Infiniti Q Inspiration Concept previews marque’s future designs

At the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, Infiniti has shown the world what it hopes its future will look like in the form of the Q Inspiration Concept.

The futuristic sedan features what Infiniti calls “confident proportions”, with sleek yet slightly aggressive lines around its grilles and vents.

Inside, a “human-centric” minimalist interior is full of white leather and touch screens. It also has a steering wheel, something becoming rarer in concept cars in recent times.

Infiniti says the cabin’s layout is designed to “enable rather than distract the driver.”

Infiniti global vice president Christian Meunier says the Q Inspiration Concept is an attempt by Infiniti to point out that there’s an audience that sedan makers aren’t considering enough.

“The premium sedan segment has become rather conservative,” says Meunier.

“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.”

Part of the reason to the new design language is due to a new powertrain Infiniti is releasing, a variable-compression turbocharged engine.

“VC-Turbo continually transforms, adjusting its compression ratio to optimise power and fuel efficiency, resulting in the smart application of power for greater driver control,” Infiniti says.

The inline-four aims to deliver more power while also being more versatile, as well as more space-efficient.

“The intelligently-packaged four-cylinder VC-Turbo has liberated INFINITI’s designers from the constraints of powertrain architecture to realise a spacious interior,” Infiniti says.

“The Q Inspiration previews other near-future applications for INFINITI’s variable compression ratio VC-Turbo engine technology.”