Luxury brand INFINITI has recently changed its game, introducing a trim level to its Q50 and Q60 models intended to compete with the likes of BMW, Mercedes, and Lexus. This new trim level, called Red Sport, focuses on upgrading their existing models to high-performance sports car levels. Instead of focusing on a new look, INFINITI is moving itself into new territory by changing how these cars drive.
The Q50 Red Sport 400
INFINITI is stepping up its high-performance game. One corner of the luxury market is all sports vehicles, and automakers emphasize power and handling. INFINITI’s new Q50 Red Sport 400 is the automaker’s first step towards infiltrating that difficult and prestigious market. The Q50 transforms from a luxury sedan into a sporty ride with the Red Sport trim level. INFINITI isn’t stopping with the Q50, either. Their second Red Sport car will be the Q60, adding the Red Sport 400 trim level to their wide lineup of Q60 models.
Red Sport 400 Stands Out
The engine is the Red Sport’s major upgrade. A high-performance 3.0-liter V6 made entirely of aluminum will grace the Red Sport INFINITI cars, a serious upgrade from the 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine in the premium Q50. This twin turbo engine has 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. It achieves its maximum torque between 1,600 and 5,200 rpm, and high torque at low rpm is what gives cars extreme acceleration power. With these stellar engine specs, the Red Sport cars drive more fiercely than any INFINITI car ever has before.
INFINITI didn’t just upgrade the engine. They did some serious work on the chassis and the steering options. While driving a Q50 Red Sport 400, you can choose between steering modes, both for weight and responsiveness. This is INFINITI’s second-gen Direct Adaptive Steering, and the improvements are obvious. The steering responds well, especially when you ratchet up your steering modes to the most powerful.
The Red Sport Look and Feel
In the Q50, the styling doesn’t change much for the Red Sport trim level. Flashy exhaust pipes, 19-inch wheels, and a red S emblem next to the car’s model stamp are all that set the Red Sport apart from the other Q50 models. The transmission is a seven-speed automatic with a rear-wheel-drive drivetrain. The Q50 Red Sport 400 will get an estimated 21 miles per gallon city, and 31 mpg highway. It also goes 0 to 60 in approximately 4.7 seconds.
The Q50 goes on sale in spring, but if a sedan isn’t your thing, wait until summer for the Q60. The coupe will get the same turbocharged engine and may get extra tweaks in the brakes and steering to give it an even higher performance level.
Early reviews of Red Sport models have been favorable. It looks like INFINITI is onto something big here. The Q50 and Q60 are just the beginning, though INFINITI remains quiet on which models will get the upgrade next and what they’re planning for the future of the Red Sport trim.
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