Infiniti Names its Geneva Motor Show Sports Car Concept "Emerg-E"

Infiniti has been trickling out information on the new sports car concept it plans to reveal at the 2012 Geneva Salon bit by bit these past couple of months. Today we learn that the electric sports car model will be called the "Emerge E".
"The INFINITI EMERG-E will be the first car from the brand to have not only a range-extender drivetrain offering vivid performance with zero emissions capability but also one mounted in a mid-ship package for optimal handling," the company said in a short statement.

2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Concept

Infiniti doesn�t exactly want for SUVs or crossovers, with the QX56, FX35/FX50, and EX35 all on its current roster. What the luxury brand does need, however, is a family friendly SUV or crossover, something to battle the Audi Q7 and Acura MDX, among others. The QX is too huge and thirsty�not to mention too expensive�to fill the role; the twitchy, sporty FX lacks cargo space and a third row; and the five-seat EX is simply too small. Enter the JX.

The vehicle is for now technically a concept, but this is pretty much what you�ll see in production form at November�s L.A. auto show. It�s a three-row, seven-passenger family hauler, with space efficiency, convenience, and fuel economy as its priorities. Infiniti promises the JX will pack a �powerful V-6,� the displacement of which in liters is unconfirmed but probably rhymes with �pee-joint-jive.� Output should fall in the neighborhood of 290 hp, and since the JX will make use of Nissan�s D platform (Maxima, Murano), front-wheel drive will be standard. All-wheel drive will be an option.

The transmission is a �sport-tuned� continuously variable unit, which, if not for the existence of an affordable, Toyota-based Aston Martin, would be the ultimate automotive oxymoron. But Nissan�Infiniti�s parent company�is one of very few automakers who have proven that it can do a CVT well, and the JX�s unit will incorporate a Sport mode that, when active, will cause the transmission to simulate a regular automatic. No specific number was given, but we�d guess seven or eight ratios will be plucked from the CVT�s theoretically infinite spread to act as the �fixed� gears, if only to keep up with competitors who boast similarly endowed conventional automatics.

Hybrid Could Arrive Soon

Infiniti has stated that hybrids will become an increasingly large part of its strategy. It offers only the M35h right now, and the JX seems a likely candidate to be the brand�s second gas/electric. It�s possible that a hybrid JX would use a smaller, more efficient V-6�the 2.5-liter already found in the G25 sedan, for example. Evidence to support this theory exists in trademark applications filed by Infiniti last summer, including one for �JX25h�.

Infiniti provided an official look at the interior, but we already knew what to expect up front thanks to spy shots captured earlier this summer. The dashboard will look instantly familiar to anyone who�s been in an Infiniti in the past few years, with the corporate steering wheel, shift knob, and gauge treatments all present. The center stack will undulate as it does in the brand�s other vehicles, with the volume and tuning knobs, radio presets, and CD slot on an upright face at the bottom; an angled slab housing the infotainment and HVAC controls above that; and the navigation and information screen at the top, flanked by two central vents. Some chassis adjustment (likely throttle response and transmission behavior) will be available via a knob mounted on the center tunnel. The cabin's most visually interesting element might be the slashes of wood cutting across the door panels.

Behind the front occupants, Infiniti is talking up the flexibility of the second and third rows. The company says that the second row will offer 5.5 inches of fore and aft travel, and that the JX will have �adult-sized� room in the way back. The middle row of seats will tilt and slide to aid ingress and egress to the third row. Goodies on offer will include blind-spot monitoring, Infiniti�s first application of cross-path detection�it watches for vehicles coming from the sides as you reverse�a 14-speaker Bose stereo system, a panoramic roof, and the recently announced Infiniti Personal Assistant service.

