The Infiniti G (now Infiniti Q50/Q60) and Lexus IS have been sparring partners in comparison tests and showrooms for two generations now. It only seems appropriate that the latest IS and Q50 debut alongside each other during the 2013 Detroit auto show.
The 2014 Q50 replaces the G37 Sedan but retains the 112.2-inch wheelbase and tried-and-true VQ-series 3.7-liter V-6 with 328 horsepower. A hybridized Q50 pairs an Atkinson-cycle 3.5-liter V-6 with an electric motor. The standard and only transmission is a seven-speed automatic. The 2014 IS rival comes in two well-recognized flavors: IS 250 and IS 350. Both make do with familiar V-6s: a 2.5-liter and a 3.5. An eight-speed auto transmits power for the IS 350.
The very first 2001 IS 300 went on sale in the year 2000. At the time, the G was the front-drive, 145-hp G20. Then in March 2002, the first G35 Sedan (part of the 2003 model year) hit the ground running while the G35 Coupe arrived that November. As you may recall, the G35 was our 2003 Car of the Year. The IS was fully redesigned and renumbered as the IS 250 and IS 350 for the 2006 model year. Before the G37 sedan’s release, the 2008 G37 coupe hit the scene in 2007.
And now, here we are. Japan’s two biggest competitors to the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Motown’s own Cadillac ATS are on the Detroit big stage together. In remembrance of the G and IS vehicles that have come and gone.
