The Red Sport is Infiniti’s performance version of the Q60 sport coupe. It was introduced for the 2017 model year and gets refreshed for 2018. It’s a hot looking luxury coupe that lives up to its name. Yes, it turned quite a few heads during my test week!
The Red Sport has a few tweaks that set it apart from the other Q60 models. Instead of the standard 19-inch wheels, the Red Sport gets 20-inchers as well as red “S” exterior badging, red brake calipers and special exhaust tips. And it gets a beefed up engine. It’s available with rear- or all-wheel-drive; AWD costs an extra $2,000.
A sport coupe with all-wheel-drive may seem a bit strange, but here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s not a bad idea. The Red Sport wouldn’t be my first choice to drive in a snowstorm, but at least you know you can get around in bad weather.
The four-passenger Q60 Red Sport 400 starts at $52,000 for the rear-wheel-drive model. The AWD model starts at $54,000. The price can escalate in a hurry with packages and options.
It’s powered by a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 that produces 400 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque, paired with a seven-speed automatic transmission. Yep, it’s fast. Touch the accelerator and it scoots off the line with no turbo lag. Accelerating and passing on the freeway are a snap. It’s the kind of car you want to push a bit. I had several drives between Portland and Salem in the Red Sport, and I had to be very careful to make sure I wasn’t speeding. It’s just too easy to find yourself cruising along without realizing how fast you’re driving. The ride is firm, as you’d expect in a sport coupe, but not harsh over rough roads. It stays planted when cornering.
You can customize the drive to your liking with the Drive Mode Selector and its Snow, Eco, Standard, Sport, Sport+ or Personal Drive settings.
EPA mileage estimates for my tester are 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway with a combined rating of 26 mpg. I got 19.5 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving.
The interior is beautiful with top notch materials. Although it’s technically a four-seater, it’s really best for two passengers. Theoretically, adults can squeeze into the backseat but you wouldn’t want to be there for long. At least you can put some cargo back there. Front passengers enjoy decent leg- and headroom and the comfortable bolstered seats provide lots of support.
The infotainment system has two touch screens; each one controls different functions. While the menus are logically laid out and graphics are large, the displays can be hard to see in sunlight, and fingerprints and smudges can be quite noticeable depending on the lighting. At least there are buttons and knobs for many functions.
Infiniti offers packages that add numerous driver assistance technologies including blind spot warning, rear cross traffic alert, backup collision intervention, moving object detection, adaptive cruise control, lane departure prevention and active lane control.
There’s not a lot of cargo space—just 8.7 cubic feet in the trunk—but that’s what you’d expect in most coupes.
The good:
Good lookin’ coupe that’s a head turner
Powerful engine makes for athletic handling
Beautiful interior with quality materials
Lots of driver assistance technologies are available
The not-so-good:
Price can climb quickly with packages and options
Infotainment system shows smudges and fingerprints
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay aren’t available
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $54,000. The Sensory Package is $2,250 and adds navigation, SiriusXM traffic, heated front seats, heated steering wheel and remote engine start. The Proassist Package is $2,250 and adds Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Backup Collision Intervention, Around View Monitor with Moving Object Detection, front and rear sonar system, Predictive Forward Collision Warning, Forward Emergency Braking with pedestrian detection and rain-sensing wipers. The Proactive Package is $2,850 and adds Intelligent Cruise Control, Direct Adaptive Steering, lane Departure Prevention with Active Lane Control, distance Control Assist, Blind Spot Intervention, Adaptive Front Lighting System with auto-leveling headlights, high beam assist, front pre-crash seat belts, advanced climate control system and eco pedal. The Silver Optic Fiber Interior trim and exclusive paint are $800. Infiniti illuminated kick plates are $400. The Carbon Fiber Package is $2,250 and includes Carbon fiber rear decklid spoiler, Carbon fiber exterior mirror covers, Carbon fiber fog lamp finishers and Carbon fiber fender vents.
Bottom line:
The Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 is a stunning coupe with lots of get up and go. These days, though, it’s tough to generate sales for anything except SUVs and crossovers. But the Red Sport is definitely an option for performance-oriented drivers who are considering a coupe with a European badge.
