Infiniti Q60 stylish, powerful
The Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 has a nice balance between handling and ride comfort.
I must admit, I tend to forget about Infiniti, Nissan’s upscale marque, and I bet a lot of people do.
It is a brand without any discernible image. Which model best defines it? What distinguishes Infiniti from its competitors aside from its lack of a discernible persona? It’s hard to imagine that after 30 years of existence, Infiniti is still very much a question mark, something it has been since its 1989 launch, with an ad campaign that infamously portrayed rocks and trees, but not automobiles.
Over the past decade, it seems to have become a brand defined by its lease 2020 INFINITI Q60 RED SPORT 400 Base price: deals as much as its product.
And that’s too bad because Infiniti does offer some truly special vehicles that deserve more attention. Consider the 2020 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400. It’s a rear-wheel-drive luxury coupe, a rarefied segment filled with some tempting options, like the Audi A5, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 4 Series and Lexus RC.
Given that list of competitors, and the image each model brings to mind, is it any wonder that the Q60 has its work cut out for it?
Available with rearwheel or all-wheel drive, the Q60 is offered in Pure, Luxe and Red Sport 400 trim, the latter boasting a 400-horsepower version of the twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 used in the other models. The Pure and Luxe have 300 horsepower, still more than enough to move this vehicle with vigor. Infiniti provided a Red Sport 400 for a weeklong test drive.
Stylistically, the Q60 brilliantly asserts itself with a sensuously curvaceous modern aesthetic capped by a grille that doesn’t resemble a kabuki mask. Its flowing flanks are seductive, unique and surprisingly timeless.
The same can’t be said of the interior, which lacks the visual indulgence of the exterior. The instrument panel is conventional, but sports an updated infotainment system across two screens along with a Wi-Fi hot spot, an illuminated USB-C port, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The Red Sport 400’s power is effortless, a truly muscular luxury coupe power plant. The sevenspeed transmission plays the willing servant most of the time, although shifting manually through the paddle shifters isn’t as crisp as that of some competitors. The Q60 remains planted while cornering and displays a beautiful balance between handling and ride comfort thanks to an adaptive damping system Infiniti calls a Dynamic Digital Suspension.
Less successful is its drive-by-wire system, dubbed Direct Adaptive Steering. There is no oncenter feel and there’s too much play on-center where nothing happens. And forget any kind of road feel.
The Q60 Red Sport 400’s timeless styling and powerful engine, along with an adeptly tuned suspension make for a compelling proposition, as long you don’t mind its quirks. That said, sporting cars usually have them, which is what makes them endearing. It’s just a shame that this car languishes, along with the brand. It’s a truly enjoyable GT.
But this model, along with the rest of the Infiniti line, are mere placeholders as Infiniti plans to electrify its entire vehicle line within the next few years. Once again, the brand will shed its skin, seeking a new identity.