Though billed a just a concept, Infiniti is developing a reputation for putting its showcars into production with just minor changes. And, if the trend continues with the QX Sport Inspiration, unveiled in Beijing on Monday, then anyone currently considering the merits of a Porsche Macan, Range Rover Evoque or a BMW X3 might want to delay any purchasing decisions.
Infiniti President, Roland Krueger, said: "The QX Sport Inspiration is a statement of intent from Infiniti, showcasing a daring design philosophy and a demonstration of our capabilities in the mid-size SUV segment."
The car is daring in so much as its multinational design team based in the US, London and China have managed to take Infiniti's sports coupé and sports sedan design language and very successfully translate it to something bigger and boxier. The result is a premium SUV that will stand out among the competition for the right reasons.
Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director, said: "The QX Sport Inspiration expresses power and purpose through what we describe as its ‘proportional clarity,' with an elegance that is uniquely Infiniti. The exterior design will appeal to an artistic sensibility. It has a more flowing, natural aesthetic than that evident in traditional premium SUVs."
Thanks to short wheel overhangs and clever engine packaging, cabin space has been optimized and the addition of a full-length panoramic glass roof gives the impression of greater space still while simultaneously acting as a heat shield stopping direct sunlight from slowly baking the car's occupants.
The seats and surfaces are wrapped in black and white leather while the dashboard and center console are concave, wrapping around the driver so that the car feels more like a sports car than an off-roader. The obligatory digital display and secondary touch screen are present, while there is an almost complete absence of buttons and switches, other than on the sports steering wheel. Unlike the exterior, there is a very good chance that the interior on the production model will be much more traditional in its layout.
The concept arrives in Beijing at a time when despite economic uncertainty, SUV sales are still bucking the trend in China with demand growing on a monthly basis. But with so many domestic carmakers capable of offering consumers a car with SUV or crossover looks established, premium marques have to offer something very special to compete with both Chinese companies and their traditional rivals in the luxury and performance segments.
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