Infiniti’s second-generation QX50 crossover, spotted testing in Arizona having black camouflage disguising its outside styling. The QX50, originally referred as the EX35, is Infiniti’s compact two-row SUV.
Crossovers are where it’s at for high-end brands, and Infiniti’s are a few of the earliest in the business. The QX50 has struggled with a compromised package going all the way back to its launching as the EX35, where its confined passenger compartment kept sales low. A wheelbase stretch that showed up for 2016 lastly relieved the rear-seat legroom deficit, however the model’s advanced age still appears.
The present QX50 flights on a rear-drive-based architecture that assures a sporty driving experience (that it only partially provides). On the other hand, the new variation is anticipated to be spun from the exact same Daimler structure as the QX30 and the Mercedes GLA-class.
The spy pictures of 2018 Infiniti QX50 show a big front overhang and reasonably short distance between the front wheel and the A-pillar, additional suggesting that Infiniti is changing to a transverse-engine, front-wheel-drive design. That modification– just like what BMW finished with the recent X1– would open up interior area, albeit at an expense in dealing with prowess.
When Infiniti presented the upgraded QX Sport Inspiration concept last fall, it also took the covers off a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that showcased the brand’s brand-new variable-compression innovation. Known as Variable Compression-Turbocharged (VC-T), the technology permits the compression ratio to differ from as low as 8.0:1 to 14.0:1, assisting the engine accomplish 268 horsepower and 288 lb-ft of torque.
It’s most likely no coincidence that the engine– which Infiniti claims will remain in a production design in 2018– made its debut alongside the QX principle. Its 268 horsepower, however, is below the 325 ponies in the existing model’s 3.7-liter V-6, so an additional, higher-output engine may likewise be provided.
We anticipate the QX50 to appear in production type later on this year and will be sold as a 2018 model.
