The G-spot

[hotrodalex]

LT V8 is just a refreshed LS Which has roots in the small block which goes back to the 60s. Right?

[12,000 RPM]

Nah, a number of lesser (and older) cars have had N/A ~90+ hp/L - S2000, Civic SI, Genesis 3.8L, new Mustang 5.0, BRZ/FRS, Azera 3.3L, Camaro 3.6L, and I'm sure others.

There is plenty left in the VQ or a N/A V6 in general - bump up to 4.0L, add DI, throw in a bit more tech, and ~375 hp is easy. If Infiniti were to spend time on a really good A/T or DSG and again make available the M/T, Infiniti could definitely break the segment open (again).

U still miss the point tho

Look at all the cars u listed........ only one of em is a luxury car. The rest are all sports cars. 96% of luxury car buyers don't want top end wail... they want quiet effortless thrust, which requires torque. Could the VQ be stretched? Sure, out of boredom one day I listed all the parts needed for a big bore stroker and the VQ can go to 4.4L with off the shelf parts. But u can pretty much kiss whatever remnants of smoothness it had in the original VQ30 goodbye. The more they punch it out the rougher it runs, which is the opposite of what someone dropping 50 large on a luxury car wants for the most part.

Your premise is off. The idea that the segment needs more excitement is what sunk the ATS/CTS.... the reality of what the segment wants is why BMW has gone "soft" and still retains a stronghold on sales in the market. It is a shame that there are no "engineer's cars" in the segment.... I too would love a simple honest sport sedan. But u understand how business works.... theres no case for a VQ40 RWD sedan with a simple infotainment interface.

And Infiniti is already on board with the VQ30VHR-TT.....

http://jalopnik.com/the-sexy-infiniti-q60-will-pack-a-400-hp-twin-turbo-v6-1685629067

There is much more to developing a motor than simply chopping cylinders off.  Completely different crankshaft (and configuration).  It also has twin balance shafts (the I6 motors do not have any; they don't need them) to quell the inherent buzziness of an I4, which means the block design had to be altered to include provisions for the shafts.  It shares some geometries (bore spacing, bore and stroke), and likely uses the same pistons and con-rods, but that doesn't make it a lightly refreshed motor.

And the N55 is more than an N54 with a single turbo instead of twins.  Completely different head and valvetrain (N55 has Valvetronic, N54 did not).

Well obviously they will have to reconfigure it to work as a 4 cylinder; point is it wasn't some from scratch design.

And N54 block + N52 head + twin scroll = N55

Im not trying to knock BMW, it's smart to use what u got and not reinvent the wheel. But my point is pretty much all BMWs current engines have direct roots back to about 2004 and everyone in the segment is rocking "old" engines.

[SVT666]

The more they punch it out the rougher it runs,

That's actually not true. The VQ37 is smoother than the VQ35.

[Eye of the Tiger]

That's actually not true. The VQ37 is smoother than the VQ35.

However, the VQ40 in the NV van is not pleasant at all. Of course, it is a work van and not a luxury car.

[MrH]

To all you guys knocking this segment: the answer is simple.

Genesis R spec. $32k, 429 hp, usable back seats, all the tech you could want.

[12,000 RPM]

No way just off the interior alone. Hardware is good but the interior looks like a $32k Hyundai (and not even a current one). Curb weight and auto only... no thx.

[Laconian]

To all you guys knocking this segment: the answer is simple.

Genesis R spec. $32k, 429 hp, usable back seats, all the tech you could want.

I'm sure it makes my fuel economy look like a Prius' by comparison.

[MrH]

No way just off the interior alone. Hardware is good but the interior looks like a $32k Hyundai (and not even a current one). Curb weight and auto only... no thx.

It's got a real leather dash. it's nice stuff.

I'm sure it makes my fuel economy look like a Prius' by comparison.

It's not too bad actually. Low 20s usually. High teens if I'm really getting on it regularly (which is most of the time).

[Tave]

The Genesis R Spec retails for over $50,000.

[MX793]

Well obviously they will have to reconfigure it to work as a 4 cylinder; point is it wasn't some from scratch design.

