First Drive: 2014 Infiniti Q50

Tideland Prius · Aug 8, 2013

Two interesting passages from this article

1.

The Infiniti Drive Mode toggle switch next to the gear selector accesses five drive modes – standard, sport, eco, snow and a programmable personal setting. These tailor the shift pattern, throttle response, stability/traction control and the available Direct Adaptive Steering, which is the world’s first automotive application of fully drive-by-wire steering.

This is the 2014 Q50’s big ta-da moment. Yes folks, under normal operation there is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front tires. A pair of actuator motors turn the wheels, and three processors transfer the commands from your hands to said wheels, and in turn relay ‘feel’ back to you, all cleverly filtered of unwanted ‘noise’. Four different steering settings are offered. Before we all start palpitating, a clutch-engaged failsafe mechanical link kicks in if all those electronic doohickeys decide to pack it in.
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2.

The Q50 Hybrid is no eco-weenie – it is a faster and more refined animal. The 302 hp 3.5L V6 works with a 50 kW electric motor to produce 360 hp. Although no torque figure is available, I can say there is plenty and where you want it – low down. On my relatively brief drive, the hybrid system was largely transparent. Braking is linear and a seamless ‘sailing’ feature simultaneously shuts down and decouples the V6 when coasting or going down a hill.

The RWD hybrid is the most efficient at 7.0 L/100 km city and 5.6 highway. The all-wheel drive Q50 Hybrid is rated at 7.5 city and 6.3 highway. A few hours of mostly highway driving in a Q50S Hybrid AWD showed 30 US mpg on the computer, which translates to 7.8 L/100 km.
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First Drive: 2014 Infiniti Q50 - Autos.ca

First Drive: 2014 Infiniti Q50

Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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First Drive: 2014 Infiniti Q50

Tideland Prius Moderator of the North Staff Member

Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
Staff Member