Infiniti recently discontinued its only remaining sedan, the Q50, but it seems it will be more of a hiatus than a cancellation. Last summer, reports surfaced that the company would return to the sedan game in just a year or two, and the company's executives confirmed the vehicle - which lacks a name but could continue the Q50 moniker - not long after. Infiniti also seems to have a clear idea for its new sedan: a sporty, exciting sports sedan to take on other small to midsize luxury models like the BMW 3 Series.Infiniti To that end, Infiniti is focusing on enthusiast features such as strong power, a good chassis, and even a manual transmission. None of that sounds great for volume, but the company seems unconcerned. This will be a halo car meant to give Infiniti attention and build its image. Here's what we know so far about the upcoming Infiniti Sports Sedan. Why It’s So Important Infiniti In the early 2000s, Infiniti was on its way to becoming a luxury automaker held in the same regard as BMW, and much of the credit for that went to the original G35. It was effectively a rebranded version of the latest Nissan Skyline (the first generation that separated from the GT-R). That generation used a platform known as FM, and it was also used by the closely related 350Z. Contemporary reviews compared it extremely favorably with the benchmark BMW 3 Series.Following the G35 was the G37, which was thoroughly refreshed for the 2007 model year and brought a larger, more powerful 3.7-liter V6 (the same as the one in the 370Z). It also gained some oddball variants, including a model with a smaller 2.5-liter V6, and a retractable-hardtop convertible. The little V6 only stuck around for a single model year.For the 2014 model, the sedan was redesigned again, and it got the new name of Q50. Like the two previous G models, the Q50 continued to be based on the Japanese-market Skyline. It launched with the same 3.7-liter V6, along with a mild-hybrid 3.5-liter V6. Those were later replaced by a turbocharged four-cylinder and a twin-turbo V6. A high-output version of the V6 arrived soon after, and the two V6s were the only options for the last couple of years.The Q50, though, wasn't as well received as its predecessors. It also suffered from being around far too long. The 2024 model year was the 11th for the sedan. The Q50 even went up against two different generations of BMW 3 Series with just minor engine, feature, and trim changes.Infiniti"There's a following of the InfinitI brand that really believes in this, and we think we can connect with this group of people and attract them. Is the volume opportunity gigantic in this market? Probably not. But does it represent a statement? I think it does."- Tiago Castro, Infiniti Americas Vice PresidentIn fact, Infiniti is generally focusing on improving quality and desirability across the whole lineup first, rather than solely trying to increase sales. That's important for the sedan's efforts not to ring hollow."We would be very, very good having five or six models in the right segments, with the right performance, with the right finish, doing exactly what clients want. And we can be very successful. So that's something that I'm working on to be our secret sauce."- Tiago Castro, Infiniti Americas Vice PresidentWe'll have to wait to see and drive the car to know if Infiniti will be successful, but based on what we know so far, the brand may have a highly entertaining and unique vehicle in the works. Platform & Powertrain Infiniti As we've already touched on, the next Infiniti sedan will probably be based on the next-generation Nissan Skyline, and both cars will likely keep using a heavily modified version of the FM platform. The Nissan Z also uses the platform, and it gives us some idea of what will probably be under the hood: a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. In the Z, it makes 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque.Those specifications match the last Q50 Red Sport. A 300-hp version was also available on the old Q50, though it's unclear whether the new model will get that engine, considering Infiniti's focus on making this car a low-volume halo car. In fact, it could even get the more potent Nismo Z engine, which makes 420 hp and 384 lb-ft of torque.Surprisingly, Infiniti has already confirmed that a manual transmission will be available on the car, and the company is expecting up to 10% of buyers to choose it. The nine-speed automatic from the Z will likely be the option for those who don't want to operate a clutch. We're also expecting both rear- and all-wheel drive to be offered, though the manual will likely only be available with rear drive. What The Brand Needs To Get Right Infiniti Infiniti seems to be on the right track with making this sport sedan unique and appealing to enthusiasts. Just offering a manual transmission of any type is a big deal, as the transmission has virtually vanished from other companies. Since it will probably be paired with the engine from the Z, it likely won't just be a slow, budget version that would discourage enthusiasts from buying.Now one of the main obstacles facing this car will be the old platform. The FM platform appeared with the original Infiniti G35 and Nissan 350Z. We've seen multiple completely new generations of key competitors, such as the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Audi A4 and A5. Fortunately, Nissan has shown that it's surprisingly adept at making its old platforms quite competitive with the new Z and even the Frontier. Plus, the twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 makes enough power to be an interesting alternative to higher-trim versions of those German cars. It might not match the full performance versions with M and AMG badges, but the Infiniti manual sedan sports sedan will still make it unique and compelling.What Infiniti should probably focus on is experience over outright performance. Ensure that it has a great sounding engine and a playful and communicative chassis, and price it under the performance versions of the Germans, and Infiniti could have a real winner. The company has also created some beautiful interiors for its cars, even its more mediocre ones, and that could be another area the new sedan could shine. Whether this potential new Infiniti sports sedan will be a winner depends on how it stacks up against the competition. Rivals BMW The primary competition for the new Infiniti sedan will come from the big German luxury brands, and odds are that it will compete most closely with the hot versions of the mainline sedans from these brands, and not the full M, AMG, and RS versions. These all have somewhere around 400 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque, give or take a few depending on the application. They all have 0–60 mph times in the low four-second range, with the all-wheel-drive M340i being the quickest at 4.1 seconds, the Audi and Mercedes tied at 4.3 seconds, and the rear-drive M340i at 4.4 seconds. These models all start in the low-$60,000 range, too.They do differ in how they make their power, though. The M340i has a turbocharged straight-six, the S5 has a turbocharged V6, and the Mercedes has a turbocharged inline-four.Audi The new Infiniti sports sedan could also potentially go up against the base BMW M3, which is one of the rare models still available with a manual. That car's 473 hp is a bit of a stretch, but not impossible for the Japanese twin-turbo V6, and the 4.1-second 0–60 mph time isn't that remarkable anymore. The Infiniti could also probably come in well below the M3's steep price tag.The Cadillac CT4-V line is also a car that the Infiniti would be competitive with, but it's going away this year with no known successor. It also offered impressive value, and it might be a good model for Infiniti when it launches.Mercedes-AMG Here's how these compare:Sources: Infiniti
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