At the 2018 Infiniti Q50 First Drive event in Nashville (expect a full review Friday), I was able to spend a few moments with the top-of-the-line Q60 for 2018 — the Red Sport 400. While I didn’t get enough time behind the wheel to provide you with the sort of detailed and meaningful review you’d like to see, the pictures turned out alright. It’s nice to see a luxury coupe with a (mostly) white interior.
Holy Eldorado!
The optional light up badge comes in the format of the shield you see here.
Paintwork was generally pretty good, though along the rear flanks I noticed some orange peel.
From almost any angle, the aggression is there.
How can you not like this silhouette?
Rear proportions are tight, and panel gaps were good. The (shallow) trunk has a nice, solid sound to the lid closure.
There was already dirt on the door’s gleaming grab handle, courtesy of some grimy journalist.
The interior layout is exactly the same as the Q50.
As a six-footer, I certainly could not sit behind myself.
Sparkly aluminum carbon fiber-look trim is available on the Red Sport.
Passenger accommodation up front is reasonable, with good leroom.
The trunk is more shallow than you’d think, and the aperture is high and rather narrow.
Some fast facts for you:
- 400 horsepower, 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6
- Rear-wheel drive (on this one); AWD is $2,000 extra
- Lighted front badge
- Frameless windows cause wind noise, even when it’s not an old Subaru
- With options and rear-drive, about $60,000
I’ll hang around in the comments if you have any specific questions.
[Images © Corey Lewis]
Is that a drip rail on the C-pillar?!?!
I know it’s a character line, but it’s not a real good look on what is otherwise a pretty sharp vehicle, inside and out.
Unfortunately placed cloud!
Pics don’t do it justice. These things are stunning in person. Pretty enough to overlook flaws like the weaksauce tires, transmission and peg leg open diff.
Tires roar.
Transmission is too intrusive and gets fooled easily.
How do the two turbo V6 options sound compared to your M35 and the Q70 loaner you had?
Online sound clips make the new engine note seem very synthetic, but I haven’t experienced it in person.
You’ve been paying attention! I will reply in a bit, meeting.
Alright,
The new VR turbo 3.0 engines are worlds better in NVH than the VQ 35 or 37 ever were. The engine is quiet until you push it, then it makes an OK sound. It’s nothing Italian sounding, but it growls decently. No turbo lag, or turbo noise. Power in the 400 is much more than adequate.
There’s a performance exhaust option for 2018 if you want more noise. More on that Friday.
They should definitely let it whistle. Subtle whooshing noises are the best part of a turbo.
They managed to edit out the turbo whistle, but not tire noise.
Make the V6 standard and drop the price 20K.
60 grand, Jeebus. MY13 G37 coupe (last year using a non Johann’d name) was 40K for 2WD. We’re entering MY18, so five mys and a sh*ttier motor justify a 33% increase? But yes Mr. Yellen, there’s no inflation.
http://www.autoblog.com/buy/2013-INFINITI-G37/specs/
Wait 2 years then grab one for 1/2 off.
Keep in mind this car has +60 HP over the previous n/a V6 – so you are getting 400 hp vs 330. It also comes in a 2.0l turbo 4 starting at $38K.
In general I agree, its over priced… which why we got a used one.
Good points, thanks for sharing.
So keep in mind this starts at about $34. The Red Sport has 100 more HP at 400, than the 3.0t in all other models. There is also every available option checked.
In the Q50 and Q60, the only way to go from 300 to 400HP is with the Red Sport. You pay for that.
Well, this is the Red Sport model, so it’s the top of the line. The more basic 3.0 turbo V-6 should be plenty stout, and it’s reasonably priced – looks like a bit under $50,000 for the “sport” model with nav, leather and AWD.
It’s kind of weird that basically no one has a published review of the mid-level 3.0t. everything is for the turbo-4 or the RS400.
Infiniti does offer a “Signature Edition” on the Q50 that seems like a decent value. It’s about $39K for a RWD 3.0t with navigation, a folding rear seat, and polished 17-inch wheels.
I think they won’t give it out to test. Signature Edition goes away for 2018, as they have a new trim system in place.
28-Cars-Later you are better than this. BASE ’13 G37 coupe was $40,400. BASE Q60 3.0t is $44,300. After inflation that’s an increase of ~$2K- fair given the twin turbos and much needed infotainment upgrade. I would bet the Q60 3.0t is better equipped than the G37 Journey coupe as well.
Herb Tarlek would be impressed.
That’s certainly some ambitious pricing, and explains why I haven’t seen one on the road yet, despite living in an area packed with cars entry level luxury cars. This thing’s nearly twice what I paid for my Mustang GT.
That chrome vent behind the wheels, I’m guessing it’s not functional? If so, they need to drop it, because it looks like a “me-too” glued-on Pepboys product, trying to ape the 4-series.
