ST430 - congratulations! super sharp car and LOVE that gray exterior.

driving impressions? pros/cons?

 

Congrats! How do you find the performance?

 

That was a congratulations... I made it clear that the car he bought is better than anything Lexus offers at the moment in that class.

I am sorry if you got offended by this.

 

Audi also does the brushed aluminum-look on the mirrors of their S models.

 

Nice deal, again, CONGRATS!

Another thing I like about the Q50 is there's not million of them around unlike BMWs.

More pics please!!

 

 

 

Congratulations...nice car. Wasn't one of my personal favorites, but, having driven and reviewed one myself, Overall, I do think it is somewhat underrated by the auto press. As you found out, one can get some good deals on them, since they they generally aren't big sellers. The only misgiving I have with the Q50 (and I know that some people here on Car Cat don't agree with me on this) is the electronic Direct Adaptive Steering. Did you get that option? There is (supposed) to be an emergency manual back-up, that engages instantly, if the electronics fail...but, for me, that's still a hard sell.

 

First, thanks everyone, I've spent a long time eyeing the Q50/Q60 Red Sport since it's introduction.

Second, sorry for the bad typos and weird autocorrects (and thus bad grammar) from my phone.

Finally - I've driven the RS400 in both Q50 and Q60 for quite a while. The Q60 is a sexy coupe (and my first choice), but for some reason, is hardly ever discounted by Infiniti.

I agree with Mike that the DAS option (even in its second generation) is terrible, bordering on dangerous. I drive aggressively, and near the limits of the vehicle, you dont get the tactile feedback that is necessary for safe control. Whatever you do, don't get the DAS if you are going after the Red Sport! Also, for some strange reason, Infiniti ommitted LSD in the standard RWD model! WIth 400hp (more like 450 according to dynos) on tap and shod with crappy run flats stock, traction is a big problem! This is why I elected to get AWD even though I live in sunny California. It makes a big difference between enjoying it and having oh-shnap moments in your car.

Another thing is that the transmission kind of sucks, so you kind of have to go into manual mode and prepare for shifts when you want to ( it's not the direct and responsive as the auto in the IS-F).

The interior is a bit dated as well, especially the gauges, and the quality of materials is not on par with Lexus.

However, the V6 twinturbo is definitely worth it. It hardly has any turbo lag and hits hard when you stomp on the gas. This is basically what you are paying for with the money. For those that want to save a few bucks, you can get the standard 3.0T non RS model (since they use all the same powertrain parts) and modify it to Red Sport levels, but for me having a "factory tune" was worth it.

I'm a big Toyco/Lexus fan (and we still have our RX350), but I really hope the success of the Q50/Q60 especially the Red Sport line wakes up Toyota / Lexus to offer something competitive. Their whole lineup, for all the exterior flash, leaves a lot to be desired from a powertrain standpoint.

 

THAT I like.

 

Comparing the RS sport to an IS350 is ridiculous as its $10k more fully loaded. The RS is more of a S4 or 340 competitor and that's where Infiniti falls short. The trannies on the German rivals are far better and have you seen the S4 interior? The Lexus doesn't have a competitor in the $60k range...they only really compete against the 328 and A4 with the IS350 given than these cars top out around $50k.

Hopefully they wise up and offer a higher turbo performance option soon or my next car will probably be a RS3 or S4.

 

I've heard the new 400hp Infiniti Red Sport is quite the muscle car. And I agree with the OP's statement about the electric steering option, it sucks and is downright dangerous if you are in an emergency maneuver or like to push the car a bit on twisty two lanes.

 

i'm not sure why you insist on sticking with this false narrative. the Q50 has traditionally been infiniti's top seller, and is #3 in sales within its class behind the c class & the 3 series (and ahead of the a4/s4 and the IS, the ats, the xe, and the media darling giulia that sells in insignificant numbers). this is public information and easily obtainable data.

what is a fact is that buick sedans are not big sellers, or even niche sellers these days, and can be had for pennies on the dollar, unless a buyer isn't too savvy and ends up overpaying (which isn't uncommon with the scant few prototypical buyers those cars attract, i.e. elderly)

 

First of all, I'm not the only one in the thread mentioning it. Second, the numbers, in fact, are not particularly high compared to several rivals.

This thread is not about Buicks, thank you. We've got enough other threads where they are the subject.

 

For perspective. 2017 sales of some of the models mentioned here:

Q50 40.7k
A4 34.4K
IS 26.5K
ATS 13.1k
TLX 34.5K
C Class 77.4k (all varieties)
3 Series 59.4k .(all varieties)