In the luxury car business, it never pays to get too comfortable.
That might sound a bit ironic in a business that's basically about well, making people comfortable.
But for the manufacturers, there's never a moment's rest.
Just when a luxury marque might imagine it's found its little niche, a rival jumps in and shakes things up. That's exactly what Infiniti - the luxury arm of Japanese carmaker Nissan - has done with its latest model, the Q50.
While the Japanese brand has been in Australia for a couple of years now, this is their first all-new model to arrive Down Under. And it's about to set the cat amongst the pigeons in this very competitive, increasingly important market segment, where the Germans and Japanese marque Lexus have traditionally shared the spoils.
Over the past decade the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 and Lexus IS have become increasingly familiar sights in family driveways around Australia, in most cases replacing fancy Falcons and high-end Holdens as the choice of the upwardly mobile. It's the one part of the luxury market where volume is not just what you get from the stereo.
It is here that Infiniti is poised to make things decidedly uncomfortable for the established "big four". Infiniti's advertising campaign for the Q50 takes square aim at the Germans, although in reality its primary target is likely to be the recently reborn Lexus IS.
The Q50 offers two engine choices - one of them a diesel, the other a hybrid - giving it the ammunition to make most rivals squirm in their impeccably trimmed seats. There's also the choice of rear-wheel or all-wheel-drive (putting it in direct competition with Audi's Quattro); plus three trim levels. Price-wise, though, the Infiniti looks to have carved out some territory of its own.
The entry-level Q50 GT diesel ($51,990) offers enough luxury and technology at this price to make the other "big four" very uncomfortable indeed. Basic features include dual touch-screen displays including the iPad-styled InTouch system, satellite navigation, LED headlights, drive-mode selector; Bluetooth connectivity and audio streaming, leather trim, electric seats, windows and mirrors, digital radio, keyless start and tyre-pressure monitors.
An extra $6000 for the mid-range Q50S (from $57,990) adds bigger 19-inch alloys, adaptive steering, sport brakes and suspension, paddle-shifters, sunroof and Bose premium audio; while the range-topping Q50 S Premium ($61,900) includes all-wheel-drive, radar-guided cruise control, frontal collision avoidance system, lane departure avoidance, blind spot warning and intervention, all-round view monitor and active front lighting system. That's a lot of kit for a tick over $60,000.
Hybrid models (S and S Premium only) are respectively $10,000 and $12,000 more expensive than the diesel variants - but even at $73,900 (plus onroads) the flagship Hybrid S Premium represents tempting value.
We drove both variants - the diesel first, then the 3.5-litre V6 Hybrid. The overwhelming first impression when you jump into the Q50, regardless of which model you choose, is the sheer class and luxury feel of the cabin.
It looks and feels plush, classy and high-tech. Most notable is the iPad-style centre console - a glossy, touch-screen arrangement that, like the tablet computers that seem to have taken over our lives, allows you to navigate with a swipe of the finger through a menu of icons to access everything from satellite navigation, steering response settings, audio and climate control settings to a compass, choice of clocks (including a world clock) and even a performance monitor measuring the car's cornering G-Forces.
It's even possible to upload your Facebook and Google accounts to this InTouch system, which also incorporates an "App garage" for storing applications as they are added, via synching with your smartphone (Apple or Android).
The InTouch system raises the bar in terms of cabin design with a shiny, black, glassy surface and vivid icons shining through. Infiniti even provides buyers with a little polishing rag to keep the touch-screen clean from grubby fingers.
Other cockpit controls are tactile and well-placed, while the instrument binnacle is attractive and functional. Soft-touch surfaces and some glossy inlays complete a stylish cabin design. Quietness and cabin ambience rival that of its segment competitors.
Mechanically, the Q50 is a mixed bag.
The 2.2-litre turbo diesel engine - ironically based on a powerplant sourced from Mercedes-Benz - is good without being outstanding.
At idle it's a little rough, putting a discernable shudder through the otherwise serene cabin when the car is at ease. It's smoother when you add some revs and fairly hushed at highway speeds - and the automatic stop-start system restores the calm when you're stopped in traffic. It blends well with the seven-speed auto and its 5.2L/100km thirst is close to the benchmarks for this segment.
The engine is reasonably responsive but seems to lack the low-range punch of the twin-turbo diesel in the C-Class Benz; nor can it match the free-spinning crispness of the Beemer's oil-burner. It does, however, give the Infiniti an important point of difference over the Lexus IS. The Lexus can only offer a choice of 2.5-litre of 3.5-litre petrol V6s - or the new IS300h hybrid - which brings us to our second week in the Q50. That was spent in the Q50 petrol-electric hybrid - which will go head to head with the Lexus IS in chasing the eco-conscious buyer.
By combining a punchy 3.5-litre V6 with a self-charging electric motor, the Q50 delivers total outputs of 268kW and 546Nm - meaning it will scamper to the speed limit in a brisk 5.1 seconds. That's way quicker than its Lexus rival (which uses a smaller 2.4-litre four-cylinder Hybrid). But while it's more powerful, the Infiniti Hybrid isn't as smooth or as seamless as the Lexus - nor is it quite as frugal, despite its 6.8L/100km thirst. The Infiniti, however, can be driven in extended electric-only EV mode at speeds of up to 100km/h.
The Q50 shades its Japanese rival in terms of style - both inside and out. It's a beautifully-sculpted and proportioned piece of metal - from some angles evoking the latest BMW design queues - from others (notably around the front) it could be mistaken for its rival Lexus IS. Overall it looks sleek, sexy and very contemporary. Higher-spec models with larger, 19-inch wheels and sports suspension evoke an even more sporty, athletic gait.
It's impressively spacious inside, particularly in the rear seats, while boot space is good in the diesel models but less so in the Hybrid, which steals some cargo capacity to house the electric storage batteries.
Infiniti claims the Q50's front seats, designed using research by NASA engineers, offer new levels of spinal support and thus greater comfort over long trips, including improved blood circulation.
It means that Q50 owners will be able to get comfortable - and stay that way - for longer periods. Even if rival car-makers no longer can do the same.
INFINITI Q50
DETAILS: Four-door, five-seat mid-sized luxury sedan with the choice of four-cylinder diesel or six-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid engines; seven-speed automatic transmission.
TECH STUFF: 2.2-litre, four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine produces 125kW, 400Nm; 3.5-litre petrol-electric hybrid produces 268kW, 546Nm.
FEATURES: Five-star safety rating; dual-screen displays with touch-screen satellite navigation; InTouch app-style control system with internet access and downloadable applications; Bluetooth connectivity with audio streaming; drive-mode selector, digital radio, active noise control, tyre pressure monitoring, leather trim, electric seats, windows and mirrors, intelligent key with start button; direct active steering with lane control.
THIRST: Diesel 5.2L/100km; Hybrid 6.8L/100km.
PERFORMANCE: Diesel 0-100km/h in 8.5 seconds; Hybrid 0-100km/h in 5.1 seconds (5.4 seconds for all-wheel-drive versions).
VERDICT: Technology and luxury beyond its price tag.
BOTTOM LINE: From $51,900 plus onroad costs; Hybrid models add $10,000.
