The Infiniti Q80 Is Neat But Won't Look Anything Like The Actual Car

You ever look at a concept car and immediately think, "Yeah, the production car isn't gonna look anything like that?" That's the reaction I get out of the Infiniti Q80 Inspiration Concept. But that's okay, because it's something different from a brand that needs it, and the concept looks cool to me.

The Q80 concept made its online debut today right before its official unveiling at the Paris Motor Show, and while it's pretty wild, Infiniti does say it is "the precursor of a production model in this segment and, as such, integral to our future."

Curiously, they also say it's "Infiniti's first foray into the premium sedan category." Really? The firs premium Infiniti sedan? What about all the other ones? What about the Q45? Isn't that why they re-named everything Q? Why even runs this company anymore?

I'll put my confusion aside to talk about the Q80. It's a full-sized sedan aimed at the Audi A8, BMW 7-Series and the like. The concept is supposedly powered by a 3.0-liter twin turbo V6 with electric hybrid assistance good for 550 horsepower, something they say previews new engines that will be added to the Infiniti family in the coming years.

Other features include an interior HUD, autonomous driving aid systems, and what they call "portal-style doors," because you can't really put the phrase "suicide doors" into a press release.

Infiniti says the Q80 will preview all their future products. For the most part, I'm a fan of how it turned out, so I say that's a step in the right direction.