Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)

Youngest ever triple F1 World Champ Sebastian Vettel tweaks a standard Infiniti into a carbonfibre clad V8 monster SUV. The quality doesn’t match the price tag.

What: Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)
Where: Reading, United Kingdom
Date: November 2012
Price: £100,800
Available: On sale now

Key rivals: BMW X6 M, Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG, Porsche Cayenne GTS, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport

We like: Looks, exclusivity, V8 soundtrack
We don’t like: Price, efficiency, performance and finish not as good as rivals

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti

Hats off to Infiniti. Still relatively unknown in the UK, the luxury arm of Nissan has managed to shift nearly all of its 10-strong allocation of the £100,800 FX Vettel Edition earmarked for Britain already.

Yes, you read that right. £100,800. You do get some interesting extras for your money though. Each buyer gets a carbon-backed iPad to track build progress of their car and a ‘money can’t buy package’. For previous customers that has included being driven around a racetrack by Mr Vettel himself.

Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car is based on a standard £58,280 FX 50 S Premium, but receives some lavish carbonfibre addenda, new wheels, a touched up interior and a more powerful engine.

It looks mean. The carbon front bumper, side skirts and rear diffuser are meant to resemble this year’s Red Bull F1 car – the diffuser even wraps around a central fog light inspired by the single-seater’s rear rain light.

If you want the carbonfibre rear spoiler too, that’ll be another £4,800. As it stands then, our FX Vettel Edition test car cost £105,600. Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car’s 5.0-litre V8 produces 420hp, an increase of 30hp over the 50 S Premium, with the extra ponies liberated by a freer breathing exhaust.

Fire the engine up and it instantly sounds more potent than the standard car, the eight-cylinder motor barking with a flare of revs as it catches before settling to a purposeful idle.

While 420hp might not seem excessive in a two-tonne-plus SUV, the FX Vettel Edition is deceptively quick. 0-62mph comes up in 5.6 seconds, while the car will run on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

The seven-speed conventional automatic gearbox handles the performance well, shifting between ratios smoothly and without drama. It helps overtaking, too – just prod the throttle, let the transmission do the rest and anything the lethargic side of a Porsche Boxster S will be dispatched with ease.

Infiniti

There’s a switchable mode for the two huge exhausts that protrude from the diffuser, but even in the loudest setting it’s never too loud – inside, at least.

No more than a purposeful rumble penetrates the cabin, though from outside the cacophony of noise can be heard from a fair distance. Infiniti FX Vettel Edition: aggressive looks, aggressive sound.

While the engine is strong, the brakes are a little more suspect. The setup is progressive and easier to use than some hair-trigger brake systems on other 4x4s, but with no cross-drilling or grooving for the discs and over two tonnes of mass to haul down, even on a short run they began to show signs of fade.

Far from being a hunkered down sports SUV, the tweaks applied to this special FX have been created with Mr Vettel’s ideal day-to-day car in mind. Sporty but liveable.

You’ll find plenty of grip to exploit

They’re well judged, too. The bespoke 21-inch BBS wheels and narrow profile tyres look like they’d crash from lump to bump, but saving 3.5kg in unsprung weight per corner, wheel control is excellent.

Sport mode firms things up, but not to the degree where your teeth will be chattering over cat’s eyes.

Unfortunately, the steering doesn’t match the quality of the ride. It’s eager, but there’s little communicated back to the helm as to what the tyres are doing.

If you do take something of a leap of faith, you’ll find there’s plenty of grip to exploit from the reassuring four-wheel drive system, while roll is kept under wraps thanks to the 20mm drop in ride height.

Infiniti

There’s plenty in the way of equipment inside the Red Bull employee’s company car: sat-nav, electric seats, an 11-speaker Bose sound system, Bluetooth, climate and cruise control all come fitted as standard.

There are some nice extra touches, too. The nicely adjustable seats give plenty of support and are trimmed in half leather and half Alcantara.

The button layout is confusing

The B-pillars are also wrapped in Alcantara, while contrasting purple stitching holds the upholstery together. It sounds garish, but it’s just right.

The Vettel Edition is subject to the same failings as the standard car it’s based on, however. While every piece of technology you’d want is in there, the way it’s integrated leaves a little to be desired.

The button layout is confusing and interior ergonomics aren’t up to the standard of the competition. For a six-figure price tag, you’d expect better than this. Still, it’s comfortable and refined, with wind noise suppressed well.