A Crescent for the Fertile

Infiniti describes the D-pillar treatment, previously seen on the C-pillars of the Etherea and Essence concepts, as a �crescent cut,� which sort of makes us want a Croissan�Wich. The pillar swoop is a bold hallmark that will spread to all future Infinitis, and it provides a dash of sizzle to a boring vehicle type. Some elements of the JX, especially in profile, remind us of the Dodge Durango (front fender sculpting) and the Mercedes-Benz GL-class (body-side crease, tall A-pillar), but that�s no knock. There are only so many ways to go about wrapping a two-box, seven-passenger SUV, and the JX does so in attractive fashion.

While a new crossover isn�t something we break into cold sweats over, the JX looks like it will be a relatively stylish, well-executed entry in one of the hottest vehicle segments. We�ll have more details as the L.A. show draws near. View Photo Gallery:

2012 Infiniti FX35 / FX50

The Infiniti FX is among the sportiest and style-focused crossovers, and while it can still turn heads three years after its last major redesign, it�s time for a refresh. When the current model was released in 2009, we ordered one up for a long-term test, and one of our favorite aspects was its sport-wagon-on-big-wheels look. This year, Infiniti carefully nipped and tucked, subtly tweaking the FX�s grille and front fascia while adding a limited-edition FX35 called the, uh, Limited Edition.

Etherea-Inspired Snout

The 2012 FX�s new grille marks the biggest change, morphing from the 2011 car�s elegantly simple opening into a more aggressive, pinched form cribbed from Infiniti�s Etherea concept (which in turn borrowed its grille design from the Essence concept). In addition to its new shape, the grille now is made up of thin chrome slats instead of black mesh. The lower front fascia gets more visual oomph courtesy of thin bands of chrome outlining the fog-light nacelles. Unfortunately, the FX�s chrome fender vents survived the refresh. The interior largely was left alone save for the instrument cluster, which gets a classier-looking, white-on-blue information display between the gauges that replaces the garish orange-on-red unit from before. The 2012 FX35 still is powered by a 303-hp, 3.5-liter V-6 engine and available with rear- or all-wheel drive, while the FX50 carries over its 390-hp, 5.0-liter V-8 and standard all-wheel-drive.

Infiniti didn�t outline any specific equipment shuffling for the 2012 FX, but buyers can still spec their FXs with Premium, Deluxe, Touring, Technology, and Sport packages. As before, a bevy of highly annoying techno-gizmos is available, including active cruise control, lane-departure warning and prevention systems, brake assist, and collision warning. Every FX will come standard with Infiniti�s Personal Assistant, a phone-based 24-hour concierge service, which owners can call to get directions, emergency assistance, restaurant suggestions, and the like. While not touted as part of the press release, we know you can also use the PA to find answers to off-the-wall stuff like �Is cheerleading a sport?� or have the service check you in for a flight. The Personal Assistant service is free for the first four years.

Pricing Plus Limited Edition Deets

New this year, Infiniti will offer an all-wheel-drive FX35 Limited Edition trim that packs unique 21-inch turbine-look wheels wrapped in V-rated rubber, plus many of the FX�s more popular options, including adaptive headlights, navigation, and the Around View monitor. Any exterior trim bits that are chrome on normal FXs get a dark-graphite finish on the special FX35, of which just 550 will be built. Paired with the Iridium Blue paint that�s exclusive to the Limited Edition, the muted trim and wheels look great.

As to prices, they�re up only slightly over last year�s. The FX35 costs $850 more, which means $44,345 for a 2012 rear-driver and $45,795 for an AWD model. The 2012 FX50 jumps by $1750, to $60,245. The FX35 Limited Edition costs $52,445, the same amount required for a similarly spec�d 2011 FX35 (which means Deluxe Touring and Premium packages), with the added bonus that you�ll likely never see another one. The 2012 FX hits Infiniti dealerships in early October. View Photo Gallery:

2013 Infiniti JX Concept Sketch- Info and photo

We appreciate Infiniti�s forthrightness in announcing a sixth model for the American market. The company is using the occasion of the New York auto show to tease us with a sketch of the seven-passenger JX crossover, while a concept will appear at the Pebble Beach Concours d�Elegance in August and the production version will bow at the L.A. auto show this November. Glad that�s out of the way. The rest of the details, however, are still murky.

