NEW YORK MOTOR SHOW: Infiniti stretches Q70

Infiniti took the wraps off its facelifted Q70 large luxury sedan at the New York motor show yesterday, revealing not only a subtle new look but an all-new long-wheelbase model, the Q70L.

Pitched at the top end of the luxury limousine market, the stretched Q70L's wheelbase grows by 150mm to 3050mm, affording more rear legroom in a bid to appeal to chauffeur driven customers particularly in China and the USA.

Measuring 5130mm from bumper to bumper, the Q70 limousine is slightly longer than the regular Mercedes-Benz S-Class, Infiniti claiming it adds an extra 142mm to rear-seat legroom.

The long-wheel base Q70L will not be offered in Australia, but regular versions of the refreshed and renamed Q70 -- previously badged the M sedan -- will arrive here in mid-2014, with pricing yet to be announced.

The outgoing entry-level Infiniti M37 GT starts at $76,400 plus on-road costs, and has been a slow seller for the luxury Japanese brand locally, with only four vehicles registered so far in 2014.

With an updated exterior design and several new advanced technologies, Infiniti will be hoping the renamed Q70 will stoke interest in the unloved model.

Both regular and long-wheel base versions of the new-look Q70 have been graced with updated snouts, comprising restyled bumpers, LED headlight clusters, fresh grille work and fog lights.

The new visual style has been applied to the car's tail-end, with redesigned LED brake lights, a flatter boot lid and trimmed rear bumper designed to make it look lower and wider.

Adopting a similar motif to the all-new Q50 sedan, Infiniti say the Q70's redesign provides an "even more upscale image"

Other improvements to the facelifted Q70 range include the adoption of several new safety technologies, including an automatic braking assistance. The new Predictive Forward Collision system works in tandem with Forward Emergency Braking to hit the anchors without driver input if it detects imminent trouble.

The Q70 also gets the Q50's impressive Backup Collision Intervention system which again will automatically brake the car if the rear camera and sensors detect an impending obstruction. Parking is also improved via the adoption of an Around View Monitor, displaying 360-degree views around the car via a large colour touch screen.

Minor changes to the interior decor have been made -- new colours and trims -- and Infiniti says the 2015 Q70 is also quieter than before, due to better sound damping materials throughout the car's body.