Okay, that is not super fair. The European market is also a sure thing for the Q50 Eau Rouge, which runs a 560-horsepower twin turbocharged engine that is closely related, if not the exact same, as what powers the upgraded 2014 Nissan GT-R.
But the bigger news may be down at the lower end of the range: Europe is the first market to benefit from a new sharing deal with Mercedes-Benz. Infiniti will borrow the brand-new 2.0-liter turbocharged engine that is seeing duty, or will soon see action, in everything from the CLA250 to the E250.
So, the Infiniti Q50 is therefore a very lucky machine to have all these newfound powertrains to offer shoppers. This is above and beyond the new standard V6 priced from $37,000 for the United States — and beyond the Q50 Hybrid that comes in rear or all-wheel-drive flavors.
The AWD Hybrid was a real surprise the other week during a quick test drive.
The Eau Rouge is definitely coming soon. I do not believe an official production announcement has been made, but Infiniti has been strongly hinting that way ate very appearance of the machine since pre-Geneva teasers. The car is virtually a sure thing.
Unlike most concepts, the interior is finished and could go into production tomorrow! The new seats and steering wheel look particularly cool.
The name is not 100-percent set in stone, but seems to have some good momentum behind it as well.
As far as the 2.0-liter turbo, this is a European model only for the time being. But you would be wrong to be against its eventual arrival here in America as well.
Why? Turbocharged engines are fantastic! And the low-rev torque it offers should nip many of the previous G25 critiques in the bud. Many reviewers found the G25 to be very gutless and far too noisy under the high revs it needed to make any movement. It was the classic high-revving, small-displacement V6 problem that long plagued cars like the Audi A6, BMW 525i and Lexus GS300 of the 1990s — it just felt gutless around town.
A turbo lump of torque is sure to erase those concerns. It is not a highly tuned engine, with just 211 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. But it will arrive low and fast in the tachometer range, aided by the Q50’s latest seven-speed automatic.
But the real question for me is about diesel engines. Will Infiniti choose its own Alliance 3.0-liter six-cylinder turbodiesel? Or is the cost of longitudinal mounting prohibitive versus buying another in from Mercedes-Benz?
Again, sharing is caring. We’d be very surprised if the Infiniti Q50 was not actively testing and refining one of the excellent, but very pricey, Mercedes-Benz diesel engines. These are also CARB complaint with after-treatment that will be required for US roads, something that remains unclear about the NOx-belching Renault diesel range — none of which are sold stateside.
Either way, the Q50 is a fantastic machine and definitely worth a drive for anyone with a Cadillac CTS, BMW 535i or Mercedes-Benz in their sights.
You are probably fatigued with all the Q50 Eau Rouge press photos by now, so here is my mega gallery from Amelia Island instead. =]
2014 INFINITI Q50S AWD Hybrid
Tom Burkart is the founder and managing editor of Car-Revs-Daily.com, an innovative and rapidly-expanding automotive news magazine.
He holds a Journalism JBA degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Tom currently resides in Charleston, South Carolina with his two amazing dogs, Drake and Tank.
Mr. Burkart is available for all questions and concerns by email Tom(at)car-revs-daily.com.