2015 Infiniti Q70L 5.6 AWD

2015 Infiniti Q70L 5.6 AWD 2015 Infiniti Q70L 5.6 AWD
Instrumented Test

At the beginning, when the Infiniti brand was just a gleam in the eye of Nissan product planners desirous of the margins and prestige enjoyed by the likes of the Mercedes-Benz S-class, BMW 7-series, and Jaguar XJ, the money-shot locus of the Japanese automaker’s best technology and boldest ideas was the V-8-powered Q45 flagship. The car was loved by the press, less so by buyers.

Fast-forward 25 years and in lieu of a nice sterling-silver tea set to celebrate its anniversary in the U.S., Infiniti is ordering some Chinese take-out. More specifically, Infiniti is looking to recapture some of its former upscale Q-ness by sending its Beijing-chic stretched-wheelbase Q70L to these shores. (As a reminder, the Q70 was previously the M.)

Although the Q70L’s attractive cabin is awash in aniline leather and sparkly wood trim, the upwardly mobile Q70L goes about its luxury mission without the reclining rear seatbacks, hot-stone massages, and rear-seat entertainment offered by some competitors. And if the new Q70L’s rear appointments don’t exactly lay out Havana cigars, brandy decanters, and hundred-dollar bills, the added 5.6 inches of legroom are appreciated. At the same time, the car manages to look as dapper as its short-wheelbase Q70 sibling; the 5.9 inches added to wheelbase and overall length don’t result in the funhouse distortions suffered by other elongated versions of luxury four-doors—yeah, Porsche Panamera Turbo Executive, we’re lookin’ at you.

While European competitors are quickly whacking cubic inches and cylinder counts, the lanky Q70L offers the option of a good old-fashioned rumbly V-8 (in addition to a 3.7-liter V-6 and a hybrid). With no turbos to spool, the Q70L’s naturally aspirated 5.6-liter direct-injected V-8 comes by its ample 416 horsepower and 414 lb-ft of torque without a fuss. The seven-speed automatic deals seamless upshifts and, in manual mode, satisfying rev-matched downshifts. In our testing, the Q70L 5.6 AWD sprinted to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, good enough to show its taillights to a Mercedes-Benz S550 and a BMW 740Li and to stay on the tails of a BMW 760Li and a Maserati Quattroporte. Our test example was equipped with all-wheel drive, a big plus in areas that see wintry precipitation. And apparently, the extra 100-or-so pounds of stretch-wheelbase luxury doesn’t hurt fuel economy, as the AWD version of the Q70L receives the same 16/23-mpg city/highway EPA estimates as the regular-wheelbase Q70 AWD; we saw 17 mpg overall.

But if the Q70L’s stretch doesn’t hurt, it doesn’t help in some key dynamic areas, either. Although the Q70L’s 0.84 g of lateral grip and 173-foot stopping distance from 70 mph (with minor fade) in our tests put it in the ballpark with the S550 and the 740Li, some Infiniti deficits remain. In particular, the steering effort is artificially high (it’s not affected by the four different driving modes). And the helm feels a bit disconnected, lacking feedback. There’s little or no self-centering and the car demands vigilance to keep it pointed straight ahead. Our car was equipped with the $1150 Performance Tire and Wheel package, which did nothing to improve its luxury comportment. Impacts are on the harsh side, and we had to crank up the impressive-sounding 16-speaker Bose Studio Surround audio system (part of the $7200 Deluxe Technology package) to drown out the tire sizzle and background roar.

That Deluxe Technology package also includes more than a half-dozen electronic nanny systems. The active cruise control works flawlessly, but the lane-departure warning and forward-collision warning systems are annoying and intrusive. Thankfully, they can be switched off.

So, the transformation from Q70 to Q70L leaves no stretch marks. This Infiniti is still a sharp looker with a nicely crafted cabin and vigorous V-8 power. But it’s one that doesn’t handle with enthusiasm and lacks the ride quality and hushed interior expected of a top-of-the-line luxury sedan. The Q70L offers close to S-class/7-series size and presentation at an E-class/5-series price, but is that enough to channel the greatness of the original Q45? That would be a stretch.