Motor1.com attended a reveal event held behind closed doors about a year ago when Infiniti introduced the QX55 to a select crowd. The world premiere is finally happening today when Nissan’s premium marque will aim to capitalize on the crossover coupe craze, hoping it will help turn its fortunes in these challenging times.
While Honda will show off the all-new Civic on Twitch, Infiniti is sticking with the ol’ YouTube platform for the reveal event. Even though the QX55 has been previewed extensively in several teasers, the Japanese luxury brand has been coy on details. When we saw the production model back in November 2019, we found the swoopy crossover to be gorgeous and with visual nods to the original FX.
A new nameplate for Infiniti, the QX55 will be a sleeker take on the QX50 with a “provocative design.” The company says it’s going to be more than just a pretty face as the new arrival will “feature innovative technologies designed to empower, engage, and connect luxury customers to the road ahead.” That’s not saying much, but we’re expecting the oily bits to be largely inherited from the conventionally styled donor car.
It remains to be seen whether there will be a front-wheel-drive version or the QX55 is going to be offered exclusively with AWD. We’re leaning towards the latter given the model’s higher positioning in the range and the premium it will command over the standard QX50. Power should come from the same variable-compression turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, which delivers 268 hp and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) via a CVT.
In terms of performance, the BMW X4 and Mercedes GLC Coupe rival should stay close to the 6.3 seconds needed by the all-wheel-drive QX50 to reach 60 mph (96 km/h), en route to a top speed of 143 mph (230 km/h).
Since the QX55 will be available for the 2022 model year, it means sales will likely start next spring at the earliest. Expect the starting price to exceed $40,000 by a good margin considering the cheapest AWD-equipped QX50 kicks off at $39,950.