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Nissan has unveiled the QX50 compact SUV, the first production car in the world to use an engine with a variable compression ratio.
The petrol unit delivers the power of a six-cylinder engine with the fuel economy of a four-cylinder to compete in the diesel dominated SUV sector.
Infiniti is struggling to take advantage of the mushrooming SUV market in the UK, because the brand does not offer diesel models amongst its line-up.
Such cars with their longer fuel economy and lower CO2 emissions have driven SUV growth.
The variable compression ratio will allow the driver to make full use of its 280hp available for performance, the QX50 offering a 0-63mpg time of 6.3 seconds in all-wheel-drive form, or alternatively use it in a way that returns the most effective fuel economy. While economy and emission figures are yet to be revealed, Infiniti insists they are significantly better than conventional engines of similar power.
Launching a new model promising both fuel economy but performance, at a time when increasingly buyers are turning away from diesel cars, could be just what Infiniti needs to unlock significant UK growth.
Infiniti adds that the all-new platform that underpins the QX50 will usher in levels of refinement, rigidity and interior space that will give the brand a distinct advantage against rivals in the segment.
Autonomous drive support technologies will also feature heavily on the model, though Infiniti insists that while its ProPilot Assist systems will help with acceleration, braking and steering during single-lane carriageway driving, the driver will still retain ultimate control over the car.
Initial market for the Infiniti QX50 will be the USA in 2018, and it will be offered as standard in front-wheel-drive format with all-wheel-drive as an option. The brand is not yet stating when UK sales will begin, though industry observers predict it will arrive before the end of 2018 at prices likely to begin from around £35,000.
Andrew Charman
