New Infiniti Q60 Sports Coupe: designed and engineered to perform

• Daring proportions convey a powerful elegance that is unmistakably Infiniti
• All-new ‘VR30’ 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine empowers performance
• Innovative driving technologies deliver a personalised and rewarding drive
• World premiere 11 January at 2016 North American International #auto Show

Rolle – Making its world premiere at the 2016 North American International #auto Show, the new #infiniti #q60 is a premium sports coupe that combines expressive design with exhilarating performance and dynamics.

Daring proportions and taut, muscular lines provide the Q60’s impulsive exterior – lower and wider than predecessors. Dynamic enhancements, including an all-new lightweight and sophisticated 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine, together with new adaptive steering and digital suspension system, result in a premium sports coupe designed and engineered to perform.

The high performance 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine from the new and exclusive ‘VR’ powertrain family is born out of the brand’s extensive in-house experience of six-cylinder powertrains. The new ‘VR30’ enginehas been developed to empower the driver and offer an output of 400hp with one of the best power-to-efficiency ratios in the premium sports coupe class. This powertrain of #q60 comes with a rear-biased intelligent All Wheel Drive (AWD) system that provides enhanced stability and road holding in low grip conditions.

A four-cylinder 2.0-litre gasoline engine, turbo-charged to produce 208hp, is also available on the #q60. As standard for this version, power is channelled through the Q60’s rear wheels for optimal dynamic response and to benefit steering feel.  

The #q60 has been engineered to deliver a truly engaging sports coupe experience, with a unique balance of ride comfort and agile handling. Complementing this position is Infiniti’s new Dynamic Digital Suspension, which has been designed to offer best-in-class handling responses and agility, and enhanced ride comfort – thanks, in part, to a dedicated new set of dampers.

In addition, Infiniti’s second-generation Direct Adaptive Steering offers high levels of steering feel and feedback in the #q60, and the Drive Mode Selector gives drivers the option to personalise and tailor the steering’s precise levels of response and feel to suit their own preferences.

“The #infiniti #q60 conveys a powerful elegance through its daring design, and has the performance credentials to match – thanks to next-generation ride and handling technologies and up to 400 horsepower. The #q60 will affirm Infiniti’s leadership in the premium sports coupe class.”

Roland Krueger, President of Infiniti

Infiniti Q60: a leader in the sports coupe segment

The world premiere of the new #q60 premium sports coupe comes at a time of rapid growth for #infiniti, released in the midst of an intense global launch period. #infiniti sold a record 215,250 new vehicles in 2015, a year-on-year rise of 16%.

The #q60 will play an important role in the brand’s global growth and re-ignite its presence in the premium sports coupe segment.

With the #q60, #infiniti is continuing a very successful history of sports coupes that has started with the G35 and G37 launched in 2002 and 2008, respectively, in the US.

“The new #q60 will ensure Infiniti’s position as a leader in the segment. Premium customers around the globe love a sports coupe that offers power, performance and prestige – and the #q60 delivers on all three fronts.”

Francois Bancon, #infiniti Vice President #product Strategy

Powerful, elegant and daring new design

The #q60 employs signature #infiniti design cues to communicate dynamism representing a daring visual expression of the car’s performance potential.

“The design carries an elegance that contrasts and gives tonality to its powerful character, expressed through flexed muscles and tension suggested in the sculpture. The #q60 surfaces exude a sense of fluid movement.”

Alfonso Albaisa, #infiniti Executive Design Director

The production version of the #q60 has remained faithful to the concept design thanks to a unique deep-body stamping process that enables #infiniti to maintain the daring lines and sharp angles of the original creative vision.

Signature design cues ensure #q60 remains instantly recognisable as an #infiniti model, such as the double-arch grille and the crescent-shaped C-pillars which arc forward and emphasize the car’s ‘in-motion’ appearance. LED headlights, employing Light Guide Technology to spread light evenly on the road ahead, are designed to emulate the shape of the human eyelid, providing an alluring ‘face’ to the car. The deeper grille is inset from the body, communicating a stronger connection to the twin-turbo V6 engine.

Increased exterior dimensions and a striking silhouette emphasize the Q60’s position as a powerful sports coupe. The Q60’s aggressive stance gives a greater impression of stability and in-control driving potential, while its lower centre of gravity has a positive overall effect on driving dynamics.