If you’re worrying about fuel economy in a £100,800 5.0-litre V8 SUV modified for an F1 superstar, you’re missing the point. Infiniti claims 21.6mpg combined with 307g/km CO2 emissions. Driving sensibly we saw an average of 15.8.

Safety is strong though. The FX gets five stars from Euro NCAP. There’s lane departure warning and prevention, forward collision warning, radar guided cruise control and the usual crop of stability systems. Because Sebastian needs it all, of course…

The FX Vettel Edition is a great ploy by the company to raise its profile in its continuing attempts to breakthrough to the premium market. That it’s nearly sold all the vehicles at a price tag of £100k shows it’s moving in the right direction.

But it is an indulgence for the super rich, for those who want to be different. And next to a £100,000 new Range Rover it’s not as well rounded or luxurious. It’s good, but still not quite good enough.

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

View the original article here

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)

Youngest ever triple F1 World Champ Sebastian Vettel tweaks a standard Infiniti into a carbonfibre clad V8 monster SUV. The quality doesn’t match the price tag.

What: Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)
Where: Reading, United Kingdom
Date: November 2012
Price: £100,800
Available: On sale now

Key rivals: BMW X6 M, Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG, Porsche Cayenne GTS, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport

We like: Looks, exclusivity, V8 soundtrack
We don’t like: Price, efficiency, performance and finish not as good as rivals

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti

Hats off to Infiniti. Still relatively unknown in the UK, the luxury arm of Nissan has managed to shift nearly all of its 10-strong allocation of the £100,800 FX Vettel Edition earmarked for Britain already.

Yes, you read that right. £100,800. You do get some interesting extras for your money though. Each buyer gets a carbon-backed iPad to track build progress of their car and a ‘money can’t buy package’. For previous customers that has included being driven around a racetrack by Mr Vettel himself.

Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car is based on a standard £58,280 FX 50 S Premium, but receives some lavish carbonfibre addenda, new wheels, a touched up interior and a more powerful engine.

It looks mean. The carbon front bumper, side skirts and rear diffuser are meant to resemble this year’s Red Bull F1 car – the diffuser even wraps around a central fog light inspired by the single-seater’s rear rain light.

If you want the carbonfibre rear spoiler too, that’ll be another £4,800. As it stands then, our FX Vettel Edition test car cost £105,600. Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car’s 5.0-litre V8 produces 420hp, an increase of 30hp over the 50 S Premium, with the extra ponies liberated by a freer breathing exhaust.

Fire the engine up and it instantly sounds more potent than the standard car, the eight-cylinder motor barking with a flare of revs as it catches before settling to a purposeful idle.

While 420hp might not seem excessive in a two-tonne-plus SUV, the FX Vettel Edition is deceptively quick. 0-62mph comes up in 5.6 seconds, while the car will run on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

The seven-speed conventional automatic gearbox handles the performance well, shifting between ratios smoothly and without drama. It helps overtaking, too – just prod the throttle, let the transmission do the rest and anything the lethargic side of a Porsche Boxster S will be dispatched with ease.

Infiniti

There’s a switchable mode for the two huge exhausts that protrude from the diffuser, but even in the loudest setting it’s never too loud – inside, at least.

No more than a purposeful rumble penetrates the cabin, though from outside the cacophony of noise can be heard from a fair distance. Infiniti FX Vettel Edition: aggressive looks, aggressive sound.

While the engine is strong, the brakes are a little more suspect. The setup is progressive and easier to use than some hair-trigger brake systems on other 4x4s, but with no cross-drilling or grooving for the discs and over two tonnes of mass to haul down, even on a short run they began to show signs of fade.

Far from being a hunkered down sports SUV, the tweaks applied to this special FX have been created with Mr Vettel’s ideal day-to-day car in mind. Sporty but liveable.

You’ll find plenty of grip to exploit

They’re well judged, too. The bespoke 21-inch BBS wheels and narrow profile tyres look like they’d crash from lump to bump, but saving 3.5kg in unsprung weight per corner, wheel control is excellent.

Sport mode firms things up, but not to the degree where your teeth will be chattering over cat’s eyes.

Unfortunately, the steering doesn’t match the quality of the ride. It’s eager, but there’s little communicated back to the helm as to what the tyres are doing.

If you do take something of a leap of faith, you’ll find there’s plenty of grip to exploit from the reassuring four-wheel drive system, while roll is kept under wraps thanks to the 20mm drop in ride height.

