SEPTEMBER 6, 2017
Monday, September 4, 2017 at 03:10PM 
Mercedes-Benz just can't seem to let go of its disastrous smart car boondoggle, so now, they're re-imagining it as the smart vision EQ fortwo, providing "a new vision of urban mobility and individualized, highly flexible, totally efficient local public transport: the autonomous concept vehicle picks up its passengers directly from their chosen location." They're going to show it at the Frankfurt show, and we can hardly wait to ignore it. And, as if that weren't enough, Mercedes is also going to unveil its Concept EQ A (below), which we assume will be a preview of some kind of electrified next-gen GLA, or something like that. We'll see, as we like to say.
And, just in case we need more convincing that Mercedes is the most extreme Jekyll & Hyde car company operating today, the company will also take the wraps off of the Mercedes-AMG Project ONE in Frankfurt. Mercedes PR minions say that the two-seater supersports concept "for the first time brings the very latest and efficient, fully-fledged Formula 1 hybrid technology to the road." The manufacturer says that the high-performance hybrid has an output of over 1000HP and a top speed exceeding 350 km/h. The concept "combines outstanding racetrack performance with day-to-day suitable Formula 1 hybrid technology and exemplary efficiency," according to Mercedes. Nice to see Mercedes covering the two extremes on the Irrelevance Meter. Weren't they unveiling the stunning Mercedes-Maybach 6 Cabriolet concept just a minute ago?
Chevrolet has revealed Wheels & Wings: A Chevrolet tribute sculpture to the iconic Detroit Red Wings "Winged Wheel" logo, which will reside inside the brand's entrance to the new Little Caesar's Arena. The 9' x 5' sculpture is an original work of art by Thomas Vitanovsky, a former motorcycle stuntman from the Czech Republic who now pieces together discarded parts to create intricate works of art from animals, to cars, and robots. “The chance to create a sculpture so complex and to partner with Chevrolet was truly a thrill that I won’t forget,” Vitanovsky said. “Stitching together the 186 parts from Chevrolet vehicles to create this tribute to the famous Detroit Red Wings Winged Wheel logo was an exhilarating challenge and I am excited to see how the fans react when they see it on display in the new arena.” The sculpture took a total of 700 hours for Vitanovsky to sketch, model and sculpt. The Chevrolet vehicle components used to create the sculpture include shocks, brake calipers, rotors, gears, bearings, tie rods, brake pads, rear springs, exhaust pieces and a 1918 Chevrolet hubcap. The center of the wheel is marked with a Chevrolet Silverado bowtie.
Yes, we're even sick of Mercedes-Benz news this week, but they did release a new S-Class Coupe (above) and Cabriolet; a new Mercedes-AMG S63 Coupe and Cabriolet; and S65 Coupe and Cabriolet (below). They're better in every way, according to Mercedes, and loaded to the gills with the usual Mercedes technical overkill. We're happy for them.
The Jaguar FUTURE-TYPE is a premium compact on-demand, autonomous vehicle concept, which can also be driven for those who will still remember what that quaint notion is in about 30 years.
This is the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance plug-in hybrid, which is, oddly enough, the upcoming BMW X7 iPerformance SAV. The press release was filled with more unmitigated bullshit than we could possibly bear, so we're not going to bother regurgitating the details. When the PR minions said, "From the side, the BMW Concept X7 iPerformance cuts a sumptuous figure..." we stopped paying attention. There is nothing "sumptuous" about this vehicle in any way, shape or form. It's just another giant SUV about to be let loose upon the landscape, arriving here sometime in 2018. And so it goes.
Doesn't have a point of view...knows not where it's going to...
Editor's Note: This week, we drove the 2017 Infiniti QX30 Premium AWD, Infiniti's entry in the "small luxury crossover" category. Our driver was outfitted in Liquid Copper Metallic (think psychedelic Mary Kay car for the 21st century), which was just wrong, wrong, wrong. The QX30 is the first product of Renault-Nissan's partnership with Mercedes, and it is based on the Mercedes GLA 250. It shares a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with both the Mercedes GLA and CLA, and features Mercedes' 7-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission. A criticism of the small crossover category is space, and I would have to agree. I thought the whole point of a "non-car" was utility, and there is just not enough utility in the QX30. The interior is nice enough, it has all the features you'd expect to be considered entry-level "luxury," etc. But once you leave the front seats, it is a bit on the small side. Sure, it gets better mileage than a regular crossover or SUV, but the sacrifice in utility just isn't worth it for me. It passes the basic Costco test but Home Depot? Not so much. So, I am probably down on the category even more than I am down on the QX30 specifically. (In addition to the GLA, the QX30 is designed to compete with the Audi Q3 and BMW X1.) But I am neutral on the Infiniti QX30 to the point of disinterest. There is just nothing special about it. No real personality or attitude. It is competent and it is executed well enough, but it feels so much like a "me-too" vehicle. There is just no there there. -WG
2017 Infiniti QX30 Premium AWD: $41,545; Base Price: $37,700; Liquid Copper metallic paint, $500; Wheat Nappa Leather, Dark Wood Accents - Requires Navigation Package, $1,850 and Dark Wood Package, $500; 2.0-liter Turbocharged DOHC I4 engine with Continuous Variable Valve Timing (CVVT) and aluminum block and heads; 208HP and 258 lb-ft of torque; Seven-speed double clutch transmission; Intelligent AWD; Four-wheel disc brakes (ventilated front, solid rear); 18" Re-surfaced split aluminum alloy wheels with 235/50R18 all-season tires; Halogen headlights; Infiniti intelligent key with push-button start; Dual Zone automatic climate control with rear seat vents on console; Nappa leather-appointed seating; 8-way power driver and front passenger seats, heated; Leather-wrapped steering wheel; Bose 10-speaker premium audio system; Rain-sensing windshield wipers; Heated windshield washer nozzles; LED front fog lamps; Aluminum kick plates; Panoramic Moonroof (plus a bunch of other standard stuff); Destination and handling, $995.
Adherence to Brand Image: As The Autoextremist said in June in the annual AE Brand Image Meter column, "everything about Infiniti seems like Nissan operatives are phoning it in, and devoid of a single original thought. I consider Infiniti a 'ghost' brand, one that’s invisible except for the select few who have been issued the special glasses from the factory so that they can appreciate the inherent goodness of the brand. Brand Image? A well-intentioned afterthought." It's not that the QX30 is bad, in fact, it's actually pretty good. It allows Nissan to check the "small luxury crossover" box and therefore be present and accounted for. But I just don't know what the compelling reason for purchase is over anything else in the segment (and who knows if we even need that segment to begin with, but that's another story for another day). "No compelling reason for purchase" basically describes all of Infiniti. It's a real nowhere brand, sitting in its nowhere land... -WG Editor-in-Chief's Note: I concur.