The future for Infiniti styling

Infiniti's Q Inspiration show car is just the opening salvo in a new battle to draw away buyers around the world from rival prestige brands.

Based on hints from Francois Bancon, Vice-President of Product Strategy at Infiniti, there's another show car scheduled for Detroit in 2019, and it will provide a glimpse of how an SUV might look wearing the same styling language.

Bancon, in Australia last week for the launch of the 2018 Infiniti QX80 update was asked by motoring.com.au when we could expect to see another show car arrive, revealing more about the company's new design language.

"We are working on many options on this, because we're going to have to say something soon; probably next year – Detroit or something like this," Bancon responded.

"We did some work on the sedan body type because it's a high-priority," he said of the Q Inspiration, the design study that's understood to preview a production replacement for the current Q70, the large Infiniti sedan that rivals BMW 5 Series and Mercedes E-Class in size. Bancon says that the next concept car is likely to be a follow-up for the QX70 SUV.

"The next step is going to be more how we implement this kind of design direction on the crossover SUV, which is not easy," he said.

"Of course [an SUV] is less attractive in terms of dynamic expression, so this is what we're working on now."

The QX70 is the logical candidate for a new design study for two reasons, one being its age, the other being its dimensions relative to a new modular platform Infiniti is developing.

"We didn't decide if we do this on the compact SUV..." Bancon admitted, when asked what sort of 'crossover SUV' would get the new design language treatment for Detroit next year. "Probably more on the D, E or F segment SUV... So QX 70 kind of size."

It will be curtains for the current QX70 before much longer, not just because it's uncompetitive in the market, due to its age, but because its existing powertrains will render it non-compliant with upcoming emissions legislation in global economies.

"It's not compliant everywhere so we're going to have to stop [making] this car, unfortunately, because it's one of the best cars," Bancon continued. "We had a long discussion to update the design of the QX70 and finally we said: 'no we're going to do nothing'. Everything we did we made it worse.

"It is still a very modern car."

Another problem, which Bancon insinuates will be resolved with its successor is its packaging.

"The problem with this car is it's a coupe basically."

So expect the new QX70 to be more efficiently packaged, in a conventional SUV style, but lighter and more fuel-efficient – "maybe an EV SUV or something like this," in Bancon's own words.

As to the nature of the new styling language, Bancon discussed the topic in strategic terms, rather than specifics, although the Q Inspiration strongly suggests the kinky D pillars of recent designs (pictured here with the Q80 Inspiration concept from 2014) have been consigned to history – not before time, some might unkindly suggest.

"It was time for us, after having unified our design vocabulary to go to the next step, and this Q Inspiration is the first exploration [of that]," Bancon declared, but the Infiniti exec indicated also that the new corporate look is "not going to be our direction for the future 100 per cent, but just a first exploration."

There will be some latitude in how the styling theme evolves in different models, Bancon revealed.

"On top of this, with all the move to electrification, [that's] going to impact the platform... a proportion of the car. You cannot keep the same design execution... front-wheel drive for example, or rear-wheel drive – it's a different execution.

"Overhang... is always an issue on front-wheel drive.

"With the electrification – whether with e-Power [series-hybrid cars] or [battery-electric] EV – doesn't impact so much the overhang, but it impacts the wheelbase and the height of the car and all of this. So we had to redefine this, especially on the Q Inspiration. It's a sedan... the sedan is a very repetitive segment somehow. You cannot play so much with it."

Infiniti's current styling theme is arguably brash and apparently aimed at American buyers in a market where being different gets you noticed. With the company's commitment to build up its presence in global markets, does that mean the new styling will be more 'international' in scope?

"It's not that we want to be [market-specific], but that being said, the market is really becoming global, even in terms of taste. Basically, the trend now is really European," Bancon answered.

"Less maybe now, because the market is more in Asia than the US, but... the US loves the European execution, this kind of flavour. I don't even know why and what it means, but they love this kind of thing.

"There is really no American design execution, there are some American segments – this one for example [the large SUV sector occupied by the QX80], because it was born in the US. This is basically a truck segment that we turned into an SUV [segment] from a full-size truck.

"We have to be global – and it's not a problem – but what is coming up now, in terms of... China, for example, there are some specifics: the colour of cloth, but also... wood... aluminium... or any other material.

"This is really market-driven; we stick to what the market wants. We don't want to make one global product.

"I cannot say there is a 'Chinese' [theme] for external design... There is not a Chinese way to do American or European. Now it's very global, because everyone is global anyway."

Bancon's mention of China is not coincidental. The Asian country is already shaping up to be a very important market for Infiniti. As for a homogenous design theme that works equally well right around the world, Bancon says Infiniti's primary aim is to strengthen the brand image.

"What is important is to have a brand position; what is the story you tell through the design – as a brand. This car [QX80] is a bit of an exception, because for this format of car you can imagine for a designer... personal expression in design is barely needed here, because of the size and positioning of the car.

"But for the [Q60] coupe... we have to find our way. We don't want to imitate Mercedes or BMW; they are very strong.

"It's a global war.

"[Customers] want the brand to have a personality... this is what you're going to display to the neighbour.

"We have been a little bit 'romantic' in design... kind of sporty but expressive. 'Baroque' may be the right word.

"We tend to be a bit complicated in our design execution, so the deal is to simplify – keeping something very expressive...

"We are in an emotional part of the design – as opposed to... on the utility side... Not Italian, but this kind of [approach]...