To Infiniti and beyond.

An SUV described as ‘inspired by sports car design’ is usually an invitation see something hideous. And no, I didn’t mention the Cayenne…

The redesigned Inifiniti FX has broken cover and to be honest, I’m blown away. If this isn’t the best-looking SUV out there I’d like to know what is. The profile of the FX has always been rakish, almost dangerously sleek, but the new car mixes beautiful proportions with sensuous surfacing. This is the version coming to Europe this year. I think Range-Rover and Porsche dealers might be breaking into a sweaty rash sometime soon.
“2009 INFINITI FX50 — SUV INSPIRED BY SPORTS CAR DESIGN — All-New, iconic Infiniti FX50 Offers Power, Refinement, Safety and Exhilaration —

Already a strong contender in the United States and other global markets, the Infiniti FX performance luxury crossover SUV takes on Western Europe with an all-new, second-generation design featuring a newly developed 5.0-liter V8, 7-speed automatic transmission, enhanced exterior styling, advanced interior design and innovative technology and safety equipment.”

No apologies for the plentiful pics - I love this car.

Bocanegra

From AutoCar:

‘The Bocanegra previews the hottest version of the new Ibiza, which will most likely wear the Cupra badge.

It’s powered by a 1.4-litre TSI turbo engine, tuned to offer around 200bhp. The concept gets a seven-speed DSG ’box, which should also make it into the production model, making the Ibiza Cupra the only car in its class to offer DSG.

The Bocanegra’s proportions, muscular shoulders, sweeping headlights, sharply flared side panels and panoramic sunroof will all feature on the finished car.

Take away the most overtly aggressive styling touches, particularly the large alloys, and you’re left with the standard Ibiza.

The concept’s black, heavily meshed front grille and bumpers are the most likely candidates to be toned down on the production car.

The word ‘Bocanegra’ literally translated means ‘black mouth’ and harks back to the Seat 1200 Sport of 1975, which picked up the nickname in Spain. Seat says the Bocanegra represents a new design language for all future models.’

The Face says: This looks sharp. Thoroughly walks over the parent company’s Scirocco. The interior in particular with the high-gloss ebony detailing and deep quilted leather is a surprise from Seat. Looks almost mini-Bentley in its inspiration. Externally, some of Luc Donckerwolke’s Lamborghini experience has come across here, with the  aggressive surface breaks and taut forms. I’d like one in flat white please.

Scirocco revisited.

Just reading some comments about the Scirocco on a few other sites. Seems this car’s grille and light graphics are a bone of contention. According to one poster on a UK car-magazine site, the reason for the drastic concept-production change is:

‘If I may remind you, the ScIROCco concept was shown while Wolfgang Bernhard was still in charge of VW and Murat Günak was the brand’s head of design. When Martin Winterkorn took over from Pischetsrieder and Bernhard he asked Audi head of design Walter de’ Silva to come along; every model that was in the pipeline at that point was reviewed by Winterkorn and de’ Silva, which spared us a hideous Phaeton facelift, but left the gravest traces on the Scirocco, whose design was deemed not ‘classy’ enough by the new management. Therefore we now have a car that’s lacking its main showpiece, namely its gaping front grille (as seen on the concept) and is therefore a clash of two different styles. And I stand by my word that it’s hard to tell what brand the car is from the outside without referring to the badge attached.’

….Probably impossible to prove, but it indeed would be a shame if politics had obscured an interesting concept from evolving into an equally interesting production car..

Audi Q7

Audi’s Q7 caught testing, undisguised. Not a new car, nor even a refresh, this is the V12 TDi version of the largest Audi. Apparently this beast will sprint from 0-60 in 5.5 seconds, with hardly a puff of oily smoke and return ‘at least 20mpg’…..

Debatable though the sheer bulk and excess of this car is,  I’m more interested in the frankly ‘ginormous‘ gaping air vents adorning the front - surely the human equivalent of a goatee, and large porkchops. A veritable Audi feast of ‘face-furniture’ if you will.

Where will this vent-growth end??;

VW Scirocco Production

Ahead of Geneva, pics of VW’s new Scirocco have been circulating on the net. It’s a bold new direction for VW.

So, somewhat disappointingly different from the concept, but still recognisably the same car.

Of note:

Totally new grille design for a VW - the straight horizontal from grille to bonnet/hood gives a slightly ‘flat’ feel to the front of the car. Looks a little like an afterthought….Markedly altered from the concept - seen as too Audi-like?

Rear 3/4 view is to my mind more successful. Retains the muscular feel of the concept, with the large offset from cabin to wheel.

Interesting to see what it’s like without the 18-19″ rims shown on the photo car..