To wit, the watercolors-meet-blur-tool rendering shows a metal-trimmed sidelight opening that sweeps back into a kinked D-pillar, a treatment very similar to the one on Infiniti�s recent Etherea concept. (That same kinky look was also used on Infiniti�s too-hot-for-production Essence concept.) Muscular fenders and flowing body lines match the rest of Infiniti�s current lineup, save for the more blocky QX56. Fortunately for the JX, by way of its two-box shape, it doesn�t appear to suffer from the which-way-is-it-heading problem the Etherea did.

There�s no official word on what will motivate the JX, but trademark filings we uncovered last summer provide some hints. Infiniti has secured the rights to the JX20, JX25, JX25h, and JX30 badges, suggesting a lineup that could include four-cylinders, V-6s, and a hybrid. It�s doubtful that all four would be offered, with the more likely explanation being Infiniti�s desire to safeguard the alphanumerics for possible future use. The hybrid, however, is almost a guarantee, if not from the start.

An all-wheel-drive option also is a given, although the JX may be the first Infiniti in a long while to be based on a front-drive architecture instead of a rear-drive platform. If that is in fact the case, we won�t be surprised if Nissan gets its own version of the large crossover.

We also won�t be surprised when the expected concept looks nearly production-ready. If we don�t know much about the JX, at least we know exactly when we�ll know more. Look for more details at Pebble this summer. View Photo Gallery:

2013 Black Infiniti IPL G Convertible - Photo

The Infiniti Performance Line was launched late last year with but a single model, a sharpened and slightly more powerful version of the G37 coupe called the IPL G coupe. In August, Infiniti showed us what an IPL G convertible would look like and announced�to no one�s surprise�that the convertible also would make it to dealers. Now Infiniti has debuted the production IPL G for extroverts at the 2011 Los Angeles auto show.

Subtle Refinements, Inside and Out

Like the IPL G coupe, the 2013 IPL G convertible adds a pinch of this and a dash of that to deliver what Infiniti calls �total vehicle performance� when compared with the standard G37 convertible. (This implies, of course, that the regular G models deliver incomplete vehicle performance.) As with its fixed-roof counterpart, the IPL G convertible gets a new nose, rocker-panel extensions, obscenely fat exhaust tips, and gorgeous, lacy 19-inch wheels. It is available in only two hues: Malbec Black (a deep wine color) and Moonlight White.

The interior is likewise limited to two colors�Stone and Monaco Red�and features red-stitched leather upholstery, �Silk Obi� aluminum trim, aluminum-capped pedals, and IPL-embroidered seatbacks and front floor mats.

Mechanical Enhancements Shared with the IPL G Coupe

IPL�s efforts to recalibrate the G�s VQ-series 3.7-liter V-6 and fitment of a true dual exhaust system yield the same boost in output as found with the IPL G coupe, adding 18 hp and 6 lb-ft of torque. In the convertible, this brings total output to 343 hp (at a lofty 7400 rpm) and 273 lb-ft of torque. Sadly, the coupe�s six-speed manual and its short-throw shifter are not available in the convertible; the only transmission offered is Infiniti�s seven-speed automatic, which comes with magnesium shift paddles affixed to the steering column.

The IPL G convertible rides on a retuned suspension featuring unique shocks and front and rear springs that are stiffer by 14 and 4 percent, respectively. Spring rates increase by 6 percent in front and a considerable 125 percent in back. The brakes aren�t particularly dainty: 14-inch front rotors are clamped by four-piston calipers, while the rear rotors measure 13.8 inches and are grabbed by two-piston calipers. Infiniti also claims to have sportified the steering as well.