Infiniti

There’s plenty in the way of equipment inside the Red Bull employee’s company car: sat-nav, electric seats, an 11-speaker Bose sound system, Bluetooth, climate and cruise control all come fitted as standard.

There are some nice extra touches, too. The nicely adjustable seats give plenty of support and are trimmed in half leather and half Alcantara.

The button layout is confusing

The B-pillars are also wrapped in Alcantara, while contrasting purple stitching holds the upholstery together. It sounds garish, but it’s just right.

The Vettel Edition is subject to the same failings as the standard car it’s based on, however. While every piece of technology you’d want is in there, the way it’s integrated leaves a little to be desired.

The button layout is confusing and interior ergonomics aren’t up to the standard of the competition. For a six-figure price tag, you’d expect better than this. Still, it’s comfortable and refined, with wind noise suppressed well.

If you’re worrying about fuel economy in a £100,800 5.0-litre V8 SUV modified for an F1 superstar, you’re missing the point. Infiniti claims 21.6mpg combined with 307g/km CO2 emissions. Driving sensibly we saw an average of 15.8.

Safety is strong though. The FX gets five stars from Euro NCAP. There’s lane departure warning and prevention, forward collision warning, radar guided cruise control and the usual crop of stability systems. Because Sebastian needs it all, of course…

The FX Vettel Edition is a great ploy by the company to raise its profile in its continuing attempts to breakthrough to the premium market. That it’s nearly sold all the vehicles at a price tag of £100k shows it’s moving in the right direction.

But it is an indulgence for the super rich, for those who want to be different. And next to a £100,000 new Range Rover it’s not as well rounded or luxurious. It’s good, but still not quite good enough.

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

View the original article here

Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)

Youngest ever triple F1 World Champ Sebastian Vettel tweaks a standard Infiniti into a carbonfibre clad V8 monster SUV. The quality doesn’t match the price tag.

What: Infiniti FX Vettel Edition (2012 onwards)
Where: Reading, United Kingdom
Date: November 2012
Price: £100,800
Available: On sale now

Key rivals: BMW X6 M, Mercedes-Benz ML 63 AMG, Porsche Cayenne GTS, Range Rover, Range Rover Sport

We like: Looks, exclusivity, V8 soundtrack
We don’t like: Price, efficiency, performance and finish not as good as rivals

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

Infiniti

Hats off to Infiniti. Still relatively unknown in the UK, the luxury arm of Nissan has managed to shift nearly all of its 10-strong allocation of the £100,800 FX Vettel Edition earmarked for Britain already.

Yes, you read that right. £100,800. You do get some interesting extras for your money though. Each buyer gets a carbon-backed iPad to track build progress of their car and a ‘money can’t buy package’. For previous customers that has included being driven around a racetrack by Mr Vettel himself.

Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car is based on a standard £58,280 FX 50 S Premium, but receives some lavish carbonfibre addenda, new wheels, a touched up interior and a more powerful engine.

It looks mean. The carbon front bumper, side skirts and rear diffuser are meant to resemble this year’s Red Bull F1 car – the diffuser even wraps around a central fog light inspired by the single-seater’s rear rain light.

If you want the carbonfibre rear spoiler too, that’ll be another £4,800. As it stands then, our FX Vettel Edition test car cost £105,600. Can it possibly be worth a six-figure sum?

The car’s 5.0-litre V8 produces 420hp, an increase of 30hp over the 50 S Premium, with the extra ponies liberated by a freer breathing exhaust.

Fire the engine up and it instantly sounds more potent than the standard car, the eight-cylinder motor barking with a flare of revs as it catches before settling to a purposeful idle.

While 420hp might not seem excessive in a two-tonne-plus SUV, the FX Vettel Edition is deceptively quick. 0-62mph comes up in 5.6 seconds, while the car will run on to an electronically limited top speed of 155mph.

The seven-speed conventional automatic gearbox handles the performance well, shifting between ratios smoothly and without drama. It helps overtaking, too – just prod the throttle, let the transmission do the rest and anything the lethargic side of a Porsche Boxster S will be dispatched with ease.

Infiniti

There’s a switchable mode for the two huge exhausts that protrude from the diffuser, but even in the loudest setting it’s never too loud – inside, at least.

No more than a purposeful rumble penetrates the cabin, though from outside the cacophony of noise can be heard from a fair distance. Infiniti FX Vettel Edition: aggressive looks, aggressive sound.

While the engine is strong, the brakes are a little more suspect. The setup is progressive and easier to use than some hair-trigger brake systems on other 4x4s, but with no cross-drilling or grooving for the discs and over two tonnes of mass to haul down, even on a short run they began to show signs of fade.

