Infiniti puts a price on its first diesel
The Infiniti FX, one of the sportiest driving – and certainly the sportiest looking – large crossovers on the market is now available with a sporting new engine under the bonnet. A diesel. This isn’t the only first for Infiniti in Europe because with the new engine comes the availability of new safety technology: Forward Collision Warning and Lane Departure Prevention.
Playing to the FX’s strengths, the state-of-the-art 3.0-litre V6 enhances the FX’s already torque-rich performance while significantly lowering CO2 emissions and fuel consumption for real customer benefit. To be called the FX30d, the four variant range joins the FX petrol V6 and V8 models in a new look line-up for 2010 – and at prices that are virtually identical to equivalent V6 petrol models.
Announced today, the FX30d costs from £45,150, just £200 more than the equivalent FX37 petrol model. Available in both luxury GT and more sporting S guises, the arrival of the diesel also marks the addition of new Premium specification grades with every possible feature included as standard – including the sophisticated new safety technology to help guard against collisions, available for the first time on any Infiniti in Europe.
The FX’s advanced construction, aerodynamic prowess and highly efficient intelligent all-wheel drive system provide the perfect accompaniment for the bespoke new V6 diesel engine. Fuel consumption on the combined cycle is trimmed to 31.4 mpg (9.0l/100km) while CO2 emissions drop to 238 g/km.
The diesel FX, however, remains a performance car at heart – as the new engine’s impressive 550 Nm (406 lb ft) of pulling power, available at just 1750rpm, demonstrates. Paired with the standard 7-speed Adaptive Shift Control automatic transmission, the piezo-injection engine powers the greener FX from 0-62 mph in just 8.3 seconds. But with more torque than even the petrol V8 of the FX50, it’s the diesel’s effortless overtaking pace that is set to leave the lasting impression.
The FX’s sports credentials are enhanced in the FX30dS model which puts the emphasis firmly on driver appeal. The S spec diesel includes 21-inch alloy wheels, sports seats, sports suspension and Rear Active Steering (RAS) – the first time this incisive handling technology has been available in the FX range on anything other than the FX50 flagship.
Sacrificing neither performance nor refinement over the petrol FX, the FX30d’s engine provides an exceptional breadth of capability. The exhaust has even been tuned so it sounds sporting. Uniquely, the V6 features a compacted graphite iron (CGI) block which combines the light weight of an alloy block with the smoothness of an iron block engine – without recourse to complicated extra engineering.
With 238 PS (235 bhp) the power output is among the highest of single-turbo V6 diesel engines. The turbocharger is mounted in the V of the engine which is set at an unusual 65 degree angle to the benefit of balance, reliability as well as packaging efficiency.
The new diesel model is available in four guises, all paired by equivalent FX37 petrol models in a simplified line-up designed to reflect a Europe-wide customer preference for top-end FXs. In practice the change means more features, fewer extra-cost options and a new top grade, Premium.
FX buyers can go in two specification directions: luxury GT or sporting S. The 2010 GT, in either FX30d diesel or FX37 petrol forms, comes fully equipped as standard with paddle-shift 7-speed automatic transmission, intelligent all-wheel drive, leather upholstery, heated and cooled front seats, bi-Xenon cornering headlights (AFS), rear view camera and parking sensors, powered front seat adjustment (with driver’s seat memory), electric reach and rake adjustment for steering wheel, glass sunroof, 20-inch light alloy wheels, I-Key with smart access, cruise control, Scratch Shield self-healing paint and a 7-speaker audio system including 6-CD changer, MP3 decoder, Aux-In and Bluetooth for mobile connectivity.
The S derivatives ramp up the sporting appeal with powered front sports seats, Continuous Damping Control (CDC) shock absorbers, 21-inch alloy wheels and, on the diesel S and 5.0-litre V8 petrol only, Rear Active Steering (RAS), which enhances both stability and agility. To distinguish the S, the model comes with smoked-glass headlamps and dark chrome exterior air vent and sill strip.
The new Premium grade enhances both GT and S models with features which are often unavailable in rivals. Safety is a particular focus, reinforcing the FX’s highest-possible five-star ranking in the EuroNCAP crash tests. Both GT Premium and S Premium versions of FX30d and FX37 are equipped with key elements of Infiniti’s innovative Safety Shield technology such as Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC) with full speed range, Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA), and Forward Collision Warning (FCW).
ICC ensures a safe distance to the car in front while the cruise control is operating. When cruise control is off – the majority of the time for most drivers – a combination of IBA and FCW remains constantly on alert, not just warning the driver of insufficient distance to the vehicle in front but pre-loading the powerful all-disc braking system in readiness for an emergency stop, should that become necessary.
Another safety bonus, for the diesel only, is the inclusion in Premium models of Lane Departure Prevention (LDP), available in Europe for the first time. Unlike rival systems which merely warn the driver when the car strays out of a designated traffic lane, Infiniti’s LDP gives a warning but crucially will then take action if that warning is not heeded. Gentle brake pressure on one side of the car guides the vehicle back into the correct lane. LDP functions only above 70 km/h and is automatically over-ridden by use of the indicators. The system can also be turned off by the driver if desired.
FX Premium versions are also equipped with innovations like Around View Monitor and a 30GB hard disk drive satellite navigation system, key ingredient of Infiniti’s headline Connectiviti+ information and entertainment platform. Notable for its wide ranging functionality and intuitive controls, the satnav is not just four times faster than the previous DVD-based system but includes a wide range of features and facilities, from Michelin Guide recommendations to 3D graphics, to take the stress out of journeys – and add some extra enjoyment, too.
On the music front, Premium models are equipped with a 10 GB Music Box which can store the equivalent of 300 CDs – and, as standard, a Bose® Premium Sound System on which to enjoy them.
As before the V8-powered FX50 remains the flagship. There are no changes to its specification for 2010 – virtually everything was already standard – but the model is now badged FX50 S Premium to reflect the new order.
Prices for the full range of 2010 FX models are as follows:
FX37 GT £44,950
FX30d GT £45,150
FX37 GT Premium £49,040
FX30d GT Premium £49,680
FX37 S £47,000
FX30d S £47,200
FX37 S Premium £51,090
FX30d S Premium £51,730
FX50 S Premium £56,400
The full range of both petrol and diesel-powered FX models is now available to order from an Infiniti Centre.