And N54 block + N52 head + twin scroll = N55

Im not trying to knock BMW, it's smart to use what u got and not reinvent the wheel. But my point is pretty much all BMWs current engines have direct roots back to about 2004 and everyone in the segment is rocking "old" engines.

By that logic, every engine out there today is just a tweaked/modified/refinemed/scaled-up/scaled-down iteration of an older engine.

[MrH]

The Genesis R Spec retails for over $50,000.

They weren't selling for that price though. And most of the cars being discussed are near $50k

[Laconian]

Humans are tweaked/modified/refinemed/scaled-up/scaled-down iterations of cyanobacteria.

[SVT32V]

Humans are tweaked/modified/refinemed/scaled-up/scaled-down iterations of cyanobacteria.

No, we are not derived from photosynthetic organisms.

[CALL_911]

No, we are not derived from photosynthetic organisms.

Lol word

[FoMoJo]

No, we are not derived from photosynthetic organisms.

Eukaryote?

[GoCougs]

To all you guys knocking this segment: the answer is simple.

Genesis R spec. $32k, 429 hp, usable back seats, all the tech you could want.

I'd definitely rather have a G37 or Q50.

[Tave]

They weren't selling for that price though. And most of the cars being discussed are near $50k

One wasn't selling for that price at least: a dealer promo with a busted suspension. I doubt your purchase was indicative of average sales price.

I realize the others are closer to $50K, you brought up $30K as a selling point.

[MexicoCityM3]

One wasn't selling for that price at least: a dealer promo with a busted suspension. I doubt your purchase was indicative of average sales price.

And fucked up electronics too.

[MrH]

#V8envy

[GoCougs]

Nah, if that were the case I'd have a V8-powered car, and thing is, most any AWD V8 car is pretty awful.

[68_427]

It didn't even come with AWD!!!!

[12,000 RPM]

Cougs lives that adventure lifestyle you see on TV so AWD for mountain passes is a legit must

Which kinda sucks as RWD is pretty damn fun (though admittedly not so much in a big ass car.... the way my dad's M45 pitched and rolled and snapped was scary; Z was way more predictable by comparison)

[68_427]

I will build coug's car using the internet

[MX793]

Cougs lives that adventure lifestyle you see on TV so AWD for mountain passes is a legit must

Which kinda sucks as RWD is pretty damn fun (though admittedly not so much in a big ass car.... the way my dad's M45 pitched and rolled and snapped was scary; Z was way more predictable by comparison)

Interesting.  Generally bigger (longer wheelbase, at least) cars aren't as tailhappy.

[12,000 RPM]

Interesting.  Generally bigger (longer wheelbase, at least) cars aren't as tailhappy.

Suspension tuning on that car was bizarre. It felt like they tried to keep the ride soft with soft springs, but control the heavy low profile wheels with harsh shocks. Something just wasn't right. Also had an open diff and unresponsive transmission... it all just didn't really work.

The upsides were it still looks really good IMO and the V8 was strong. Back seat was really cramped for its size though. It was a weird half assed car.

[Laconian]

C.diff = colitis bacteria.

[Morris Minor]

From Consumer Reports' 2015 Brand Reports

Nissan's luxury Infiniti division always has promise but rarely hits a home run. Fit and finish is usually very good, and the powertrains are first-rate, but for a few years now most Infiniti vehicles haven't impressed us overall, and reliability has never been up to Lexus standards. One exception was the midsized G37 sports sedan, which was once a Top Pick. Its replacement, the Q50, has been unimpressive. Infiniti's flagship Q70 sedan, formerly the M, remains a very good car, with proven above-average reliability, in contrast to the smaller Q50, whose debut year was a disaster. Infiniti's current alpha-numeric naming convention seems designed to confuse. Sedans all use a Q prefix; SUVs use a QX.

Subscription site: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/04/car-brand-report-card/index.htm

[GoCougs]

The G35/G37 was/is one of the best cars to come out of Japan in many years.

[SVT666]

Except for the 7AT programming.  One of the worst programmed transmissions I've ever experienced.  I throw it into Sport and it's much better, and if I'm driving in a spirited manner, I shift manually.

[MexicoCityM3]

The G35/G37 was/is one of the best cars to come out of Japan in many years.

I agree. I loved the G37S that I drove.