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Infiniti Q50L Is Also "Coming With Length"
by
Derek Kreindler
(IC: employee)
Published: August 20th, 2014
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Just weeks after Cadillac launched the ATS-L with their unfortunately composed tagline “ Coming With Length“, Infiniti has launched their own rival, the Q50L.
Rear seat space is a big deal in China, where having someone drive you around is a status symbol in itself. Long wheelbase variants of everything from the VW Passat to the BMW 5-Series are hot items, and Infiniti, which is looking to establish itself in China, is adding nearly two inches in wheelbase.
Power comes from a new Daimler-derived 2.0L turbo 4-cylinder making 221 horsepower and 258 lb-ft, backed by a 7-speed automatic. Most significantly, the Q50L will be the first Chinese-built Infiniti.
Derek Kreindler
More by Derek Kreindler
Published August 20th, 2014 10:44 AM
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I've never understood why car makers are so stingy with rear leg room. The only thing I can think is that they're afraid it will cannibalize more expensive sedan sales? It can't be CAFE ratings, reconfiguring a car to have more legroom should give close if not identical fuel economy. I think 9 out of 10 people who buy a 4 door sedan would like to have more legroom even if it meant a smaller trunk. An extra 3 inches of rear legroom is a game changer, suddenly an SUV doesn't feel like a requirement if you have kids.
What about girth? It makes a difference.
I think headroom is a much bigger problem than legroom. I don't think many people think of an E46 as a spacious car, yet at 6' I can easily sit behind myself without a legroom problem. Unfortuanately, I can feel my hair touching the roof, and it wouldn't take a major bump to hit my head on it. For a more modern example, the Buick Regal has plenty of legroom, yet someone 6' tall probably won't be happy with the headroom. Anyway, I would rather have the trunk space. Adults can suck it up for a short trip, or even up to a couple hours. How often are adults in the back seat for longer? If they are, how often are they returning on the same day? If you are spending the night, what's the point of fitting adults in the back seat if you can't take their luggage too?
That photo looks so much like the Altima. I never saw it that way until now.