Infiniti has released an image of a QX50 Concept slated to debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. It adapts Infiniti’s expressive design language, seen on the QX Sport Inspiration concept unveiled last year in Beijing, to its midsize luxury offering. In addition to its flowing exterior lines, the QX50 boasts a “driver-centric, passenger-minded” cabin that blends modern design with traditional craftsmanship.
With the unveiling of the QX Sport Inspiration at the 2016 Beijing Auto Show, we showed the future of Infiniti QX models,” said Roland Krueger, Infiniti’s president. “The new QX50 Concept evolves this concept further and shows how Infiniti could develop its future presence in the fastest-growing vehicle segment globally.”
Autonomous features
The QX50 previews Infiniti’s plans for autonomous driving technology. The company says that central to its philosophy is the idea that the driver retains ultimate control over the vehicle, which aligns with the brand’s desire to offer cars that are engaging to drive. However, it also sees these autonomous systems as a measure that provides a proactive approach to safety.
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In essence, Infiniti views autonomous technology as a “co-pilot” for drivers, empowering rather than replacing them. This allows drivers to delegate driving drudgery, like navigating stop-and-go traffic or keeping track of surrounding vehicles to the assist systems. The QX50’s autonomous driver support systems preview the production-ready technology that will appear in future vehicles.
VC-Turbo highlighted
The QX50 Concept will also showcase Infiniti’s VC-Turbo 2.0-liter engine. The VC-Turbo can adjust the vehicle’s compression ratio by varying the stroke of each piston to adapt to engine load and operating conditions to maximize efficiency.
Infiniti says the technology delivers the high-performance capabilityof a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with the torque response and efficiency of a diesel. The engine, which can vary its compression ratio from 8:1 to as much as 14:1, is expected to produce 268 horsepower, output comparable to a V6 engine.
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