 If the IPL G coupe�s pricing strategy is anything to go by, expect the IPL treatment to add about $500 to the sticker of the current G37S convertible. That would put it around $57K, give or take a few Franklins. That�s a lot of coin for a G-based car, but at least everything comes standard, which means that, other than interior and exterior color choices, the only decision the IPL G convertible customer has to make is when to put the top down. View Photo Gallery:To what extent the sum of the IPL�s enhancements will serve to sharpen the heavy hardtop convertible�s overall performance remains to be seen. (The standard G37 convertible is more than 450 pounds heavier than the G37 coupe, and the G37 droptop placed third out of four in a 2010 comparo.) However, based on what we have experienced with the IPL coupe�which is no M3-killer but satisfies nonetheless�we expect the changes to help considerably. As for future IPL offerings? Infiniti has intimated that that IPL M and IPL FX models eventually will be added, but a timetable has not been provided.

2012 Audi TT RS vs. 2011 BMW 1-series M Coupe, 2011 Infiniti IPL G Coupe

We found a map of the Tail of the Dragon, a roadway at the extreme eastern edge of Tennessee, that included helpful arrows and notations for each of the poor saps who bought the farm on this famed little road. The notations read, �Single death, Harley-Davidson off road, hit tree,� and �Single death, sport bike low-sided into oncoming traffic.� And there are so many of these little death flags that there�s no room left on the map for any more.

But there are many ?tight roads that are excellent for snapping your pelvis on some roadside wood. What the Tail of the Dragon has is a bitchin� name. One can, for example, replace the �T� with a downward-pointing dagger, if one is so darkly inclined. And �dragon�? Well, as any basement-dwelling, teenage bong aficionado knows, dragons are sweet.We haven�t a clue whether the information on the map is accurate, but in the broad sense, it is undeniably true. This 11-mile, kabillion-turn stretch of ?U.S. 129 is a juking, diving, hopping, rail-free roller-coaster track, where patches of sand mysteriously appear at the apexes of ?blind corners, trees of considerable girth guard the land just feet from the roadway, and the unwary habitually overestimate their skill level. It�s dangerous. To the Dragon�s obstacle course, our off-season run added freezing rain, fog, and the occasional road-blocking downed tree.

It is with this in mind we sadly report that none of the makers of the three new sports coupes we�ve brought to the Dragon has any understanding of the power of a well-chosen name. What the hell is a TT RS, but the result of Audi mistakenly leaving on the caps-lock button? And the Infiniti IPL G Coupe (as Infiniti insists the name should read)? We called it, simply, the �Ipple.� And don�t even get us started on the discombobulated nomenclature of the BMW 1-series M Coupe. Shouldn�t a top-line luxury sports coupe be called the Panther or the Jesus Lizard or . . . anything?

Missed naming opportunities aside, what we gathered here was nothing short of America�s most-anticipated sports coupes�fantasy performance cars for those with sensible fantasies. We say �anticipated� because two of these three cars, the Audi and the BMW, were not yet on sale at the time of the test. The Audi won�t go on sale in the U.S. until a few months after you read this. The BMW should be available in mid-May. When we called BMW for a tester, the only 1-series M in the country was the one that served as the pace car for the Rolex 24 at Daytona. We stripped off the light bar, peeled back the stickers, and were on our way. At $47,010, the base 1M is about $12,000 more than a standard 135i. Our Valencia Orange preproduction car came with a scant $3800 in options. That makes our 1M, a relative stripper at $50,810, about $12,000 less than the base price of the charmingly named Z4 sDrive35is retractable-hardtop roadster with which it shares its 335-hp, N54 twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six. That makes the 1M the first M car to crib its engine, without so much as a power bump, from a non-M car. The rest of the coupe�s upgrades�including its brakes, limited-slip differential, aluminum dampers, rear subframe and suspension components, and wheels and tires�come directly from the M3.

