The production of the new Infiniti QX55 coupe crossover has been delayed. Those are the new we’ve received from Infiniti spokesmen about a week ago. According to the latest information, the new model won’t start production this summer, but rather in November. At this point, we don’t know the exact reasons for such delay, as no Infiniti or Nissan official came up with some more precise details. All we heard is that the company wants to adjust the production schedule, due to better efficiency. The QX55 will be a brand-new model and it will compete in the freshly-established segment of compact coupe crossovers.
What could be the reason for this delay?
It’s hard to say at this point. As we already mentioned, the officials were very generous with words when explaining the reasons for such delay. At this point, all we heard from the company’s spokesman is that they want to ensure the production capability of the new model. All we hear from the officials was “As noted in the letter from the production facility to suppliers, operational efficiencies drive projects to move — sometimes forward, sometimes backward— as we progress toward the start of production of a new model.”
It’s not hard to presume that the main problem is logistics. This is not the first time to see delays from Nissan, as the same thing was a couple of years ago when the QX50 was on the way. One of the reasons may lay in the fact that the new model will be produced in the Aguascalientes assembly, which is a joint venture of Nissan and Daimler, so some kind of adjustments are probably required.
In any case, the production of the brand-new QX55 won’t start in June, but rather in November. On the other side, details about the launch date and the start of sales are still unavailable.
What Can We Expect From QX55?
The QX55 will be one of the newest additions to the brand’s lineup. As luxury sedan and coupe models like Q50 and Q60 are fading away, crossovers are taking over the market. Of course, Infiniti follows that trend and it already has models like QX50 and QX60 in the offer. Still, there is a lot of more space to fill the empty space in the lineup and one of the easiest ways is to introduce a coupe crossover.
This is a relatively new segment in the automotive industry, despite the original BMW X6 appeared more than a decade ago. The thing with such crossover models is that can significantly improve sales numbers without any major investments. These models usually derivate from the existing, common crossover, so development costs aren’t high at all.
Of course, the same thing goes with the QX55, which will be a direct derivate from the QX50. The two models will most of the things, particularly in mechanics. On the other side, the main difference is in aesthetics. The new model will feature a sloping roofline and other things that are typical for so-called coupe crossovers.
What types of customers is Infiniti aiming at with the QX55?
Coupe crossovers are usually the first choice of those who want to add a little bit more style to their drive but still appreciate most benefits of crossovers. In practice, this usually means balancing between style and practicality, and that is typical for groups of drivers such as single persons, young couples and generally younger generations of drivers. This model should be a great way to attract these groups, as the QX50, which is the brand’s most popular model, is usually the choice of little bit older customers and those with a more conservative look at the automotive industry.
What do we know about the QX55 so far?
At this point, we know a lot of things about the new QX55. Of course, most of them refer to the mechanics and the fact that the new model will be heavily based on the more conventional QX50. Also, things about the body style are perfectly clear, while most of us also expect to see a relatively familiar cabin design. Still, there are many things that are still a mystery and the company isn’t particularly generous with details these days.
All in all, the overall aesthetical approach will be similar to the QX50. We count on a quite similar front face, though we have no doubt that the company will tend to make the new model look a little bit sportier. What exactly this means it’s hard to say, but we may presume a sportier bumper, tweaked grille and similar things. On the other side, the rear end will be significantly different. Of course, the first thing that comes to mind is the sloping roof design, which provides that coupe-like look. That would probably mean a lot of inspiration taken from the FX, which eventually became QX70. Due to such design, there is no doubt that taillights and other parts of the rear end will feature a notably different design.
On the other side, the cabin should look drastically different. Count on the same or very similar dashboard design, though there is no doubt that the new cabin will be significantly tighter when it comes to the second-row headroom and cargo space. When it comes to the powertrain, we count on the same 2.0-liter turbo-four unit, famous for the variable compression that goes in a range from 8:1 to 14:1. Thanks to such design, the max output goes up to 268 horsepower, while mpg ratings are better compared to most rivals.
Source: autonews.com