The #q60 features newly-designed 19-inch aluminium alloy wheels as standard, and, for the first time on an #infiniti sports coupe, optional 20-inch wheels are also available in some markets, further referencing the Q60’s performance promise. The wheel gaps are tighter than ever, further lowering the visual volume of the car and giving it a low, powerful stance.

Aerodynamic efficiency was a major consideration for Infiniti’s design and engineering teams. The Q60’s drag coefficient of 0.28 was made possible, in part, by the car’s new design, intended to keep the vehicle stable at high speeds and in cross-wind conditions. Vents in the front bumpers direct air into the engine bay while the Q60’s hood is also shaped to reduce drag.

Q60 models with the new V6 engine feature an Active Grille Shutter to balance the engine’s cooling requirements with the desire to enhance aerodynamics. Under normal use, the shutter remains closed, opening when greater performance is required. Relatively narrow door-mounted side mirrors accentuate the Q60’s low stance and sleek coupe looks, and are designed to improve the flow of air down the flanks of the vehicle, while maintaining a wide angle of rear visibility for the driver.

A tailored approach for a driver-centric interior

“Interior artistry for #infiniti is about a fitted, personal approach. We modelled the Q60’s interior around the concept of a ‘driver’s glove’ – the driver is always comfortable and the cabin is tailored for them.”

Alfonso Albaisa, #infiniti Executive Design Director

The driver-centric approach continues inside the #q60, with all-new interior trims featuring high-end accents and modern-looking materials. High-contrast stitching throughout the cabin increase the premium ambience and feeling of quality in the Q60’s interior.

New V6 powertrain technology delivers exhilarating performance

The new range of engines available in the #q60 complements the direct and agile ride and handling characteristics of the premium sports coupe for an exhilarating drive. They offer instant power delivery, smooth responses to driver inputs, high performance output, and mechanical efficiency.

The all-new 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine, from the new ‘VR’ powertrain family, has been developed to deliver optimal power and torque for an engine of its size, alongside greater fuel efficiency,  delivering 400hp (298kW, 405ps) at 6,400 rpm and 475Nm (350lb-ft) maximum torque at 1,600-5,200rpm.

A four-cylinder turbo-charged 2.0-litre gasoline engine is also available on the #q60, with enhanced fuel injection for efficiency in all conditions. This engine delivers 208hp (155kW, 211ps) at 5,500rpm and 350Nm (258lb-ft) maximum torque at 1,500rpm. A high-pressure direct injection with piezoelectric injectors delivers fuel to the engine in precise amounts for greater fuel efficiency.

Empowering performance from innovative technology

The #q60 has been fitted with a range of new and innovative driving technologies to deliver empowering performance and a personalised experience behind the wheel. Being standard on Sport models, Infiniti’s Direct Adaptive Steering has undergone significant re-tuning to enhance steering feel and feedback, while making it possible for the driver to further customise the steering performance according to personal preferences.

Direct Adaptive Steering transmits the driver’s input to the wheels faster than a mechanical system while requiring fewer steering corrections and is able to make 1,000 steering adjustments per second. The new system enhances the steering feel by quickly and intelligently communicating to the driver feedback about road surface and chassis behaviour.

The wide range of steering customisation within Direct Adaptive Steering is accessed through the Drive Mode Selector. Located via menus displayed in the centre console, Drive Mode Selector allows the steering response to be selected from six available options: ‘Customise’, ‘Standard’, ‘Snow’, ‘Eco’, ‘Sport’, and – new for certain models – ‘Sport+’.

The Standard mode has been tuned to represent the core performance of the #q60 – offering drivers Infiniti’s unique blend of enhanced ride comfort and agile handling as a default setting. Appropriate for the needs of premium coupe drivers, the Customise steering mode also allows for a high degree of fine tuning. Drivers first select one of three core ‘Modes’ (Standard, Sport and Sport+) and then specify their preferred level of ‘Response’ (Default, Dynamic and Dynamic+). For the highest level of assistance and ultimate sports coupe driving experience, the #q60 driver would choose Sport+ mode with Dynamic+ response – making best use of the Direct Adaptive Steering technology.

The Sport mode enhances the response of Direct Adaptive Steering, elevating the steering effort required while reducing the required steering movement from lock to lock. In the new Sport+ mode, steering effort remains the same as Sport mode, but the response of the steering is further increased, with an even quicker steering ratio for precise performance.

The four-cylinder turbo-charged #q60 models are equipped with a speed-sensitive hydraulic electronic rack-and-pinion power steering system as standard. This increases assistance at low speeds and reduces assistance for enhanced feel and response at higher speeds.

