Yahoo Autos Infiniti QX Inspiration Electric Crossover Concept Reveals Its Smooth Face
Almost exactly one year after Infiniti rolled out the slinky Q Inspiration at the 2018 Detroit auto show, Infiniti will unveil the Q Inspiration's taller, crossover counterpart, cleverly dubbed "QX Inspiration," at the 2019 Detroit auto show. Infiniti executives hinted at the existence of the concept crossover at an event held at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles last year, describing it as being inspired by the iconic original FX crossover of the 1990s and saying that it would further the design vision for Infiniti's electric-car lineup beyond what was put forth by the gorgeous, if purely conceptual, Infiniti Prototype 10 sports car. Then last month, we got a sneak preview of the vehicle in shadowy black-and-white rendering form, plus confirmation that it really will preview Infiniti's first electric crossover.
Now, as if someone turned the lights on in the studio, the company has released a real image of the vehicle in exactly the same pose as the black-and-white rendering, as well as its official name. Details remain scarce beyond what we've reported before, but the image shows how nicely the form vocabulary previewed by the Q Inspiration sedan is developing as Infiniti prepares its first road car to wear it, which is expected in 2021.
Most interesting is how, instead of adding features to butch up the design for crossover purposes, Infiniti has taken off a few of the sedan's things, such as the hood vents and the solid band of chrome circumscribing its mustachioed grille, and we don't miss 'em. Indeed, the QX Inspiration's smooth nose shows how a car without a grille can still have a convincing face-ahem, Tesla-and its tall, broad hood and smooth, cladding-free body appears substantial, if not terribly rugged. Infiniti appears to be committed to high-mounted, skinny headlamps and vertical outboard air ducts, as well as illuminated Infiniti badges on the nose.
Infiniti has described the QX Inspiration's interior as "handcrafted, using traditional techniques and a choice of materials inspired by a subtle Japanese sensuality" and credits electrification for enabling "the formation of spacious, lounge-like interiors." We shall see how much, if any, of the production crossover's interior is actually handcrafted and how lounge-like it will be, but Infiniti's ever improving interiors give us plenty of reason to be optimistic.
We look forward to bringing you more details about the rest of the QX Inspiration's design along with any powertrain details and anything we can glean about the future prospects for the Q Inspiration sedan (which would make a nice proper Infiniti flagship sedan to fill the void left after the Q45 departed in 2006) once we see the real thing at the Detroit auto show on January 14. Stay tuned.
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