Infiniti to challenge German cars

Infiniti Q50

By Kim Tae-jong

Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti recently launched the Q50 luxury compact sedan in Korea to expand its presence in the German brand-dominated local luxury market.

The Q50 retains the Japanese automaker’s dynamic and sporty look and adds a more powerful diesel engine to create synergy.

It replaces the Infiniti G37 sedan and is the first in the automaker’s lineup to follow a new naming convention. The luxury brand announced that from now on, it would use the letter “Q” for its sedans and “QX” for its SUVs.

The new naming system signals Infiniti’s redefinition of luxury automobiles. The automaker will take the legacy of previous car models to the next level, adding state-of-art technology and better looking exteriors and interiors.

The initial response to the Infiniti Q50 has been overwhelming, with 600 sales contracts made in just a month after it was officially launched on Feb. 11, showing the excitement consumers have for the new sports sedan.

The Q50 has more head-turning exteriors than its predecessors, featuring a sleeker grille and bold headlamps. It also has roomier interiors, comparable to that of a mid-sized sedan. It has the longest wheelbase at 2.85 meters and the largest trunk at 500 liters in the compact sedan segment, according to the company. But what’s most impressive about the Q50 is its driving comfort and stability even at high speeds.

In Korea, the Q50 comes equipped with a 2.2-liter diesel engine, which can produce 170 horsepower and a high fuel efficiency of 15.1 kilometers per liter. The Q50S Hybrid is also avaiable, which can generates 364 horsepower and has a fuel economy of 12.6 kilometers per liter.

Many premium features have also been added to the Q50, the most innovative of which is the optional direct adaptive steering. It is the world’s first steer-by-wire system that eliminates any physical link between the steering wheel and the turning wheels, which is done electronically to allow the driver to adjust both steering effort level and the steering ratio.

Another new convenient feature is the drive mode selector, which allows the driver to choose among eco, standard, sport, snow and custom settings. Enhanced safety features include the active lane control and the lane departure prevention.

Pricing for the Infiniti Q50 is also very competitive as part of the Infiniti’s aim to increase its presence in the Korean market. The 2.2-liter diesel model is priced at 43.5 million won or 48.9 million won, depending on the luxury options included.

These are much lower than the Q50’s prices in Europe, where the base model is available at around 50 million won. The Q50S Hybrid is priced at 67.6 million won.