Frontal view of a 2017 Infiniti Q60 as it is displayed at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Jan. 11, 2016.GARY CAMERON/Reuters
What is it?
Luxury sport coupes are hot, and Infiniti, a car maker eager to make its mark on the luxury scene, just debuted its Q60 Sports Coupe at the Detroit auto show. Aimed at the BMW 4 Series and the Lexus RC 350, the Q60 brings a higher level of style and power to the Infiniti brand. If you want to be a brand associated with performance, you must have a performance coupe in the fold; the Q60 is the offshoot of Infiniti's heralded G35 and G37 Coupes, with a new name that reflects Infiniti's new nomenclature.
Signature feature
Four-hundred horsepower is a significant number, and that's the top end of the Q60's power from its twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre engine. To put that into perspective, BMW's 4 Series tops out at 300 horsepower, until you get to the mad M4 with 425 horsepower. To add to that, Infiniti officials say the unit will have the best "power-to-efficiency" ratios in the premium sports class, though they did not release details.
What else is new?
The body is lower and wider than the Q50 sedan and is far more aggressively styled, with sharp creases and Infiniti's distinctive "crescent" kink in its rear C-pillar. Helping control all that power will be Infiniti's Dynamic Digital Suspension and Direct Adaptive Steering, an electric steering system developed in part with Infiniti's past relationship with Red Bull Racing in Formula One.
Under the hood
Besides the 400-horsepower mill, another 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged engine with 300 horsepower will be offered. As well, a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder with 208 horsepower will be available (all engines are shared with the Q50 sedan). As well, all engines share a seven-speed automatic transmission; no manual is on offer. The Q60 Coupe will be sold in rear-wheel-drive form, but look for the all-wheel-drive version to be the only one available in Canada.
When can we buy it, and for how much?
No word yet on pricing, but it should be comparable to the 4 Series; the Q60 should see Canadian dealerships this summer.
Cool quotient
3.5 stars (out of 5)
The Q60 has a unique style that sets it apart from its competitors, but what matters now is how it compares on the skidpad and track.