Infiniti has published a teaser image of a forthcoming "sport utility coupe" set to go on sale next summer wearing the name QX55.
The luxury automaker says today's brushstroke image was inspired by the roofline of the brand's original FX crossover of 2003. It was a mid-size model (eventually renamed QX70, and discontinued after 2017) whose snug interior could have qualified it for SUV coupe trendsetter status.
Despite the Infiniti QX55 being just a year away, the Japanese brand has shared no details about the forthcoming model. However, given that all of Infiniti's existing models use even-numbered names, we think the 55 suffix suggests the new model will be a derivative of the QX50 compact crossover.
If that's the case, the QX55 will probably follow the lead of the German SUV coupes that started this trend. Just as vehicles like the BMW X4 and X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLC and GLE coupe are based directly on those brands' more traditional SUV models, we think Infiniti's new addition will borrow the QX50's platform and mechanicals, including its variable-compression 2.0L turbo four-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission. Although a sloping roofline will likely make it less practical (less rear headroom and legroom along with a smaller cargo capacity), it might also end up being more performance-oriented than the QX50.
The Infiniti QX55 will arrive at the brand's retailers in the summer of 2020.