Detroit show: Infiniti Q60 Concept unveiled
BY DANIEL GARDNER | 12th Jan 2015
The show car officially broke cover at the North American International Auto Show overnight revealing the coupe's luxurious interior, a first full view of the exterior and a handful of technical details.
An image released last week revealed only an exterior front aspect of the concept car ahead of its official debut in Detroit, but with every angle now unveiled the reality of a production version edges closer.
At the unveiling of the new concept, Infiniti Motor Company president Roland Krueger confirmed a vehicle closely related to the show car was just a year away and that the concept's progression to production will be followed by others.
“Design is a key driver for developing a strong brand,” he said. “Q60 Concept is another building block in Infiniti’s quest to refresh its portfolio with a strong and consistent design language.
“And in 2016, we will launch a new model heavily inspired by the Q60 Concept.”Along with a full look at the car, Infiniti has also revealed the vehicle is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 engine, which could share a bloodline with the 3.8-litre version found under the bonnet of the Q50 Eau Rouge sedan and Nissan GT-R.
Styling closely follows a trend seen on both existing road models and previous concepts such as the larger Q80, which could also be heading for production after the Q60 Concept spawns a retail model.
The Q60 Concept's headlights and grille mimic the Infiniti design language, while the back end houses tail-lights not unlike BMW's 6 Series large coupe.
Its exterior features deep vents below the grille, behind the front wheel arches and even surrounding the twin tail-pipes, suggesting the car has been aerodynamically tuned for high speeds.
Twenty-inch 10-spoke wheels dressed in Dunlop rubber house performance-focused six-piston brake callipers and composite material discs at the front end, while four-pot versions deal with the rear wheels.
Time will tell whether quirky styling traits such as the bonnet front fin, rear window kink and skinny wing mirrors make it through to the road-going vehicle.
Inside, the concept car has extensive white leather coverings from the flowing dashboard, through the large touchscreen centre console, to the quilted seats and door trims.
A broad glass roof blends seamlessly from the windscreen through to the rear pane, letting light in to all four passengers in the two full sized front seats and cosier second row spots.
With room for four and driving enthusiast-focused performance, a model derived from the concept will go head to head with luxury offerings such as the BMW 4 Series, Audi's A5 and the C-Class coupe from Mercedes-Benz.