Two choices of suspension system allow the driver to tailor a dynamic response from the #q60 that best suits their personal driving style. The standard suspension set-up, shared with the Q50 sports saloon, ensures a low level of road noise and minimal intrusion of unwanted vibrations, while allowing for more direct and linear handling responses. Suspension link layouts and bushings have been modified specifically for their application in the #q60, while shock absorbers are relocated for optimised sports coupe ride and handling.

An all-new electronic suspension system, Dynamic Digital Suspension, comes as standard on the #q60 3.0-litre V6 engine versions and has been designed to offer best-in-class handling responses and agility, and enhanced ride comfort – thanks to software and hardware upgrades, including a dedicated new set of dampers. Drivers can change the focus of the suspension from a comfort-biased ride to one which offers more dynamic responses, by placing the electronically adjustable shock absorbers in either Sport or Sport+ modes (adjusted via the Drive Mode Selector), providing firmer damping control for more agile handling. While in these modes, the suspension is constantly adjust­ing to provide ideal performance and a level ride.

The Q60’s seven-speed automatic transmission has been engineered with gear ratios spaced to allow for responsive, direct acceleration. Adaptive Shift Control (ASC) uses a lateral acceleration sensor to detect topographical changes in the road, such as hills or corners, and enhances gear selection patterns according to the changing conditions. ASC also allows the transmission to observe driving behaviours and adapt shifts to driver feedback.

In Sport mode, drivers can select a more aggressive shift pattern, holding on to gears longer to tap in to engines’ maximum performance reserves at higher revolutions. In all instances, the automatic transmission shifts smoothly, with less performance-focused modes giving the car a more relaxed gait for everyday conditions.

Intelligent All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system provides enhanced stability for greater road holding in low-grip conditions, distributing torque 50:50 between front and rear wheels in its default setting. If the car detects that the extra traction isn’t immediately required, the system will revert to 100% rear-wheel drive, redistributing power to each of the four wheels as conditions change or if it detects a momentary loss of traction.

High-tech features offer maximum comfort, convenience and safety

Technological innovation means maximum comfort and convenience levels in the cabin of the #q60 premium sports coupe, providing a refined and contemporary space for driver and passengers alike.

Infiniti engineers have ensured Q60’s noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) levels are among the best in the segment. In particular, NVH has been improved with the adoption of greater suspension insulation and stiffer cross-members, as well as wheel spokes designed to dampen vibrations. Active Noise Cancellation is fitted to all #q60 models, effectively preventing negative engine noise frequencies from intruding on the calm of the cabin.

Making its world debut in a production vehicle, the #q60 will be fitted with an all-new 13-speaker, Bose® Performance Series sound system, a class-leading audio set-up which has been tailored to the acoustics of the Q60’s cabin. Matched with Q60’s acoustic glass and noise cancelling technology, the fully-immersive Bose audio system transforms the cabin into the driver’s very own audio haven.

High-back, ergonomically shaped seats accentuate the Q60’s in-control driving experience. Infiniti’s hallmark ‘spinal support’ seats have been carefully engineered to match the curvature of the spine, providing a consistent level of support and minimising pressure on lower and upper back muscles. The supportive seats reduce the spinal curvature that many traditional seats force occupants to adopt, with a more even alignment between chest and pelvis, while extensive upper body support spreads the occupants’ weight more evenly all the way up the chair.

The #q60 is equipped as standard with Infiniti’s InTuition central control system, the latest generation of the company’s advanced infotainment set-up. Upgraded with a faster processor than earlier editions of the technology, InTuition allows occupants to personalise the interior environment of the #q60 according to their preferences, with fully adjustable temperature, seating positions, audio-visual settings, navigation and more.

Infiniti’s comprehensive approach to safety is evident throughout the #q60 premium sports coupe, instilling confidence in the driver and their passengers. The active and passive safety technologies include: Around View Monitor, Intelligent Cruise Control with Distance Control Assist, Forward Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Braking system, Lane Departure Prevention, Blind Spot Intervention and Backup Collision Intervention.

The new #infiniti #q60 sports coupe will go on sale in selected markets in the second half of 2016.

Please note: All #product information contained in this press kit relates to global #q60 information, including technical specifications, powertrains and standard/optional equipment and features. Please contact your country’s Infiniti PR office for #product details relevant to your market.

Infiniti #q60 premium sports coupe technical specification