Understandably, most buyers create a priority list when shopping for a car and practicality is usually at the top; it needs to accommodate a certain number of people in a degree of comfort, hold their daily detritus and fall somewhere within the realms of acceptable fuel efficiency. If it happens to look good then hey, it’s a bonus.
Then there’s the ‘just because’ cars, when the want far outstrips the need and here is where Infiniti’s all-new Q60 sits. It’s too big to be a sports coupe, too cosy to be a family car and whichever engine variant you choose, it’s going to be a bit thirsty…but hey, look at it!
Britain is the second largest market in the world for four-seat coupes and, with the new Q60, Infiniti is chasing a clutch of German coupes from Mercedes, Audi and BMW. Barring one or two niggly-nagglies, it may well be in with a fighting chance.
Coupes are inherently good-looking and, beyond the occasional eccentricity, the Q60’s gorgeous profile and organic lines signal a great return by the niche car maker. The Q60 coupe is based on the Q50 saloon and certainly stands out in its own way. The huge grille, sculpted flanks and crescent-shaped C-pillar give it a distinctive look, aided by the smart standard-fit 19-inch wheels. I lost count of the number of snatched second glances it attracted during my week with it.
To a lesser degree, the drama exuding from the exterior continues on the inside where you find a modern, tech-focused front cabin, which it also shares with the Q50. The overall design and quality aren’t as elegant or stylish as that found in, say, a Lexus RC or C-Class, but material and build quality feel good and solid. There’s loads of kit such as sat-nav, electric leather seats and a full suite of active safety kit are standard across the four model range: Premium, Premium Tech, Sport and Sport Tech.
The engine line-up is split down the middle: the 2.0-litre available in both Premium trims is the one that’s expected to sell best, but the 3.0-litre V6 – reserved for the Sport variants and badged Q60 ‘S’ – are the great ones to drive. They both get the same seven-speed automatic gearbox, while the smaller engine is rear-wheel drive only and the larger sends power to all four wheels.
As has become the norm for Infiniti, the Q60 is rammed to the gunwales with modern tech. Most notable of these features is the latest version of the Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS) system. An earlier iteration can be found on some Q50 saloons, but this second attempt is better-suited to real-world driving.
Even base-spec Q60’s come with leather upholstery and electrical adjustment of the comfortable and supportive front seats. The cabin’s ambience is further improved by noise-cancellation technology and an advanced infotainment system featuring two touchscreens.
The Infiniti Q60 makes an interesting and distinctive alternative to the popular flock of German four-seat coupes. It’s reasonably comfortable, a good drive, refined and comes loaded with kit – ideal for those after something quite different on the driveway.
For more info visit www.infiniti.co.uk