MOTORING
To Infiniti
The Inifiniti brand is not one that has yet impacted on UK markets. Between 2008 and 2015, the marque sold only about 24,000 cars across Europe. But don’t let that put you off if you’re looking for an executive sports
saloon in the sub-£50k sector to rival the Mercedes C Class, BMW 4- Series Coupe or Lexus RC. As Lexus is to Toyota and Acura is to Honda, Infiniti is the prestige arm of Nissan. Nissan has been in the UK since 1968, albeit that early imports
carried the Datsun brand until the 1980s, so there is a known pedigree behind the badge. For nearly two years now, Nissan has manufactured Infiniti Q30 cars
at its hugely successful factory at Washington, near Sunderland. But the badge, as I discovered while enjoying the new Q60, still
raises the question: “What is it?” The answer is – it’s £47,000 worth of fun. It’s not a family car, it’s more a car that screams: “I’ve had family and now I’m having fun.” First things first, it’s a coupe and that means two large doors, not
four. So no easy access for a child seat. It means four seats and not a lot of headroom in the rear under that steeply raked back window. But it’s not a traditional 2+2 coupe where the rear seats are little
more than a token offering, there’s disproportionately more legroom than head room to stretch out in.
60 business network October 2017
and beyond
The headline might conjure images of Buzz Lightyear and the film Toy Story, but for motoring writer Nick Jones, Infiniti’s new Q60 was one toy he was happy to play with and a story he’s glad to tell.
Being an executive sports car, the driving position is quite central to
the length of the car, which means lots of bonnet out front but to get the legroom the back seats are quite a long way back, which means very little room in the boot for children’s paraphernalia – even the golf clubs are a squeeze. So no kids then, not that you’d want them messing up that sumptuous interior. The seats are wonderful, sculpted leather works of art that wrap
around and cosset you. Other materials used all feel soft and of supremely high quality but it is definitely a car designed in the style of traditional sports cars and once inside you do tend to feel a little pinched between the centre console and the door. But if you’re buying a car like this, it’s not because you’re the shy,
retiring type. You buy an executive sports coupe to make a statement. And being long and sleek – and not dissimilar to the BMW 4-Series
Coupe at first glance from the side – the Q60 definitely does that. The front is dominated by the huge radiator grille, the side has
chrome-edged brake ventilator ducts behind the front wheels and the rear has a subtle spoiler and twin exhausts. For those not yet quite ready to scream “look at me” there is a two-
litre engine option offering 208bhp and relaxed cruising. The exhausts emit a throaty roar only when the loud pedal is abused. But my test car was the three-litre ‘S’ V6 that stirs 400 horses,
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