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Infiniti Puts the Kibosh on the Q60

Unveiled at the 2015 North American International Auto Show in Detroit as a concept, the Q60 was released in series-production form the following year as a 2017 model. Produced at the Tochigi plant in Japan, the premium-oriented sports coupe always had a bit of a problem.
Infiniti Q60 20 photos
Photo: Nissan
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For starters, the design leaves much to be desired when compared to German rivals. Even the Audi A5, whose Matryoshka doll-inspired styling language is a tad lackluster, stands out above the Q60. The BMW 4 Series and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe are on a different level altogether.

In terms of handling, the steer-by-wire system inherited from the Q50 makes the steering feel uninspiring at best. Under the hood, early models used to get a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine developed by Mercedes-Benz. A 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo mill is standard nowadays, the same powerplant used in the Nissan Z. Even though it’s a fine lump, the V6 rocks a seven-speed automatic rather than the Z’s nine-speed auto produced under license from M-B.

The interior, especially the infotainment system, also feels outdated in comparison to direct rivals. Given these circumstances, are you surprised that Infiniti has been struggling to sell the Q60? Precisely 10,751 units were delivered stateside in 2017, and last year, Infiniti moved only 2,728 units.

It’s hard to make a business case for the Q60 in today’s world, a world that’s dominated by sport utility vehicles and a world in which electric vehicles render combustion vehicles irrelevant from zero to 60 mph (97 mph). Last year, Automotive News reported that Infiniti wants to discontinue the Q60 for the 2023 model year. One year later, Infiniti has finally confirmed to Car & Driver that Q60 production will soon come to a screeching halt.

“The company expects retailers will have units for sale well into 2023.”

The Q50 will be kept on life support for 2023. No direct replacements have been announced thus far, but Infiniti did tease a sedan-like EV for 2025.
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About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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