Infiniti coupe has the flash and the dash

A menu of Mark Glover’s AutoGlo reviews of the latest motor vehicle models also can be seen on The Sacramento Bee’s website at www.sacbee.com/news/business/article4005306.html

This review first appeared in the December 2018 edition of the Northern & Central California Cruisin’ News published out of Folsom, California – mg

Sacramento, California – Sometimes, I run across a car that makes me wonder: Why don't more people know about this vehicle?  Shouldn't there be more marketing for this model?

A recent invitation to put a 2018 Infiniti Q60 3.0t Sport coupe through its paces prompted these thoughts.  I came away impressed ... and wondering why I wasn't seeing more of this ride on the local roadways. Maybe I wasn't paying attention.

In my time with the Q60, I liked the flashy sports coupe look of the model (love those machined 19-inch wheels with black pockets), and the 300-horsepower, turbocharged V-6  sent the red-colored rocket off the line with authority.

The Q60 was remarkably agile and responsive in slalom runs and took to twisty uphill roads with enthusiasm.  The car has a wide, low-to-ground stance that seemingly grabbed the road in a crushing hug that I could not break, despite my best efforts to challenge traction.

All this was enhanced by a thoughtful, attractive dash layout that all but shouted performance sports car.

The thought of the available 400-horsepower engine for a Q60 got my head to spinning, but frankly, the 300-horsepower package was all I needed.  Oh, by the way, this Q60 can be had in rear-drive or all-wheel drive.

The starting price on my ride was less than $50,000, which I thought was a fairly reasonable rate for this hardware.  Sure, there is a lot of high-horsepower competition out there for a similar price, and maybe that explains why I'm not seeing more Q60s on the Northern California roadways.

With all those Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes and other hot coupes on the market, the Q60 is trying to stand out in an ultra-competitive segment.  But in my view, the Q60 more than stands tall in this crowd.

I guess it all boils down to taste.  Infiniti likes to boast that the Q60 is part of its "powerful elegance" approach to design, and OK, I get that.  But for me, the best parts of the deal were the muscular performance and superior handling characteristics of the tested Q60.  It was so easy to steer, even in tight corners.

If you're in the market for a sports coupe, absolutely test all those Mustangs, Camaros and Corvettes out there.  But add the Q60 to your list as well.

It might change your mind.