Infiniti Q60
Matt Brogan26 Sept 2016
NEWS

AMG competitor no time soon: Infiniti

But luxury Japanese marque says an AMG C 63 challenger remains under consideration

Infiniti’s new 298kW twin-turbo V6-powered Q60 Coupe already pushes the brand’s performance focus towards high-powered German rivals like the BMW 440i and Mercedes-AMG C 43.

But Infiniti’s senior manager of product strategy, Gerardo Carmona, says a direct competitor for the likes of the Audi RS 5, BMW M4, Lexus RC F and Mercedes-AMG C 63 is still a little way off.

“That’s never going to be off the table, because Infiniti is all about performance, in a very sculpted and artisan way,” Carmona explained. “But unfortunately it’s not going to come very soon.”

Infiniti’s new VR-series biturbo 3.0-litre V6 lifts output by 57kW over the previous generation’s normally-aspirated 3.7-litre V6, and although Carmona hinted the unit was capable of producing more power, he said this was just one of a number of options under consideration for a higher-output Q60.

“Everything is up for consideration, and we have a lot of options within the R&D group,” Carmona explained.

“Right now we’re focussing on the 400hp [V6], and although we currently don’t have any ambition for this car to go and compete with the vehicles you’ve mentioned, as for doing something more, that is something we’re not yet able to disclose,” he concluded.

Infiniti has already demonstrated its performance capabilities for the Q50 (sedan) and Q60 (coupe) range with its 2012 Eau Rouge concept.

The well-publicised prototype packed Nissan’s 418kW/600Nm GT-R engine beneath the bonnet of the Q50 mid-size sedan, challenging the Mercedes-AMG C 63 (375kW/700Nm) and trouncing BMW’s M3 (331kW/550Nm).

Nissan’s luxury arm will release regular variants of its Q60 Coupe locally from November. The 155kW/350Nm 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol will be joined early next year by the 298kW/475Nm twin-turbo V6. Australia will take only rear-wheel drive variants of Infiniti’s high-powered mid-size two-door.

Visit motoring.com.au again on October 3 for our first drive of the new Q60, pricing for which should kick off around $64,000, in line with class competitors.

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Written byMatt Brogan
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