INFINITI Q60

Targets reigning Euro coupe kings, and misses

The shot at Europe’s coupe kings runs a little wide

EVERY brand has its icons. Volkswagen has Golf. Mazda has MX-5. And Infiniti? Well, clearly its six decades of frontengined, rear-drive, highperformance sports/ luxury coupes, right?

Since (re) launching in Australia in 2012 with the G37, that’s what Japan’s BMW has been all about, bridging an important line dating back to the 1962 Prince Skyline Sports Coupe.

Hence our big expectations. And in some ways the V37-series Q60 – released initially in 155kw/350nm 2.0-litre turbo guise from $ 62,900, with a 298kw/475nm 3.0-litre twinturbo V6 from $ 88,900 following in March – delivers. For starters, the design, which is both lower and wider than the preceding 2007-vintage V36 series, is dramatically distinctive, like every good coupe should be.

Additionally, Infiniti has put thought into the interior, which manages to effortlessly convey class. Generous room up front, pleasing quality, an excellent driving position, cosseting seats, ample geek-pleasing multimedia, stacks of kit and a decently sized boot all underline the brand’s half-century experience building grand tourers.

However, some switchgear placement is messy, rear-seat headroom is limited, and the dash design falls short of that of the latest Audi A5 and Mercedes C-class competitors.

Frustratingly, the Infiniti’s status remains complicated on the move, too. The sweet 2.0t might produce healthy outputs, but a hefty 1700kg mass, combined with interminable off-the-line lag, seems to blunt whatever sparkle it might possess. And that’s in Sport mode. Only past 3000rpm does the four-pot turbo find its stride.

That said, on the move the seven-speed torque-converter auto stops behaving like an indecisive dual-clutcher, at last delivering decent mid-range urge. We miss the old atmo 3.7-litre V6.

More power can’t help the oddly slow and remote steering, though, which is probably the most profound disappointment, along with the lumpy ride on 255/45R19 rubber. While the weighting is right, the steering feels artificial except at straight ahead, and reluctant to change direction. Again, even in Sport.

There is none of the handling litheness or finesse of the Infiniti’s German rivals. Are the Americans responsible for the dreary dynamic tuning? A rethink is in order, and pronto.

There’s plenty that’s right in the new Q60, but the driver-focused attributes that made its Nissan, Datsun and Prince ancestors cestors sports-coupe icons appear ppear to have been forsaken at t the alter of style.