Five years in the making since Mercedes-Benz and Renault-Nissan Alliance inked a strategic collaboration in 2010, Infiniti is all set to unveiled its GLA-based compact contender on 15th September in the coming Frankfurt motor show. For now, only two official images have been released.
For all intents and purposes, the Q30 is a virtual twin of the Mercedes-Benz GLA underneath its shapely skin, but they couldn’t be more different aesthetically-speaking, inside and out (we’ve included the GLA images for comparison purposes). Infiniti has certainly taken liberties in penning the Q30, something that a growing premium brand was always expected to do if it is to attract new customers to its fold.
“Q30’s sculpted exterior and asymmetric cabin design are unmistakably Infiniti,” says President of Infiniti, Roland Krueger. “With the Q30, we are entering a new segment for Infiniti and broadening the offer to our customers. This vehicle is a vital part of our strategy to be a top tier global manufacturer of premium cars.”
Suffice to say, the Q30 is unabashedly daring and curvaceous, staying true to the Q30 Concept shown at the same venue in 2013, and not looking anything like a GLA knockoff…or anything else for that matter. If there was a Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue for cars, the Q30 would probably be on the cover.
Infiniti insiders have indicated that while the Q30 shares the mechanicals of the entry-level Mercedes, it will have its own distinct chassis calibration and tuning. It remains to be seen if Infiniti is able to improve upon the MFA platform and upstage its German partner, but the prospect is enticing.
Expect the Q30 to arrive in Malaysia in 2016 (here’s hoping that it’ll be in the first half) with a choice of powertrains mirroring what Mercedes-Benz is currently offering with the GLA (sans the crazy AMG) – a 156PS/250Nm 1.6-litre FWD and a 211PS/350Nm 2.0-litre AWD – both turbo-charged four-cylinder engines mated to 7-speed dual-clutch transmissions.