The 1M is only the second-most-expensive car in the test, though. Here, the priciest-sports-coupe honor goes to the aluminum-trimmed blue bombshell, the TT RS, which, at an estimated as-tested price of $66,000, is freakin� pricey. And, even more than the BMW, this Audi isn�t yet fully baked. Our test unit was a Euro-market car that differed in one critical way and a couple of minor ones from what Americans will be able to buy early this fall. First, the U.S. TT RS (oh, the uppercase!) will be offered only ?with a six-speed manual transmission and not the seven-speed dual-clutch automatic our test car had. Audi here in the U.S. says that since it will import fewer than 1000 examples over two years, the German bosses allowed the American arm to pick one transmission or the other, not both. �Save the Manuals!� right? Yep. Except that, as we�ll see, the DSG provides the TT RS with its most stunning trick. Audi North America is also lobbying to get a 25-hp bump, to 360, for turbo�charged 2.5-liter inline-fives of U.S.-bound RSs. Although, we never wanted for more power than was provided by the Euro-spec engine in this lovely little potato dumpling.

The IPL G37 is Infiniti�s first tentative dip into the performance sub-brand game. For IPL duty, Infiniti has dropped the 348-hp version of its familiar big-bruiser 3.7-liter V-6 into the engine bay. That�s basically the same engine that�s rated at 350 horsepower in the Nissan NISMO 370Z. The IPL buyer gets a body kit, a choice of two not especially happy exterior colors (graphite or black), handsome 19-inch wheels, and all the size, weight, and equipment that comes with being the descendent of a mid-size luxury sports sedan.

Countering our initial impression that the Ipple�s look was too similar to a standard G37S for anyone to notice was a flock of G37 and Nissan 350Z drivers who would race up on our Infiniti�s back �bumper and hang around our flotilla as we headed first for the Tail of the Dragon to tempt fate, and later to Michelin�s bucolic test facility in Laurens, South Carolina, to record some lap times. Continued...

2012 Infiniti M35h White Hybrid - Picture

lindfold us and put us behind the wheel of any car�preferably not in heavy traffic�and we would probably be able to correctly identify Infinitis with more success than any other make. From the throttle to the brakes to the steering, the major controls in vehicles from Nissan�s luxury division are remarkably consistent. Unfortunately, those controls are consistently too hair-trigger quick to achieve perfection, the throttles overly snappy, the brakes too grabby, and the steering too twitchy for the sort of relaxed driving we don�t do often but a well-balanced car should be capable of.

Regardless of manufacturer, many hybrid vehicles also enjoy a rare commonality of feel. Aside from the obvious defining characteristic�the stopping and starting of the engine�the electric power-steering systems fitted to hybrids typically deprive the driver of any communication through the wheel, and regenerative braking systems frequently turn brake pedals to nonlinear mush. In the Infiniti M35h, which pairs a 302-hp version of Infiniti�s 3.5-liter V-6 with a 67-hp electric motor�those two opposing extremes cancel each other out beautifully, lending the M35h a more refined personality than the rest of the M lineup.

Take It Easy

Even though the hybrid has the same steering ratio as do other rear-wheel-drive Ms and the electrohydraulic boost still demands a fair bit of effort, its weighting is nowhere near as aggressive, and the on-center response is dulled just the right amount from the M�s usual sneeze-into-the-median twitchiness. Infiniti fits uniquely tuned shocks and anti-roll bars to the hybrid, and the 245/50-18 Michelins have a touch more sidewall than the tires on most of the Ms we drive, giving the hybrid an ever-so-slightly calmer ride than the rest of the family.

Although the hybrid�s 1.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery, electric motor, and ancillary systems add weight, where that weight goes is actually beneficial to the M. Infiniti claims a weight gain of 276 pounds over the M37, but our scales pegged the hybrid at 164 pounds heavier than the last V-6 M we tested, with 153 of those extra pounds over the rear axle. That shifts the hybrid�s weight distribution rearward so it carries 51 percent over the front wheels versus that last M37�s 53. This makes for much more neutral cornering behavior, with a whiff of understeer that�s easily dialed out with the throttle�although, just like on other Ms, the hybrid�s stability-control system can�t be defeated and limited our skidpad fun to 0.83 g.