Cynical rabble.
Thats all I have. G and EX were awesome. Q and QX lost the plot.
I was in a QX80 couple times. Ehhhh.
Hideous “gaping maw” grill, check.
Expensive fragile painted valence panel at front, check.
Poor visibility, check.
Small trunklid, check.
No wonder people are not buying sedans.
Those are all very excellent points zetec.
But they also carry over to most new vehicles sold today. CUVs have the same flaws just slightly less so.
Poor visibility, almost no ground clearance (especially as some are AWD and sell on “utility”) small hatches for the vehicle size, all present and accounted for on most modern CUV I see.
I have the same concern plus that shallow trunk shape brings to mind a question I’ve not seen discussed, how much is the coupe and sedan based on the original G35 chassis? When I look at the proportions that look remarkably similar between old and new cars, and looking at the greenhouse of the sedan especially I could swear that backlight would fit my 2007 G35 perfectly.
The Q60 is larger, but all Infiniti car models are on the same FM platform they’ve been using for quite some time.
Beautiful coupe. Probabaly the only Infiniti made to date that I’d considered purchasing.
Agreed. I think it’s very handsome.
Over the past decade or so, Infiniti has drifted so far off my radar that I barely paid it any attention. It started with the uninspired JX (how they could put that in a showroom next to the FX is beyond me) and then the renaming scheme that still confuses me. Their lineup went from exciting to forgettable in such a short time. But now, whenever I see a Q60 coupe on the road I stare for a second and then think, “is Infiniti back?” I hope so.
“How can you not like this silhouette?”
Easy Corey. Stupid rear quarter window shape, way too high beltline.
Damn I am an idiot and lack reading comprehension.
Corey, you are right. The silhouette itself is aesthetically pleasing. As in the overall shape or outline.
Its the stuff within the shape that so offends me.
Hahaha.
“Its the stuff within the shape that so offends me.”
I was triggered by it. I need to take an Uber to my safe space.
My safe space is the Nexus, so I’m a battle.net launcher away from mindless relaxation.
Very nice. But I don’t drive cars with “steer by wire”.
And where is the manual?
No manual!
And actually no steer by wire. It’s steer by sensor.
Dude,
it is steer by wire because looks like there is a wire that goes from the steering wheel to actuators. I definitely don’t want a car in which computer can steer it to whatever it steers it. CIA probably can turn it into drone in no time.
I also have practical use of linked steering. In the winter I park in reverse and then I just push my car out of garage not to send emissions into living spaces.
Like this car…a lot.
Corey, did you get a chance to sample the more basic versions, or was it just the Red Sport?
Unfortunately, anything they’d let me drive was a Red Sport 400. I got to *look* at a 3.0t Sport Q50.
Bummer. As the owner of the 3.7 VQ I’d like to hear your impressions of the 300hp version of the new turbo six, since that seems like the equivalent now. In a bazillion years when I can actually consider a new car again, I’ll be revisiting the lightly used entry-level lux sedan segment I considered before, and the 3.0t Q50 will be a prime suspect to investigate.
Corey, do you know WTH is going on with the website and whether anyone is addressing it? I know staffing and leadership is an issue at the moment, but man…
Since the 400HP version was much smoother, I’m sure the 300HP is as well – less harsh turbo tuning and all that.
The VQ37 was only marginally better than the VQ35 I own, and I credit that to the increase in number of speeds in newer models.
Interestingly, no update to the Q70’s engine offerings in 2018.
To answer your question, IT is saying they’ll have the login issue fixed soon.
Indeed, a strikingly beautiful coupe. I am torn between this and a Jaguar F-Type for my next vehicle. My head says Q60S Red Sport, my heart says F-Type R. Oh well, in the mean time I have my S-Type R to keep my heart happy, and a QX70S 5.0 to keep my head happy.
You’ll have different experiences with those, surely. I think you have to consider how long you plan to keep it.
Looks a lot like my commute southwest of town. Those fences cost $1-$2 to spray paint every five years or so. Yikes!
These were taken at a former quarry which is now an events center.
I don’t always see events, but when I do, I go to the quarry. Stone cold awesome.
It looks like a G35 coupe that’s been left in the sun too long.
Are you suggesting it needs lotion?
I don’t know if it needs lotion but I certainly don’t when I look at it. Or something. ;)
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice looking coupe it just looks a little melted.
Not bad, but I wish the trunk opening was shaped differently so it would be more useful. And at least you can get the interior in black. White, or brown is a total deal killer for me.
Corey,
Do you recall where the rpm line is at 80mph cruising speeds? I ask because my 06 fx and m with their 5sp transmissions were at a fatuiging 3k rpm.
I didn’t look – but I have that 5-speed growling just like you. Engine RPM noise was not an issue at that speed with the 7AT.