Geneva show: Infiniti locks in Benz fours for Q50

INFINITI has confirmed it will reveal its Daimler-powered four-cylinder Q50 luxury sedan line-up at next month’s Geneva motor show.

Two four-cylinder engines supplied by the German company – one petrol and one diesel – will be slotted into the G37 replacement range alongside the Nissan-sourced 3.5-litre petrol V6 and V6 petrol-electric hybrid powertrains that were unveiled with the all-new car when it made its first appearance at the recent Detroit motor show.

Although Infiniti Cars Australia is yet to confirm its engine line-up for the Q50, the four-cylinder engines are a certainty for the Q50 when it arrives in Australia either late this year or early 2014 to take on the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Lexus IS.

Infiniti announced in Detroit that the rear-drive Q50 – the first Infiniti under the Nissan subsidiary’s new alpha-numeric naming system – would get other powertrains aside from the 244kW VQ V6 and 263kW V6 hybrid that will provide the bulk of sales in North America.

The engine deal with Daimler is part of a broader technology and model-sharing arrangement between the German giant and Nissan-Renault Alliance.

It allows Infiniti to employ four-cylinder powertrains in the Infiniti range for the first time and make greater headway in markets such as Europe where big V6s and V8s don’t cut it.

The engines on offer for the Q50 are believed to be the Mercedes-Benz 1.8-litre CGI direct-injected, turbocharged petrol four-cylinder and the 2.1-litre CDI direct-injected turbocharged four-cylinder.

Both engines come in two states of tune in the Mercedes C-Class, with the base petrol engine developing 135kW of power and 270Nm of torque in the C200, and 150kW and 310Nm in the C250. Both grades are said to consume 6.8 litres of petrol per 100km on the combined test cycle.

The base diesel of the C200 CDI produces 100kW and 330Nm, while the C250 CDI – steps up to 150kW and 500Nm. Oddly, the less powerful diesel engine uses more fuel – 5.4L/100km – than the premium version (5.1L/100km).

It is unclear if the engines will be supplied with the same seven-speed automatic transmission as the Benz cars, but Infiniti has confirmed all Q50 engines will get a seven speeder.

The same Mercedes engines will also power a new, smaller Infiniti model to be built in Britain from 2014.

As GoAuto reported last month, the Q50 will get world-first steer-by-wire electric power steering, dubbed direct adaptive steering, as an option.

The electric steering will have four steering modes available to the driver. The system also will have a back-up clutch to connect the steering mechanically if the electric system fails.

In Australia, the Q50 will join the FX large SUV, M sedan and G37 coupe and convertible ranges that have been rolled out locally in a three-dealership east coast sales network since September last year.