was reading online that the red sport branding is the replacement of the ipl brand. did you guys know this? kinda sucks. infiniti barely even put any effort into it lol.

 

I doubt that the IPL badge will be missed. If Nissan/Infiniti puts as much half-assed effort into the "Red Sport" as it did the IPL, than I would not expect anything significant. I am sure the true potential of the new Q60 will shine with the magic from the aftermarket community- not some OEM pencil pushers.

It really surprises me how little Nissan/Infiniti/NISMO supported the V/CKV36 platform in both the USDM and JDM markets while the 370Z, GT-R, hell even the Juke, gets tons of support, options, accessories, etc.

Time will tell.....

 

lol yup. watever parts were made for the 370z it jus trickled down to the g37 just because it fits too but the first gen g35 had nismo love tho that was cool

man kinda hard for ipl owners to repp ipl when even infiniti doesnt want to lol sadly. i really did have high hopes for the brand

 

Red sport branding isn't that cool either. Only exterior changes is the red S. Under the hood both 3.0t and RS look the same as well. No other special RS branding.

 

Not necessary. You don't seem them ofter which still makes them special to me.

 

well hoping next year they will do something cool with the exterior or maybe bring to life project black. that kit is cool

 

It will definitely be interesting to see how the Q60 evolves over the next year or so. Red Sport, Project Black, whichever. Or does not evolve, knowing Infiniti. The less this car has in common with the Z will make most of the difference. I do know that some executive team, somewhere, needs to either commit to and develop this car fully or watch this segment of their lineup dissolve.

The market for sport cars, especially from Japanese companies, is narrowing. German, Italian and, (gasp) American companies are upping the ante considerably. Manufacturers are willing to push the envelope as far as possible to attract those precious sales numbers. Toyota, realizing this, is bringing back the Supra (and likely introduce some idiotic Lexus variant) to compete in this pride driven segment. Even the Honda Prelude, while not exactly in the same class of car, is destined to come back from the automotive graveyard.

Nissan has a long standing and proven sports car heritage with the Z, the Silvia, the real Skyline, etc. The powers that be need to stick true to that DNA. As the old saying goes, sometimes what is old can be new all over again.

 

Lexus apparently quietly release an LC coupe

 

Unfortunately, the IPL was released as nothing more than a body kit and a reason to charge more money. I think this is when Infiniti should of introduced the U.S. version of the real GT-R. A VQ with a single snail that sat around 400-450 whp would've done wonders for the current RS line.

Infiniti seemed to stumble going from G to Q and really dropped the ball IMO. The G was a household name that got the respect it deserved thanks to the G35. The G37 did a really good job of carrying the torch and becoming a better version of its predecessor. A V6 with real attitude and character that sounded ferocious; all while looking fantastic and giving B+ reliability. The Q on the other hand is just....flat.

Infiniti seems very unsure of themselves and the direction they want to take things. Let's be real though when discussing why Infiniti has gotten no real focus or love from their parent(s)...They don't want it competing with the Z or GT-R. They're trying to dance on this tightrope and they're losing their balance. That said, are we getting a new Z or GT-R anytime soon or are we going to just keep throwing the same thing out there for 10 years with absolutely no significant improvements. Either they're lazy or Nissan/Infiniti have hit a wall in the R&D department. Let's not forget, even the new RS line is running the same 10 year old motor that the GT-R is...

The RS line just seems to be the lesser option compared to the M, AMG, or even the RS and S line that Audi offers. I wouldn't even say they're trying to compete with the lack luster effort to make them even stand out from every other Q50 or Q60 (see. Mitsubishi Evo X). Compared to the others, they are just...there. Nothing about it says "this is better because..." The G made you really think about what you gained over the 335, Mustang, Lexus IS350, Etc...

On an unrelated note, look for the Supra to miss the mark that landed it the moniker "king of the 90's". BMW engine and AT only says this thing is going to be less of an enthusiast tuner car and more of a $150k+ supercar. Unfortunately, I think long gone are the days of MKIV Supras, R34s, RX-7s, and VR4s and we should be prepared for repackaged hand me downs and the race to a 500 mile EC car that fits 2 1/2 people, looks like ****, and has the reliability of a Model X...

 

A single turbo VQ pushing 450WHP as a production model will have a higher price point to have that type of power in a production car. We will be able to get pre-owned RS's for low 30s in 1-2 years. There are FBO Q50 RS's running mid 11's already. It's a spacious, comfortable, great looking, and now can hold it's own amongst higher priced competitions with a few bolt- ons.

The RS line does not comapre to the M, AMG, RS, or S offerings but their price point also reflects that. Not to mention, Nissan has a better reputation for reliability/longevity than the other manufacturers mentioned.

While I agree Nissan could be doing more (IE: Dated 7AT), I am very happy with the direction they are taking with the Red Sport. I have my eyes on a 2018 RS as my next car.

 

I mentioned it as an example. Given what's under the hood of a Q50 and its starting price, I don't see why a single snail would be more.

Spacious(so is competitor)

Comfortable (so is competitor)

Great Looking (agree but subjective)

There's nothing there that makes you go for the RS right off the bat when you can get a CPO of one of the others for slightly more.

While it can hold its own after bolt ons, I'd rather have a factory fast competitor than a bolted Q 50 with a voided warranty. Few guys have already ran into motor issues soon after minor upgrades. I can also tell you now, as a 7AT owner, be ready to through money there as well to hold the power. At that point, where are we price wise? Also, Nissan/Infiniti have stripped the RS of what should have been carried over from the G that would've made them something special. They're cool but there's absolutely no soul there. No grit, attitude or persona that makes them special. Still share the Motor of a GT-R and the 7AT of the SUV. While I'd take my chances with an RS over a GT-R, I can't see the line lasting long due to the same reason IPL never took off.

Edit: TBH, if they swap the 7 AT out by the time the G is ready to retire I'll consider this as a very viable option to my current wish list. Insane what you can get a used one with <15k miles for right now.

 

IPL didn't really mean much anyways. This coming from an IPL owner. IMO more gimick than anything else.

The new r400 or whatever is basically a 335is. Cool but kind of underwhelming. I'd still consider getting one.

 

^actually the 300hp 3.0t variant of the twin turbo model should be the equivalent of the 335

 

^ That's why I said the r400 was like a 335is. Yeah it has 100hp more, but I assure you it's mostly the tune. I probably gained like 70hp at the crank with stock 335i + intake and JB3.

I look at r400 similarly to how I see the S5. It's in between 335i and M3. But I feel it's closer to 335 than M3.

 

Yea, RS I think is 350whp? After and exhaust and tune or something guys were putting down north of 400 to the wheels but I also heard a couple accounts of motors popping soon after. Kinda funny if you youtube RS videos at the drag strip it is smacking a lot of cars and running 12s. Can hear the people asking what the hell it is ha ha.