Confirming their June confirmation, Infiniti will bring a production-ready version of their compact Q30 to the International Frankfurt Motor Show in September.
The compact, which will be built in the United Kingdom, powered by the same 2.0-liter, turbo four that powers the Mercedes GLA and CLA under a joint agreement between Mercedes and Renault-Nissan.
The related compact crossover QX30 shouldn’t be far behind.
The Euro-centric compact hatch and crossover may not have been originally slated for sale in the United States, but the recent success of similar models from Mercedes and others may have changed the minds at Infiniti. That, and the sedan may be the new horse carriage.
The Q30 is one of several joint Renault Nissan-Mercedes ventures that will emerge in coming years. The Renault Twingo and Smart Fortwo will share a common platform, and the automakers will swap engines (Renault’s smaller for Mercedes’ larger) in coming cars.
Is this the hatch or the crossover?
An excellent question as the line has become very blurred…
There’s no QX in the name, so it’s not a CUV. It is indeed a hatchback.
More than using the CLA’s engine, this Q30 IS a CLA with bad styling. Yes folks, a Mercedes made by Infiniti. The ultimate bag of no-name potato chips made by a “famous” manufacturer. Or something.
Only the tin and furnishings are Infiniti’s.
http://m.caranddriver.com/features/dissected-infiniti-q30-concept-feature
And that article is from 18 months ago, so why Infiniti is still hard at it is difficult to comprehend. Palmer of Aston and De Nyschen of cadillac were still drawing an Infiniti paycheck then. Gives some idea of their smarts.
It’s actually an Infinity built by Mercedes. I don’t understand why Renualt Nissan would buy a small car from Mercedes. Wouldn’t it make more sense the other way around?
Brown – check
5 door hatch – check
Diesel – check
Ugly – check
Manual – nope
I’d never buy it but retired boomers/teachers may fancy it.
Joint ventures.
Badge engineering.
Isn’t this all the same thing?
What makes this so much better than the Ford Escape/MKC/Kuga?
Everybody loves bashing the Ford plan but seems to let this get the praise the business plan really deserves.
Nobody cares about the Escape/MKC/Kuga to bash it. You are having fanboi delusions.
try to represent your GED in a better light.
Can I have a new one please? Mine looks like a melted Lexus.
Looks like a maxipad on wheels.The perfect car for scrapbooking women of the world.
So this will be an uplevel Golf type competitor. I think we have to allot some credit for building a 5-door hatch which isn’t a CUV.
It won’t sell well, but there you go.