Why fix something that is not broken? Nothing fits something moving or that has moving parts better than this adage. In the Infiniti stables there are two models they consider not to be cracked, broken or twisted – the Q50 that was once the G sedan and the QX70, fabled as the FX35. The former got a technological overhauling in the recent years. But in 2013, when the FX35 changed its decade-old name unceremoniously to the QX70, it was more of a rebadging than redesign. The new Q50 has moved on to a turbocharged era. The QX70 is holding fort for the purists.
Infiniti calls the latter the original sports crossover with uncontainable pride and will show you examples like the Vettel Edition of 2012 that was irrefutably stunning in stance and performance. They are now drawing your attention to echoes of the past in an edition they call Limited, which is a far cry from a true limited edition like the one co-conceived by the F1 driver, but nevertheless has the FX charm still working for it!
THE SPECS: 3.7 L V6, 329 HP, 360 Nm Torque @5200 rpm, 7 Speed Automatic Transmission, Intelligent All Wheel Drive, 0 – 100 in >6 sec, Fuel economy <6 km per litre
THE DIMENSIONS: L x W x H: 4859 x 1928 x 1651 mm Wheelbase: 2885 mm Kerb weight: 1985 kg Boot: 708 L
THE HIGHLIGHTS: Automatic HID bi-functional Xenon headlamps, LED taillights, Climate controlled front seats, Aluminium roof rails, moonroof, integrated rear spoiler, power tailgate, 11-speaker Bose® Premium Sound system, Rear view camera with front and rear sensors
LIMITED features: Two tone Leather-appointed, 8-way power driver and passenger seats, Special edition white stitching, Built in DRL lights, Grey painted 21” alloy wheels
THE PRICE: AED 163,000
THE UPSIDE: Naturally Aspirated V6, Iconic styling, Complete driver assistance
THE FLIPSIDE: Hazy camera, dated multimedia, fuel guzzler
The Drive
Infiniti’s attribution of a sporty heritage to this crossover is not totally baseless given that the base it uses is that of the Nissan 370 Z, of course in an extended form. Introduced in 2003, the second generation ran from 2009 to 2017. There hasn’t been a third yet, but now there is a limited.
The Infiniti QX70 Limited is driven by a 3.7L naturally aspirated engine, which is probably one of the few sporty non-turbo engines left in the market. If you wish for the 5.0L V8, you will have to place a custom order. The V6 engine is capable enough to produce 329 hp and 360 Nm of torque (note how the torque doesn’t display a stupendous boost unlike in turbo charged specs). You can’t really call its exhaust notes a motoring burble but they do suggest six cylinders at work.
The intelligent all wheel drive is designed to give the crossover more traction when required, by sending up to half the power to the rear wheels! This high revving power is the highlight of the Infiniti QX70 and it still uses a dynamic 7-speed transmission that can adapt to your driving style for performance or efficiency. Even the new Q50 hasn’t moved on from the 7-speed tranny but, unlike the Q50, the combination is intensely thirsty in the sport crossover. For the 200 km I drove, the figure was close to 6 km per litre but the car’s long-term record showed even less! A single fuelling still gives you over 500 km thanks to a 90 L tank. The Limited rides on formidable 21” inch wheels. On these the car felt rather steady, stable and much less stiffer than I anticipated.
The Infiniti QX70 Limited has a spirited drive that responds with agility. Ironically, even when I call the drive ‘sporty’, the steering isn’t true to it even though it feels firm and old school. If you ask me, the fact that paddle shifts are available only in the 5.0 L version sort of hurts the sporty pride of the 3.7L.
Cabin and Controls
As it happens, the naturally aspirated V6 is not the only throwback to an iconic past. The handbrake is another but it is more at home in the QX70 than in the contemporarily styled Q50! The multimedia console and the steering controls are another ‘classic’ thing loaned from the FX era. While I was quite appreciative of the certainty of those buttons once, it is hard to appreciate multiple layers of operation in the fast course of evolution. They are in stark contrast to the glossy screens of the new Q50. In the QX70, most functions are managed between the screen and the dashboard buttons while telephone alone is operated from the steering!
Infiniti has retained what I always considered a thoughtful feature – the camera-on-call button that doesn’t require you to shift to reverse to pop a view. Unfortunately, the camera also has been retained with its hazy, fuzzy screen output even when a new top angle view has been added! The 11- speaker Bose system deserves compliments and it still comes with a CD player – honestly, I still have kept my collection!
Regardless of the classic styling of the car, whatever is archaic in the cabin is vindicated by the driving assistance package, which is up-to-date. Lane Departure Warning, Radar Cruise Control, Blind Spot Monitoring and all that. These help as the car has a high hooded and crouching sort of a stance and narrow rear windows (though it doesn’t hamper the rearward view.)
Family Drive
While the hefty shape makes the QX70 look somewhat squat and compact, the inside has enough space and ample headroom. The Limited edition comes with quilted leather seats with exclusive white stitching; they are heated and cooled in front. It is one of the most appropriately specked Infiniti cabins, and the materials used are exemplary, including the light coloured veneer that defines a classy ambience. There is a small sunroof as well. The boot is deep enough though the hunchback design carves a slice out of its upper glassed area.
The essential Infiniti QX70 Limited
The Infiniti QX70 Limited is a paradox, which has modern gadgetry in a dated cabin. However for those who cheered for the FX, this is the chance to own one of the last standing naturally aspirated V6 engines, as it does one of its last laps in the market.
