Infiniti QX55: The Faintest Glimpse of the Future

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Regular readers of these digital pages are well aware of the pressures facing Nissan’s Infiniti brand. While the premium marque’s status is better than in years past, it is not where the brand would like it to be. U.S. volume has declined since 2017, and the marque recently gave up on Europe.

Perhaps a slinky new crossover will draw eyes — and buyers — in an overly crowded segment?

Offering precious few details aside from the image you see here, Infiniti announced Friday that its next utility vehicle will be a four-door “coupe” crossover. Bearing the name QX55, one can only assume that this upcoming vehicle will borrow its platform and drivetrain from the compact QX50 — a model that hit the market in 2018 and didn’t bounce.

You’ll recall that the QX50, seen below, served as the flag-bearer for the brand’s innovative variable compression four-cylinder engine.

Infiniti’s exaggerated brushstrokes, if made a reality, wouldn’t leave much headroom for occupants, but such drawings are not meant to convey a reality, just a feeling. The brand cites the former FX crossover’s roofline as inspiration for the QX55. Your author personally feels that it looks like the Toyota Mirai, but regardless, drawing on past design exercises is a good way to connect the QX55 to the brand’s heritage. You can also argue that the mid-to-late 2000s was a more visually distinctive era for Infiniti.

“The INFINITI QX55 is a stunning new SUV coupe in the heart of one of the industry’s fastest growing segments, globally,” said Infiniti deputy chairman Mike Colleran in a statement. “Customers will appreciate the distinctive design of the QX55 which features a sporty coupe-like roofline. We know customers and retailers are eagerly looking forward to the QX55 which will be available next year.”

Okay. Is the desire for a sloped-back Infiniti CUV also present among those who aren’t already Infiniti owners? We’ll see after the QX55 arrives at dealers next summer.

[Images: Infiniti]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • ToolGuy ToolGuy on Aug 16, 2019

    I can tell you right now, you're not gonna like the tumblehome on this one.

  • Inside Looking Out Inside Looking Out on Aug 16, 2019

    I am surprised that Nissan (or Renault) tried to sell Nissans in Europe under Infiniti brand. Europeans are not that stupid (but I may be wrong - never underestimate stupidity of Europeans - see WWI, WWII and Brexit) to buy ugly car from made up brand with zero heritage.

  • SCE to AUX Here's a crazy thought - what if China decides to fully underwrite the 102.5% tariff?
  • 3-On-The-Tree They are hard to get in and out of. I also like the fact that they are still easy to work on with the old school push rod V8. My son’s 2016 Mustang GT exhaust came loose up in Tuscon so I put a harbor freight floor jack, two jack stands, tool box and two 2x4 in the back of the vette. So agreed it has decent room in the back for a sports car.
  • Kjhkjlhkjhkljh kljhjkhjklhkjh so what?? .. 7.5 billion is not even in the same hemisphere as the utterly stupid waste of money on semiconductor fabs to the tune of more than 100 billion for FABS that CANNOT COMPETE in a global economy and CANNOT MAKE THE US Independent from China or RUSSIA. we REQUIRE China for cpu grade silicon and RUSSIA/Ukraine for manufacturing NEON gas for cpus and gpus and other silicon based processors for cars, tvs, phones, cable boxes ETC... so even if we spend trillion $ .. we STILL have to ask china permission to buy the cpu grade silicon needed and then buy neon gas to process the wafers.. but we keep tossing intel/Taiwan tens of billions at a time like a bunch of idiots.Google > "mining-and-refining-pure-silicon-and-the-incredible-effort-it-takes-to-get-there" Google > "silicon production by country statista" Google > "low-on-gas-ukraine-invasion-chokes-supply-of-neon-needed-for-chipmaking"
  • ToolGuy Clearly many of you have not been listening to the podcast.
  • 1995 SC This seems a bit tonedeaf.
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