Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept debuts at Detroit show

Infiniti teased its Q Inspiration Concept earlier this month, and at the ongoing 2018 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) the company finally unveiled the show car in full, which is intended to demonstrate future technologies from Nissan’s luxury offshoot.

While the car is clearly a sedan with four doors and a boot, it has been reimagined with a more coupé-like design, with a low-slung roofline and elongated silhouette. It features the latest evolution of Infiniti’s design language, and while the large trapezoidal grille remains, it’s been reinterpreted in a new way – it’s completely closed save for a row of slits cut into the surface.

There are also slim headlights and vertical air inlets in the front corners, along with a pair of deep intakes under the grille. Moving to the side, there are vents aft of the front wheels that direct air through channels in the flanks, while the clean rear end features a full-width tail light. Prominent haunches at the front and rear give the Q Inspiration a muscular stance.

The minimalist interior features four individual seats and a long centre console that stretches towards the rear. The use of a four-cylinder engine is said to relieve designers of the constraints of a traditional large-capacity engine, providing a spacious cabin. Modern technology and craftsmanship is said to be presented in a way that enables rather than distracts the driver, according to Infiniti.

Under the long and sculpted bonnet sits a VC-Turbo engine with Infiniti’s variable compression ratio technology. It’s likely the same 2.0 litre turbo petrol engine headed to the new QX50, which can switch ratios from 8:1 for maximum performance to 14:1 for improved fuel economy, and which is capable of producing 272 PS and 390 Nm of torque. Infiniti says that the inclusion of the engine in the Q Inspiration serves as a preview for other near-future applications of the technology.

Also fitted is the ProPILOT semi-autonomous driving function, which is said to enable drivers to delegate more stressful driving tasks to the car and enjoy an enhanced ability to respond to hazards. While the system will act as a co-pilot, ultimate control still rests on the driver.

The Q Inspiration Concept will likely presage the replacement for the Q70 (née Infiniti M) executive sedan, which has been around since 2010. Such a model is expected to be the first sedan to use the aforementioned variable compression engine.

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