Infiniti QX50 Concept Detroit Auto Show Bound

Infiniti will use the stage of the Detroit auto show to introduce the QX50 Concept. According to Infiniti, the model previews a possible application for its new, production-ready variable-compression turbo engine.

Earlier this year, Infiniti announced it would bring out the new engine in 2018, although it didn’t give a specific timeline for its rollout among different models. Using a multi-link system, the variable compression engine, dubbed VC-Turbo, can adapt its compression ratio to different driving conditions to offer optimal levels of performance and fuel economy.

“Such an advanced powertrain would be perfectly suited to the packaging of the QX50 Concept,” Infiniti said in a press release.

On the outside, the Infiniti QX50 Concept looks quite a bit like the QX Sport Inspiration Concept that debuted earlier this year at the Beijing auto show. It features muscular proportions and a raked roofline like the previous model, as well as a new large skid plate that lends the SUV a distinctly athletic appeal.

Infiniti says the QX50 Concept also previews the brand’s rollout of autonomous technologies. Expect the automaker to make an announcement on that front at the show, but in the meantime, Infiniti says its autonomous technologies are intended to act as a “co-pilot” rather than a replacement for the driver. The car will take over certain driving tasks, such as muddling through start-stop traffic, while the driver can focus on more enjoyable ones.

We’ll learn more during the Detroit auto show, which begins January 8.