The Infiniti Q Inspiration concept has been revealed at the Detroit motor show overnight, giving us a first look at the company’s future designs.
Pitched as a “new form language for an era of advanced powertrains”, the Q Inspiration takes the form of a four-door coupe, potentially previewing an upcoming rival to the Mercedes-Benz CLS.
Powering the Q Inspiration is a version of the company’s new VC-T variable compression turbo petrol engine – though its capacity and outputs remain undisclosed – combined with new semi-autonomous ProPilot technologies.
According to Infiniti, the ProPilot system allows drivers to “delegate more stressful driving tasks to the car”, allowing for an “enhanced ability to respond to hazards”.
While we’re not sure what exactly that means, we reckon it has Level 3 or Level 4 autonomous driving systems which allows the vehicle to drive itself in certain conditions, though the driver still retains ultimate control.
Interestingly, despite previous reports that the Q Inspiration concept would preview an upcoming large flagship sedan to take on the Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Porsche Panamera, Infiniti describes its new concept as a mid-size sedan, meaning it could be hinting at the next-generation Q70, which is ageing in its current form.
Like the exterior, the cabin features a minimalistic design. There’s a limited amount of physical buttons and dials, instead opting for widescreen displays and touch capacitive controls that span the entire dashboard.
While not detailed in the accompanying press release, it appears the concept’s interior is trimmed with lashings of leather, glass and wood.
The Q Inspiration is also strictly a four seater, again hinting at a rival to the Mercedes-Benz CLS.
“The premium sedan segment has become rather conservative. The Infiniti Q Inspiration previews something that could appeal to a younger audience, who seek modern design and new technologies to inspire and empower them,” said Christian Meunier, global vice president for Infiniti.
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