Far from being a hunkered down sports SUV, the tweaks applied to this special FX have been created with Mr Vettel’s ideal day-to-day car in mind. Sporty but liveable.

You’ll find plenty of grip to exploit

They’re well judged, too. The bespoke 21-inch BBS wheels and narrow profile tyres look like they’d crash from lump to bump, but saving 3.5kg in unsprung weight per corner, wheel control is excellent.

Sport mode firms things up, but not to the degree where your teeth will be chattering over cat’s eyes.

Unfortunately, the steering doesn’t match the quality of the ride. It’s eager, but there’s little communicated back to the helm as to what the tyres are doing.

If you do take something of a leap of faith, you’ll find there’s plenty of grip to exploit from the reassuring four-wheel drive system, while roll is kept under wraps thanks to the 20mm drop in ride height.

Infiniti

There’s plenty in the way of equipment inside the Red Bull employee’s company car: sat-nav, electric seats, an 11-speaker Bose sound system, Bluetooth, climate and cruise control all come fitted as standard.

There are some nice extra touches, too. The nicely adjustable seats give plenty of support and are trimmed in half leather and half Alcantara.

The button layout is confusing

The B-pillars are also wrapped in Alcantara, while contrasting purple stitching holds the upholstery together. It sounds garish, but it’s just right.

The Vettel Edition is subject to the same failings as the standard car it’s based on, however. While every piece of technology you’d want is in there, the way it’s integrated leaves a little to be desired.

The button layout is confusing and interior ergonomics aren’t up to the standard of the competition. For a six-figure price tag, you’d expect better than this. Still, it’s comfortable and refined, with wind noise suppressed well.

If you’re worrying about fuel economy in a £100,800 5.0-litre V8 SUV modified for an F1 superstar, you’re missing the point. Infiniti claims 21.6mpg combined with 307g/km CO2 emissions. Driving sensibly we saw an average of 15.8.

Safety is strong though. The FX gets five stars from Euro NCAP. There’s lane departure warning and prevention, forward collision warning, radar guided cruise control and the usual crop of stability systems. Because Sebastian needs it all, of course…

The FX Vettel Edition is a great ploy by the company to raise its profile in its continuing attempts to breakthrough to the premium market. That it’s nearly sold all the vehicles at a price tag of £100k shows it’s moving in the right direction.

But it is an indulgence for the super rich, for those who want to be different. And next to a £100,000 new Range Rover it’s not as well rounded or luxurious. It’s good, but still not quite good enough.

Read our review of the Infiniti FX30d
Read our review of the Infiniti FX50

Find out much an Infiniti FX is worth on Auto Trader
On Bing: see images of the Infiniti FX Vettel Edition

View the original article here

2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Preview Parade, Float Number Three

July 22, 2011 at 5:20pm by Steve Siler

We’re now in week three of the seven-week, seven-picture preview parade Infiniti has undertaken for its JX crossover SUV. In this third detail shot, we can see the JX’s take on the kinked D-pillar that Infiniti promises will be a hallmark of its styling moving forward, as well as the rearmost glass panel of what is likely a full-length panoramic roof. We can also see that the metallic roof rail cleverly conceals the liftgate hinge at its rearmost edge, and that the lower portion of the doors will incorporate a light-catching crease. Also, based on this and the last two shots, we also are left to surmise that Infiniti’s favorite color for its new crossover is a mossy green. Click here to see the first shot and here to see the second, and check back with us next week for the next preview shot.

Tags: Infiniti, Infiniti JX |

View the original article here

2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Spy Photos – Future Cars

2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Spy Photos – News – Car and Driver #pallet {margin:0;}#echoice li.category {margin:0;}Car and DriverIntelligence. Independence. Irreverence. VehiclesReviewsNewsFeaturesBuyer's GuideFollow UsSubscribeSearch Car and DriverHome › News › 2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Spy Photos - Future Cars

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2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Spy Photos - Future CarsInfiniti’s three-row crossover may be covered in garbage bags, but it’s still a Nissan.BY JUSTIN BERKOWITZ, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MICHAEL MCNAMARA FOR BRENDA PRIDDY & CO. AND THE MANUFACTURER
June 2011

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Photos (89)Visit Our Buyer's Guide »InfinitiNews & Reviews2013 Infiniti JX Concept Sketch - Auto ShowsTop CompetitorsAcura MDXAudi Q7BMW X5Lincoln MKTMercedes-Benz GL-class

Infiniti’s EX and FX crossovers are a hoot to drive, but as showroom performers, they’re the Microsoft Zunes of the automotive world. Crossovers like the Lexus RX and Acura MDX trounce the duo’s combined sales by tremendous margins every month in the charts. The execs at Infiniti are well aware of this, and are preparing the three-row JX to properly mount an assault on the luxury-crossover market.

