Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 Review: In 45 Seconds or Less
With looks that could kill, and performance that almost did, there is a lot to like about the 2018 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400.
There is a problem, though, and it’s the name. 2018 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 is simply too long. The badge on the back says ‘Q60S,’ and that is what I am inclined to call it. In fact, I initially forgot that the full name of the car was Q60 Red Sport 400, and referred to it as the Q60S. A cursory Google search shows that I am not alone on this. Though, I suppose a ‘Q60 Red Sport 400’ badge would look a bit silly plastered on the trunk.
Qualitative gripes aside, I have very few quantitative gripes about the Q60, especially in Red Sport 400 guise. This particular car was rear-wheel drive, which, at least in sunny California, is the better way to spec out your Q60 (Red Sport 400). With 400 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque available, the twin-turbocharged VR30DDTT V6 engine puts the sport in Q60 Red Sport 400. I guess it also puts the 400 in there, too, if you want to be pedantic about it.
I really cannot get over the name, but the Q60 is a really good car, so I am trying.
The 7-speed automatic transmission is generally a willing counterpart in whatever mischief you are looking to manage. However, it can occasionally balk if you request a quick downshift under hard braking, even if you are going slow enough for the lower gear. Full throttle upshifts are delightfully quick, except in manual mode. Don’t bother with manual mode for any stoplight drag racing chicanery. Full-auto is the way to win that race. At around town speeds, the engine and transmission generally work together swimmingly, offering smooth, luxurious motoring befitting the Infiniti badge.
SEE ALSO: 2018 Infiniti Q60 Red Sport 400 First Drive Review
Acceleration is impressive, with the patented butt dyno claiming a 4.5 second 0-60 run. Being a powerful, rear-wheel drive, turbocharged car, controlling the wheelspin at low speeds limits its off the line agility. The Q60 Red Sport 400 offers masterful passing prowess at freeway speeds. Very few cars will be able to spank this Infiniti in a drag race, unless you use manual mode and bounce off the rev limiter waiting for the transmission to shift. In that situation, a few cars might then be able to spank the Infiniti.
Alright, let’s leave the quantitative and revisit the qualitative. The interior is a fabulous place to occupy. The materials look and feel upscale, especially the interior trims. The Silver Optic Fiber trim is an $800 option that must be ticked when filling out the options boxes. It is an excellent spin on carbon fiber interior trim pieces that have become standard fair in most sports sedans and coupes.
However, for most occupants, the upscale vibe stops at the front seats. The rear seats are equally well upholstered, of course, but rear seat space is best used for luggage and groceries, not people. Unless your friends are part of the Los Angeles Contortionist Club, in which case, they will have plenty of room.
Contortionist jokes about the back seat aside, the interior is let down only by infotainment center stack. It operates well enough, but seems out of sync with the rest of the upscale interior appointments. It simply does not feel as premium as all of the other things that you touch in the car.
SEE ALSO: The Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge is a GT-R Sedan
The Q60 is a very comfortable machine to operate. It would likely lower your blood pressure if you drove it for long enough. This is a useful feature if you attempt to commute to, through, around or about Los Angeles. That is why I like it so much. It’s devilishly stylish, comfortable and quick. Even though I am over my red phase, the Dynamic Sunstone Red paint is gorgeous, and very much befitting to the look of the car.
With a base price of $52,000, and as tested price of $61,145, it seems priced well, to boot. A BMW M4 is a quicker, more competent performance car, but has a base MSRP some $14,000 higher than the Infiniti, and is decidedly less comfortable. The new Audi S5 makes for a really close fight in price, power and performance, but if rear-wheel drive is your thing it’s out of the running. Infiniti has carved out a sweet spot in the market for the Q60 Red Sport 400. It’s a car that knows exactly what it is, exactly what it isn’t, and exactly who wants to buy one. Now, about that name.
