Infiniti->ke36 has been busy preparing something new for the Beijing Auto Show,->ke2062 and today it finally released a teaser image of its upcoming concept. With the Beijing auto show set to kick off on April 29th, Infiniti has released a new teaser image of its soon-to-be-revealed SUV->ke145 concept. Like most teaser images, it only gives us a quick glimpse into the future, but that glimpse is certainly enough to catch out attention.
Infiniti’s Executive Design Direction – Alfonso Albaisa – said, “The QX Sport Inspiration expresses a power and purpose that is uniquely Infiniti. With a flowing, natural aesthetic, this concept demonstrates how Infiniti can offer something new and exciting with future QX->ke1261 SUV models.”
A quick glance at the teaser image makes us think about the Q60 Concept that we saw last year in Detroit,->ke222 and is said to be inspired by Infiniti’s “Powerful Elegance” design language. In a sense, the concept->ke169 serves as a means of exploration for Infiniti’s next-generation, mid-size->ke1695 SUV. Of course, the teaser image leaves us with more questions than it does answers, but let’s take a closer look at the teaser image anyway, and see what we can make out.
Updated 04/25/2016: Infiniti dropped the official details on the QX Sport Inspiration Concept at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show.
Continue reading to learn more about the Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration Concept.
2016 Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration Concept
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- Model: 2016 Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration Concept
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Exterior
Up front, we can see almost exactly what we saw in the teaser image. Those “human eye” headlights are sleek and sexy, with small vertical vents recessed into the corners of the fascia. The double-finish grille has a large Infiniti logo in the middle and has a spider web like appearance. Body lines run from the upper corners of the grille, through the top of the headlights down the side of the vehicle. Down below two small vents are outlined with chrome trim, and there is a small air dam in between them. The hood itself is mainly smooth but features two muscular lines to give the front end even more definition.
To the side, we can see that the body line that runs from the grille and through the headlight, continues down the side, angling up at the rear door to eventually terminate at the point of the wraparound taillights. Another body line runs from the top of the wheel arch and curves downward just a little bit before fading off smoothly into the rear door. Just below that, there is another body line the curves downward much harder, giving the car a unique side profile. The side skirts seamlessly integrate into the front fenders and create a vent-like appearance behind the front wheel wells. There is also a recessed area just above the side skirt that serves as a side step for easier entry. From this view, we can see that the roof slants downward closer to the rear, with the rearmost pillar accenting that downward tilt. The concept rides on what appears to be 20-inch wheels that have a spiral spoke pattern.
To the rear, the QX Sport Inspiration has a rounded out tail, with sleek wraparound taillights and a couple of smooth body lines give the rear more character. There is also a sharp line that wraps around from the rear wheel arches and runs the full width of the rear. Down below the rear diffuser is smooth and painted gloss black. The two exhaust exits are accented inserts that have taken a heavy dose of chrome. All told the exterior does look about production ready, and I wouldn’t expect to see much change when Infiniti decides to enter that mid-size segment.
Interior
The interior is a futuristic interpretation of what Infiniti wants to do with the SUV, but even with such a futuristic approach, the interior isn’t all that farfetched. First off, everything is focused around the driver. The center console even forms a barrier wall between the driver and passenger and the infotainment display screen is even tilted in favor of the driver. Most of the interior is wrapped in either black or white leather, some of which has been scored to display a prism-like appearance. The top of the dash, center console, and part of the door trim is all wrapped in white leather while the rest of the interior is wrapped with black leather held together by black stitching. Hard black saddle leather lines the floor and kick plates. Furthermore, that leather has been laser and features backlit Infiniti emblems.
As you can see, the driver gets the majority of the technology. The concept boasts a digital instrument cluster that offers a tachometer and gear display on the left, a speedo on the right and an information display in the center. The large, horizontally oriented infotainment screen sits atop the dash where there would normally be a center stack. Oddly, the only HVAC vents up front are also angled toward the driver. There is a flat-bottomed sport steering wheel with a host of buttons on the left and right spokes that are used to control the virtual cluster. The control knob on the center console is likely to be the primary controller for the infotainment system.
We have yet to see any shots of the rear, but we do know that there is a small display screen perched on top of the center console, right in between the two front seats. This is used by rear passengers to control the HVAC system, but may also be the host of some infotainment controls for the rear. There is a large glass panel in the roof, and the same color scheme carries over in the rear as well.
Drivetrain
As is the case with most concepts of this caliber, Infiniti has yet to release any information on what might be hidden under the hood. If we had to guess, based on the overall appearance of the concept, it probably has one of the three engines used in the Q60 coupe. This means there could be a turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder that delivers 208 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque or a 3.0-liter that delivers either 300 ponies and 295 pound-feet or 400 horses and 350 pound-feet. Considering Infiniti isn’t offering the Q60 coupe with the option for a six-speed manual, this concept will probably sport the same seven-speed automatic along with all-wheel drive.
Conclusion
The teaser that was released before the QX Sport Inspiration Concept debuted raised more questions than it did answers. Now that we’ve seen the concept in broad daylight, we now have a good look of what future Infiniti SUVs will probably look like. It’s pretty evident that Infiniti designed this concept with production in mind, so I would expect to see a new mid-sized SUV come from the Infiniti brand sooner rather than later – it obviously already has a damn good template to work from. I doubt a production model will be quite as aggressive as this, but I don’t think it will be that far off. Now, let’s just hope that Infiniti tells us what is lurking under the hood, and when we’ll be able to get our hands on a production model.