Infiniti released Monday another teaser of its forthcoming FX55 crossover coupe, giving us a full-color look at what was previously a mere suggestion of a silhouette.
There’s not a ton of substance in Infiniti’s follow-up tease or the accompanying announcement, but the company did take the time to remind us that it is no stranger to building practical utility vehicles with a priority on style.
“The QX55 is not the first INFINITI SUV with a coupe silhouette,” the announcement said. “The FX, launched in 2003 as the first crossover to fuse sports car design with SUV practicality, still influences and inspires INFINITI design to this day.”
Infiniti FX55 sketch
The latest sketch—along with the model nomenclature—leads us to believe that the QX55 will be based on the existing QX50 architecture, which means the final product should be front-wheel-drive based with optional all-wheel drive, likely powered by Nissan’s variable-compression turbo-4. This engine makes 268 horsepower in other applications, but could be tuned differently for the QX55.
The key question is whether a new, fashionable crossover or SUV will propel Infiniti out of its recent slump and generate some hype. Nissan’s premium arm, which announced a reorganization that included a withdrawal from Western Europe and the discontinuation of the subcompact QX30 (co-developed with Mercedes-Benz) and full-size Q70 sedan, has seen better days.
Infiniti announced plans to electrify its lineup to jumpstart a new identity. The most significant indication of the company’s future electric vehicle direction was the Qs Inspiration concept shown in Shanghai in April. In the meantime, it desperately needs more attractive products to remain relevant, with sales volumes falling off by nearly 20% this year compared to 2018.
Beyond that, Infiniti’s teaser announcement said only that more details will be revealed before the new crossover is launched next year. For now, we wait.
