.

Not to worry though, I'm sure these changes won't turn the Q30 Concept into a bland hatch that won't be able to stand out, as Infiniti made sure every drop of its current styling language will be injected into this Mercedes-Benz A-Class competitor. This is obvious even with that swirly camouflage covering every inch of the body and despite the brand's efforts to hide the real shape of the front grille. I just know the gorgeous nose of the Q50 is present on this compact one way or another.

Visuals aside, it is known for a fact the Q30 rides on Mercedes' MFA architecture, which is found under the A-Class, B-Class, CLA-Class, and GLA-Class models. The German platform also brings a variety of Mercedes engines to the Q30, including the turbocharged, 2.0-liter, four-banger, likely in both gasoline and diesel versions. Other smaller four-pots, likely borrowed from the A-Class, are on the table as well, but the full details won't surface until the Q30 breaks cover as a final product.

2016 Infiniti Q30 - spy shots