YOKOHAMA, Japan — Infiniti is previewing more athletic, commanding styling for the next-generation QX60 three-row crossover, promising it will elevate the brand’s premium image.
The sleek, platinum-hued QX60 Monograph debuted late Thursday in an online unveiling from the global headquarters of the Infiniti brand’s parent, Nissan Motor Co. The vehicle is a close-to-market design study of the production version midsize QX60 that is expected to be redesigned and go on sale next year.
Updating the QX60 is a critical step in rejuvenating the premium brand, said Peyman Kargar, who took over as global chairman of Infiniti in June. The nameplate is the brand’s No. 2 seller worldwide behind the QX50, racking cumulative sales of 400,000 globally since its launch.
Infiniti’s global sales peaked at 249,000 in 2018 before dropping 24 percent to 188,994 last year. Kargar said the goal is to maintain market share in 2020, even as sales fall amid the brand’s pullout from Europe and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We keep all the good momentum in terms of power and equipments,” Kargar said of the upcoming QX60 in an interview ahead of the reveal. “The point is, we are going to increase the premium features, much more. You can feel the power and serenity of the luxury brand.”
The QX60 Monograph will make its auto show debut at the Beijing Motor Show that starts this month. The production version will initially be made alongside its Nissan brand stablemate, the Pathfinder midsize crossover, and be sold in all Infiniti markets, including China, Russia and the Middle East.
Infiniti is pitching the next QX60 as a “sophisticated yet functional solution for a busy, modern family.” The overall stance of the new design is more stout, sleek and futuristic.
“The current QX60 is popular with families and is known for offering spacious packaging and comfortable, dedicated three-row seating,” the Japanese premium brand said in a release. “The proportions of the QX60 Monograph illustrate Infiniti’s intention to maintain these strengths while transforming the model with a more aerodynamic, muscular silhouette.”
The QX60 Monograph’s wide body and track lend a more planted look than that of the outgoing model.
Designers sprinkled the vehicle with styling flourishes meant to imbue it with a sense of ma, the Japanese term for spatial harmony, through the combination of subtle details. The approach can be seen in the origami-inspired folds of the mesh in the vehicle’s double-arch grille.
In the front and rear, the Monograph gets “digital piano key” lighting that projects a futuristic feel, while the rear lamps wrap around the tail in a continuous swoop.
Kargar said next year’s arrival of the QX60, along with the addition of the QX55 coupe-styled compact crossover, should help lift the brand’s sales.
Infinti sales in the U.S. tumbled 34 percent to 41,653 vehicles in the first six months of the year. QX60 sales plunged 47 percent to 12,171, but the nameplate was the brand’s top-seller stateside.