The Q30 takes Infiniti’s now familiar design ethos (think Etherea, Essence and Emerg-e) and applies it to a smaller C-segment vehicle. While this moves the brand down a segment rather than up, the method in which Nissan has approached the idea doesn’t cheapen but rather appears to strengthen the brand.
The Infiniti Q30 concept aims to blur the boundaries between a crossover, coupe and SUV. That’s an area that’s trending right now as more automakers increasingly look to diversify their typologies to appeal to a younger demographic. The ‘typology blurring’ confetti is just a very smooth light savvy marketers have chosen to cast on a new car that’s going to be built on the Daimler MFA architecture. We’re willing to bet it’s pretty close to the entry-level Infiniti crossover that’s set to make its debut late next year.
As a collaboration between Infiniti’s emerging design team in the US, Japan and Europe, the rakish crossover concept points towards a new dawn of design for the luxury brand, which Executive Design Director Alfonso Albaisa revolves around “passion, precision and provocation”. With a voluptuous bodyside, definitive crescent shaped C-pillar and an innovative rear end treatment that blends the backlight with the taillamps to accentuate the vehicle’s width, it’s a far different proposition than the Mercedes GLA with which it shares its platform.
While Infiniti has very strong crossover lineage — the FX was first to the coupe/crossover party but didn’t make as many waves as the X6 — the Q30 doesn’t stand out as much. Does it have what it takes to render the company successful in the world’s lower, high volume segments?
We spoke to the project’s Nissan Design Europe-based design manager, Bert DeHaes (he now has an Infiniti-branded business card rather than one that reads Nissan), about the Emerg-e concept’s design to find out.
