The Infiniti QX50 will arrive in the United States at the 2017 Detroit Motor Show

A few months ago we had the chance to see the Infiniti Sports Inspiration concept, and now the time has come to take a further design step and move on to the Infiniti QX50 Concept. It draws on that first model but has been refined to bring it closer to a production version.

Infiniti is a brand that is carving out a niche in the European market, but its main sales territory is still the United States. For that reason, it is at this Show that it will present its latest proposal in the SUV range, seeking the views of Americans and adjusting the model to the real needs of its future buyers.

To begin with, the QX50 has dropped some of the features more typical of a concept car, and its design has moved closer to what is expected of a more realistic vehicle. That said, the imposing brand logo still takes centre stage at the front, marking the difference and making clear who designed this prototype.

The elongated headlights and LED daytime running lights follow that line, and the front splitter has also changed, with a strip of LED lights on each side of the lower section. The bonnet has a very pronounced slope that gives the look of something close to what the final model should be.

The wheel arches have also been reduced in size and are less pronounced than in the previous concept. The side lines are more subtle, following the overall profile, which has led the mirrors to be replaced with more conventional ones. The panoramic roof has given way to a conventional one, with silver roof bars.

As for the interior, we have no images of what will be found in the cabin, although the brand assures us it will be a driver-focused design with special attention paid to passengers.

The engine could be the showcase for Infiniti’s new VC-Turbo engine blocks which, according to the company, will offer the potential of a petrol engine with the performance of a diesel. On top of all this, the Infiniti Q50 will feature the technology planned by Nissan to compete with the autonomous driving systems of Volvo and the Autopilot of Tesla, which will be tested on this concept before being integrated into the rest of the brand’s models.

Source | Autoexpress