Photo: Cory Wolfe
Back in the early 2000s when Infiniti came up with the G35 Coupe, the carmaker was trying to win enthusiasts over. The move succeeded, with the same being true about the G37 Coupe that followed. Well, with the 2017 Q60 Coupe, Infiniti has a different approach, proposing a bit of an exuberant vehicle built on the now-established base.
It's enough to check out the front fascia, which happens to dominate the styling of the car, and you'll understand. There's nothing subtle about what we came across on the Detroit floor, rear side window kinks included. Aerodynamic efficiency was also on the engineers' agenda, with the 0.28 drag coefficient confirming this. Speaking of which, the V6 models (we'll get to the motivation in a minute) come with active shutter grilles.
While playing things one segment beneath the Lexus LC 500 (the Q60 Coupe targets the Audi A5, BMW 4-Series and Mercedes C-Class Coupe), this Infiniti also brings a new engine to the brand.
The now-famous VQ naturally aspirated V6 is no longer under the spotlights, with Infiniti switching to forced induction. The new VR30 series V6 goes from 3.7 to 3.0 liters, but gains a pair of turbines.
In the US, you can choose between a version that produces 300 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of twist and one that churns out 400 hp and 350 lb-ft (487 Nm) of torque.
There's also an entry-level engine that comes in the form of a 2-liter, direct-injected turbocharged four, which delivers 208 hp and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of twist. Yes, this powerplant is very close to the turbo four you get in the Mercedes C-Class Coupe - the Q60 benefits from the partnership between Nissan-Renault and Daimler.
In terms of efficiency, Infiniti says the forced-fed four cylinder offers a combined rating of 24 mpg, while the 300 hp V6 is said to deliver 23 mpg. As for the range-topping 400 hp unit, this comes with a claimed efficiency of 22 mpg.
A driver's car this Infiniti may promise to be, but you can forget about shifting gears yourself. Regardless of your engine choice, you'll have to trust a seven-speed automatic with that.
Nevertheless, you'll be able to play with a Drive Mode Selector that not only affects the behavior of the engine and the gearbox, but also controls the optional Digital Dynamic Suspension (standard on the Sport equipment level) and the steering.
Being based on the Q50 sedan, the two-door seen here obviously inherits the optional Direct Adaptive Steering, albeit with this being a V6-only option. While the four-door has already seen its steer-by-wire recalibrated over the lack of feel, the Rack Electronic Power Steering available here promises to offer a pleasant feel.
As for the four-cylinder model, this offers speed-sensitive rack and pinion hardware.
The automaker's slight upmarket move is also visible in the wheel choice, where customers can now select 20-inch units for the first time.
Stepping inside the 2017 Q60 Coupe, we came across an evolution, one that, at least in terms of features, is led by a Bose audio system that uses 13 speakers.
While in today's automotive landscape entirely original design proposals are getting rarer by the day, we couldn't help notice how, from certain angles, the steering wheel looks close to what we've seen on the M-accessorized 4-Series. And we wouldn't have mentioned that if the story hadn't been the same with the aerodynamic elements on the front wings.
Infiniti says the Q60 will go on sale just on time to catch the end of the summer season.
P.S.: Those of you who looked at the Coupe part of the car's designation, asking themselves whether that's redundant or not, should know Infiniti's always-complicated nomenclature currently sees the G37 being sold as the Q60.
While playing things one segment beneath the Lexus LC 500 (the Q60 Coupe targets the Audi A5, BMW 4-Series and Mercedes C-Class Coupe), this Infiniti also brings a new engine to the brand.
The now-famous VQ naturally aspirated V6 is no longer under the spotlights, with Infiniti switching to forced induction. The new VR30 series V6 goes from 3.7 to 3.0 liters, but gains a pair of turbines.
In the US, you can choose between a version that produces 300 hp and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of twist and one that churns out 400 hp and 350 lb-ft (487 Nm) of torque.
There's also an entry-level engine that comes in the form of a 2-liter, direct-injected turbocharged four, which delivers 208 hp and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of twist. Yes, this powerplant is very close to the turbo four you get in the Mercedes C-Class Coupe - the Q60 benefits from the partnership between Nissan-Renault and Daimler.
In terms of efficiency, Infiniti says the forced-fed four cylinder offers a combined rating of 24 mpg, while the 300 hp V6 is said to deliver 23 mpg. As for the range-topping 400 hp unit, this comes with a claimed efficiency of 22 mpg.
A driver's car this Infiniti may promise to be, but you can forget about shifting gears yourself. Regardless of your engine choice, you'll have to trust a seven-speed automatic with that.
Nevertheless, you'll be able to play with a Drive Mode Selector that not only affects the behavior of the engine and the gearbox, but also controls the optional Digital Dynamic Suspension (standard on the Sport equipment level) and the steering.
Being based on the Q50 sedan, the two-door seen here obviously inherits the optional Direct Adaptive Steering, albeit with this being a V6-only option. While the four-door has already seen its steer-by-wire recalibrated over the lack of feel, the Rack Electronic Power Steering available here promises to offer a pleasant feel.
As for the four-cylinder model, this offers speed-sensitive rack and pinion hardware.
The automaker's slight upmarket move is also visible in the wheel choice, where customers can now select 20-inch units for the first time.
Stepping inside the 2017 Q60 Coupe, we came across an evolution, one that, at least in terms of features, is led by a Bose audio system that uses 13 speakers.
While in today's automotive landscape entirely original design proposals are getting rarer by the day, we couldn't help notice how, from certain angles, the steering wheel looks close to what we've seen on the M-accessorized 4-Series. And we wouldn't have mentioned that if the story hadn't been the same with the aerodynamic elements on the front wings.
Infiniti says the Q60 will go on sale just on time to catch the end of the summer season.
P.S.: Those of you who looked at the Coupe part of the car's designation, asking themselves whether that's redundant or not, should know Infiniti's always-complicated nomenclature currently sees the G37 being sold as the Q60.
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