Tagged as the Infiniti Q60 Red Sport it has an all-new design 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo-petrol engine that’s a member of the ‘VR’ powertrain family. It produces up to 298 kW of power, torque is 475 Nm.
As it’s aimed very much at the European prestige coupes, it’s no surprise that the Infiniti Red Sport is driven by the rear wheels. Infiniti Q60 Er Sport’s seven-speed automatic transmission incorporates Adaptive Shift Control with a lateral acceleration sensor to detect changes in the road, such as hills or corners, and enhances gear-select patterns according to the changing conditions. It also reads driving behaviour and adapts shifts to driver feedback.
Drive Mode Selector provides a range of modes – Standard, Snow, Sport, and Personal. In Personal mode Q60 drivers select one of two core modes (Standard, Sport) and then specify their preferred response (Default, Dynamic). Three mode and response combinations are available – Standard and Default; Sport and Default; Sport and Dynamic.
Infiniti’s Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) is a ‘steer-by-wire’ system that does away with mechanically linked parts. The Drive Mode Selector gives drivers the option to personalise the Dynamic Digital suspension (DDS) and Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) to their preferred driving style.
Signature Infiniti design cues such as a double-arch grille and fascinatingly-shaped C-pillars that arc forward continue to work very well in the Red Sport model, giving it a “ready-for-anything” attitude.
The Q60 uses efficient LED headlamps that use of ‘light guide technology’ to spread light evenly on the road ahead. Infiniti tells us they are designed to emulate the shape of the human eye.
Aerodynamic efficiency is good without being outstanding, the Q60’s drag coefficient is 0.29. Part of this results from vents in the front guards directing air from the engine bay. And the door mirrors improving the flow of air down the flanks of the vehicle. Clever stuff.
Inside, the centre of the dash is dominated by twin touchscreens (8.0-inch upper and 7.0-inch lower). These give access to the InTouch central control system, the latest generation of Infiniti’s infotainment technology. This has reduced the number of buttons, giving the cabin a neat, uncluttered appearance
InTouch lets occupants personalise the interior environment and can store profiles for multiple drivers, identified by their I-key (intelligent key). InTouch is able to memorise more than 250 programmable settings, including driving seat positions, audio, and navigation settings; display settings, and heating and ventilation preferences.
Legroom front and back are not generous, shoulder width is ample for those people of average build although the coupe roofline limits headroom for the taller person. The boot is big enough to take two golf bags – something that’s totally necessary if you’re to sell an upmarket sports coupe in Japan.
Infiniti’s ‘spinal support’ seats reduce the spinal curvature and provide extensive upper body support that spreads the occupants’ weight evenly all the way up the seat.
Infiniti Q60 safety technology enables the car to monitor potential hazards and actively help the driver to avoid them. If a collision is unavoidable, the system helps to mitigate the effects.
Forward Emergency Braking includes a pedestrian braking system. There are also Predictive Forward Collision Warning and Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection.
Infiniti Q60 has six airbags; driver and passenger front and side impact airbags, and roof-mounted curtain airbags with a rollover sensor. A pop-up bonnet, engineered to meet new global safety standards for pedestrian safety.
We are yet to get ourselves into the new, more powerful Infiniti Q60, but have it sitting on our list of road test machines. Stay tuned.
The complete 2017 Infiniti Q60 range is:
Q60 2.0t GT: $62,900
Q60 2.0t GT with Enhancement Pack: $65,900
Q60 Sport Premium: $70,900
Q60 3.0t Red Sport: $88,900
Note: These prices do not include government or dealer delivery charges. Contact your local Infiniti dealer for drive-away prices.