Through the garbage-bag garb of this prototype, we can make out an Infiniti grille that may even beat that of the M sedan for bulginess. The roofline of the car in these photos is clean and elegant, tapering towards the rear into the oval-shaped rear window like those of the EX and FX. The design seems very far along—perhaps it’s even finished—and in profile, the truck is somewhat reminiscent of the low-slung Audi Q7. There isn’t a lot you can do to disguise seating for seven.

Infiniti Badge, Nissan Roots

Unlike the rest of the current Infiniti lineup, which depends on just two rear-drive-based platforms—one for the G, M, EX, and FX, and a second for the QX—the JX will borrow a front-drive-based Nissan platform. (Our guess is the architecture from the Altima and Murano.) The bosses at Nissan and Infiniti haven’t yet spoken to the degree of differentiation between the JX and any Nissan siblings, but we expect the Infiniti to be something more than simply a stretched and rebadged Murano.

Our spy photographer also got a clear shot of the JX prototype’s interior, and the car shows both its Nissan roots and some Infiniti-style touches. The layout of the center stack is clearly dependent on what you’ll find in the Nissan Murano, with a centrally mounted display flanked by air vents. The gearshift lever is similar to what you’d find in other Infinitis, though, and you can also spot the same knob on the center console, situated between the seat-heater controls, that controls chassis settings on other Infinitis.

As we previously reported, Nissan has filed paperwork with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office to trademark JX20, JX25, JX25h, and JX30. Which—if any—of these badges will one day adorn JX crossovers on the road is difficult to say. Infiniti’s current naming convention indicates the engine displacement in liters multiplied by ten, and we have a hard time believing the company would sell a three-row crossover SUV with a 2.0-liter or 2.5-liter engine—at least in the States. What’s more, Nissan doesn’t even have a 3.0-liter engine in the parts bin right now, save a diesel six offered in a few Renaults. In spite of there not being a trademark filing for JX35, we think the crossover is most likely to receive Nissan’s ubiquitous 3.5-liter VQ V-6, which produces in the neighborhood of 290 hp in most of its front-wheel-drive applications. Given Nissan’s proclivity for rubber-band transmissions, a CVT may be the only transmission on offer.

That’s where the speculation ends. In showing off its sketch in New York, Infiniti laid out its timeline for the JX: It will show a concept version at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August, and follow that with a production vehicle at the L.A. auto show in November. Expect more information as those dates near.

 


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2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Spy Photos – Future Cars

May 19, 2011 at 12:31pm by Justin Berkowitz

Infiniti’s three-row crossover may be covered in garbage bags, but it’s still a Nissan.

Infiniti’s EX and FX crossovers are a hoot to drive, but as showroom performers, they’re the Microsoft Zunes of the automotive world. Crossovers like the Lexus RX and Acura MDX trounce the duo’s combined sales by tremendous margins every month in the charts. The execs at Infiniti are well aware of this, and are preparing the three-row JX to properly mount an assault on the luxury-crossover market.

Keep Reading: 2013 Infiniti JX Crossover Spy Photos – Future Cars

Tags: crossover, Infiniti, Infiniti JX, Japanese, luxury, spy photos, SUV |

View the original article here

Infiniti Etherea Concept – Prototype Drive

May 18, 2011 at 6:31pm by Jens Meiners

We drive Infiniti’s one-of-a-kind Geneva concept and upcoming Audi A3 fighter.

It is extremely rare for automakers to invite journalists to drive their concepts, so we didn’t hesitate for a second when Infiniti Europe’s Wayne Bruce offered to let us take a spin behind the wheel of the compact Etherea. Launched in March at the Geneva auto show, the Etherea is, unlike many other concept cars, not just the next series-production car on slightly bigger wheels. While the Etherea points to a compact Infiniti that could be reality in as little as three years, we can safely assume that the production car won’t share much with the carbon-fiber skin of the concept.

Keep Reading: Infiniti Etherea Concept – Prototype Drive

Tags: concepts, Infiniti, Infiniti Etherea concept, Japanese |

View the original article here