Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration Concept Debuts in Beijing

Debuting at the 2016 Beijing auto show is the Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration Concept, which possibly hints at what the next-generation QX70 could look like. Similar to recent Infiniti concepts, the QX Sport Inspiration Concept features a long hood, muscular proportions, and a roofline that swoops down to give it a coupe-like silhouette.

Featuring exterior design cues taken from the Q80 Inspiration Concept that debuted at the 2014 Paris auto show, the QX Sport Inspiration comes with the same human eye-inspired headlight design and the same distinctive “crescent cut” C-pillar found on various Infiniti vehicles including the 2017 Q60 Coupe and the QX30 small crossover.

According to Infiniti, the QX Sport Inspiration will build on its SUV heritage, which started with the FX45 in 2003. “The QX Sport Inspiration comes at a time when Infiniti continues to expand its product portfolio globally – into new and popular segments. We design concept cars with true production potential, and the QX Sport Inspiration offers a vision of how Infiniti could bring something exciting and new to the mid-sized SUV segment,” said Francois Bancon, Infiniti’s vice president for product strategy.

The Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration Concept has 9.1 inches of ground clearance, and in terms of size, the car measures 181.1 inches long, 74.8 inches wide, and 64.9 inches tall. Key design features include a rear hatch that’s been angled to accentuate the crossover’s coupe-like silhouette. Up front, the grille extends into the headlights while large vertical vents highlight the crossover’s width. Instead of traditional side mirrors, the QX Sport Inspiration Concept features two small rear-facing cameras. Out back, the car features a rear diffuser with two integrated exhausts and rear LED light clusters that mimic the LED headlights up front.

Inside, the Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration features seating for up to five occupants and a driver-centric dash layout. The center stack is tilted slightly toward the driver and features a large free-standing screen as its centerpiece. Even though it can seat five, the QX Sport Inspiration Concept is designed for four since the designers emphasized the need to give each occupant their own personal space in the cabin.

A two-tone layout is used throughout the crossover’s interior, with the black resembling the appearance of body armor, which is then contrasted with brighter white surfaces. The majority of the cabin is wrapped in black saddle leather, which dictated the structure and shapes of the center stack, lower dashboard, armrest, and cargo cover. Harder leather surfaces were used to replicate sharp angles and to line the floors and kick plates, which have laser-cut, back-lit Infiniti logos. White leather, on the other hand, is utilized on the upper dashboard to add visual texture and contrast to the interior. Nubuck leather is used in the flat-bottom steering wheel while black Ultra-suede is used for the headliner. Silver stitching is used to sew together the contrasting black and white leather. Minimalist controls such as climate controls embedded on the air vents were done intentionally to emphasize the car’s driver-centric nature. A dial on the center console allows drivers to switch between multiple drive modes while metal paddle shifters mounted on the steering wheel handle gear changes. Two small monitors are also mounted on the A-pillar to show what the view from the rear-facing side cameras to the driver.

The Infiniti QX Sport Inspiration Concept was jointly designed by Infiniti’s design studios in Japan, China, the U.K., and the U.S.

Source: Infiniti

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