NASHVILLE: The Infiniti QX60 Monograph concept previews a more upscale and commanding design for the brand’s popular three-row SUV.
“We commenced the design of the Monograph knowing this was an opportune time to start a discussion about where we are planning to take the QX60 in the future and more broadly, where we are heading as a brand with our design language’” said Alfonso Albaisa, senior vice president, Global Design, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd.
Focused solely on the exterior, Infiniti designers imagined the QX60 Monograph as a sophisticated yet functional solution for a busy, modern family.
The proportions include a wide stance, sleek greenhouse, horizontal shoulder line and muscular wheel arches. The combination of which creates a commanding posture and defined SUV persona.
“In crafting this Monograph, we wanted to change the tonality of the QX60 and transform the nameplate from a sculptural and architectural point of view. We raised the visual center of gravity, giving it a strong, straight shoulder line that carries through to the hood, with a higher, more prominent grille, and longer-looking cabin to deliver a sense of muscularity and a commanding presence” Albaisa said.
Viewed from the side, the Monograph shows off its powerful horizontal hood, muscular fenders and long wheelbase. Paired with the gentle rake of the A-pillar and tapered, teardrop-like glasshouse, the result is a long sweeping, sophisticated profile.
Embossed with the Infiniti name, QX60 Monograph features large alloy wheels that fill the pronounced fenders and reinforce the performance-inspired aesthetic.
At the rear, the wide body and track, paired with horizontal window line give QX60 Monograph a sense of poise and stability.
The high shoulder line raises its visual center of gravity. The roof flows into a subtly integrated rear roof spoiler — also in gloss black — to further enhance the car’s aerodynamic appearance.
“The QX60 Monograph embodies the Japanese concept of ‘Ma,’ a sense of minimalism where designers seek harmony, adding just the right amount of elements with very specific meaning to create something special. This is evident on the body, where at a glance it is simple, but when you get closer, you see that there are elements that are playing against each other in a sense of harmony.” Albaisa explains.
The intricate folds of traditional Japanese origami were the inspiration for the inner mesh of the signature ‘Double Arch’ Infiniti grille.
The result is a two-dimensional surface that projects a sense of three-dimensional depth. The same mesh pattern is echoed in the side air intakes in the lower corners of the bumper. The wide track and the sharp lines in the bodywork combine to deliver a sense of stability and a sophisticated visual statement.
A large panoramic roof features a “kimono fold” pattern. This geometric feature, a series of intricate perpendicular lines, draws inspiration from the folds of a silk kimono and the structures of Japan’s modern architecture.