It�s the same story with the hybrid�s brakes, which go beyond the regenerative function typical of hybrid vehicles and use an electric motor to generate the hydraulic pressure used to pinch the rotors and slow the car. The M37 and M56�s brakes are so touchy that a particularly large horsefly landing on the pedal will have you wiping snot marks from the windshield. The hybrid�s stop pedal still feels firm, but smooth application and fine modulation are infinitely easier. The M35h did need 14 more feet to stop from 70 mph than the last M37 we tested, though.

Look to the Germans

There is, however, room for improvement in the hybrid system�s integration. Infiniti�s approach is similar to that employed successfully by Porsche and Volkswagen, putting the electric motor between the engine and its seven-speed automatic transmission. The difference is that, whereas the Germans retain their torque converters, the Infiniti�s electric motor is separated from the engine by a clutch. A second clutch aft of the transmission allows some slip to smooth the transition from electric to gas-powered locomotion. According to the EPA, this process increases urban fuel economy 50 percent, with the M35h earning a rating of 27 mpg compared with the M37�s 18. There�s a significant boost on the highway, too, with the hybrid rated at 32 mpg compared with the M37�s 26. Amazingly, we recorded 26 mpg over nearly 1000 miles with the M35h, with a couple of tankfuls cresting 30 mpg.

At highway speeds�the engine can shut down at speeds up to 85 or so mph�the comings and goings of internal combustion are barely noticeable, but the process calls more attention to itself the slower the M35h is traveling. From a stop, we found it difficult to get a smooth launch regardless of how gentle our throttle inputs were�those who accelerate slowly enough to stay on electric power alone deserve the box truck that will inevitably find its way into their back seat. Once under way, the engine shuts down seamlessly but refires and rejoins the propulsion process abruptly, with nearly every throttle application resulting in an embarrassing jolt. That clutch behind the transmission needs more massaging.

 Infiniti�s gas-electric swinger does, however, make a compelling case for performance hybrids. The combined powertrain output is 360 hp, and the electric motor�s 199 lb-ft of torque help sling the M35h to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds, bettering the nonhybrid M37 by 0.3 second. Through the quarter-mile, the hybrid leads its gas-only stablemate by 0.1 second and 2 mph, at 13.9 and 103.The other major drawback of the hybrid M is trunk space. The battery pack resides behind the rear seatbacks and consumes four of the regular M�s 15 cubic feet of trunk space. That doesn�t seem like a terrible amount, but the remaining cavity is surprisingly truncated, the front wall seemingly right below the leading edge of the trunk opening. Be sure to buy exclusively cubic objects measuring no more than 18 inches in any dimension.

Celebrate Conservation with Consumption

Compared with the M37, the M35h will hinder your purchasing power by an extra $6000. Unlike hybrid versions of many other vehicles, that premium nets the M buyer precisely no extra stuff aside from the hybrid systems. And the extra power. Buyers who want more power than the M37 but don�t want to belly up to the $59,995 M56 will save $5400 by opting for the hybrid. Well, and the hybrid is fitted with the least-imaginative �hybrid� badges ever affixed to a vehicle�s front fenders. Floating alone in the middle of those fenders, Infiniti�s usually elegant signature script looks like a placeholder font that carried into production when nobody bothered to design something better.

From its $54,595 starting price, the car tested here rose to $61,745 on the merits of the $3350 Premium package and the $3800 Deluxe Touring package. The former adds navigation, satellite radio, a 10-speaker Bose stereo, heated and cooled front seats, and a heated steering wheel; the latter brings another six speakers plus 5.1-channel surround, a power rear sunshade, quilted leather seats, white ash wood trim, a faux-suede headliner, and a leather-wrapped hood for the instrumentation.

Given the hybrid�s fuel-economy estimates, you�d need�actually, who cares how unrealistically long an owner would have to keep the M35h hybrid to recoup the premium? That�s not the point of any hybrid, nor is it the point of this one. The added cost and the low return on investment usually have us asking, �What�s the point?� But with the M35h, the point, and the reward, are clear: the smoothest, most relaxed M available, and a quick one to boot.