June 14th, 2017 | By Jesse Ialuna

Infiniti has built some of the best valued cars in recent times, even back to when they started in 1989.

The first of the original G-sedans was called the G20, it then changed to the G35 and then G37, and it offered a visually stunning a perfect look and combination of power, looks, and handling and its successor, the G37S, and IPL, was just as good. However, for 2014, the G-sedan was dropped and resurfaced as the Q40, the sedan became the Q50, and the coupe became the Q60. The Q50, is beautiful, having lost the bland styling and aged design, as there was in its predecessors. But in 2016, Infiniti recently announced that the nicely trimmed Q50 line would get a bounty of new turbocharged engines, added on the the 3.7 liter V6 producing 328 horse power. Of which included a smaller, less athletic 208-hp four-cylinder turbo and two 3.0-liter V-6s divided into 300 and 400 horse power levels of tuned clear hope brought forth that the car might, like it did for its introduction in late 2013, once again achieve the greatness they so desire.

For starters, The Q50’s search for greatness leads them to the release of the very fast, very elegant and sleek, Q50 Red Sport 400. This is certainly not your average Q50, or sports luxury car at all, there’s plenty of power and technology that leads most everyone speechless, and the engine never seems at all underpowered in the slightest bit. This new VR 3.0-liter’s plentiful bounty of horsepower builds up in a strong action in compliment to its 6400-rpm endpoint, and the 3.0 twin-tubocharged engine’s 350 lb-ft of torque shoots from 1600 to 5200 rpm when asked for. As far as the engine, the engine’s twin turbochargers are crafted brilliantly into the exhaust manifolds, a design that defineltely helps nearly get rid of turbo lag. Although, I know the 328-hp Q50 can strike zero to 60 mph in a decent 4.9 seconds as we owned one before we opted to purchase a fully loaded Red Sport, and we know that we can now fully expect the much more sportier Red Sport, to finish the same job in 4.4, maybe a little bit quicker when equipped the now optional four-wheel drive. The now lighter, yet now stripped down chassis plays a role, too, and in this case, the Q50’s standard seven-speed automatic gearbox has some impressing to do as far as beating competitors. It does as good job competing with the gearboxes in competitors such as the less powerful BMW 340i and the newly introduced as a redesign Audi S4, which has less horsepower, Although it does a good job, it serves up some surprisingly grumbly shifts, even when placed in Sport and Sport Plus driving modes. For the Red Sport, the other possible chassis modes include Personal, Standard, Eco, and Snow. This 3.0 twin-turbo is a well crafted engine that deserves great recognition alike to the equally brilliant seven-speed automatic placed in the newly introdced competitor, the 2016 Mercedes-Benz C450 AMG, so I hope that Infiniti can prove that it comes with a better gearbox than the AMG powered C450 AMG, which is has 40 more horse power than. I would have made it a suggestion that prospective buyers search for the manual transmission instead, but the Q50 has never offered one, but it comes with a manual transmission mode now popular in most high-end luxury and performance cars.

This newly discovered twin-turbo six-cylinder is also an engine that deserves a better sound to it. In comparison to, maybe, the BMW 340i, the Q50’s high-output turbo six sounds utilitarian and uninspiring, it sounds very disappointingly similar to the previously used 3.7-liter V-6.

Although, Infiniti took a lot of attention towards to the Red Sport 400’s chassis and drivetrain. And once again, like before, for the 2014 model year, only two steering systems are offered by Infiniti, a more standard displacement with a new electric power assist and an updated version of Infiniti’s completely by-wire Direct Adaptive Steering system. If there’s such a thing as too much feedback, our very own fully loaded Red Sport with the standard steering system had it. Initially, we were thrilled with the copious feedback and very quick response, but after 90 minutes at the wheel, the constant vibrations caused our palms to tingle before nearly going numb. We’re not necessarily suggesting that Infiniti dampen it much or at all; simply wrapping the wheel with softer leather or perhaps microsuede could really help. Neither would be out of character for a car with the Red Sport’s mission statement.

As for the steering, known as the Direct Adaptive steering, the latest changes have added some more to it, and while the standard drive-by-wire system still helps keep the wheel intact meanwhile taking on larger impacts such as roadkill, potholes and the occasional speed bumps, now. In other matters, the Red Sport handles very nicely around corners, especially with the two-mode Dynamic Digital dampers reachable in Sport or Sport+ mode. Both of these modes offer similar powertrain and equal suspension settings. Body roll is greatly controlled in both settings, and the high-quality brakes are fantastic in terms of power and road feel. Now staggered-width Dunlop brand summer run-flat tires now come standard on the rear-wheel-drive equipped Red Sport 400s and measure 245/40R-19 in the front and 265/35R-19 at the rear, in comparison, they hold on tenaciously, even with the width of the rear rubber, the back end will move outwards other than immediately in lower-speed turns if the driver in this case went hefty on the accelerator. The Red Sport 400 also is available with an optional four-wheel drive mode, and that model comes equipped with 245/40 all-season Dunlops on all four tires.

Noticeably, the Infiniti Red Sport 400 is identifiable not only by its exhaust tips, but, by its staggered 19-inch wheels on rear-drive models, and the red “S” on its sides of the body and trunk. Apparently sneaky speed seems to be Infiniti’s battle strategy when it cimes to this model. When initially asked, Infiniti would not disclose the Q50 Red Sport’s price except to say that “When it arrives this spring it will be less than $50,000” but, a well equipped model can stretch into the mid $60,000s which makes it somewhat of a good deal, as compared to 400-hp sedans that don’t have the word SRT in their name. With that mentioned, a good number of less-powerful sedans strike me as both more better looking including the competitors the previosly mentioned Mercedes C450 AMG and BMW 340i and seemigly more bang for your buck, so whilest the Infiniti Red Sport 400 is a big deal for the Q50, somethings should be improved and revised, but, the technolgy and enginerring exceptional.