Nissan Reveals Entry-Level Infiniti QX30 Crossover

Nissan Motor Co.'s Infiniti division has released a photo of the compact QX30 crossover it will publicly unveil in concept form at the Geneva auto show next week.

The company expects a production version of the entry-level luxury vehicle to hit showrooms about 12 months from now.

The QX30 is one result of the five-year-old collaboration between the Renault-Nissan alliance and Daimler AG. The new Infiniti model will ride on Daimler's MFA (modular front architecture) platform, which also carries the Mercedes-Benz A-Class small car and GLA-Class small crossover.

QX30 production is scheduled to begin in 2017 at the $1 billion factory Daimler and Nissan-Renault are erecting in Aguascalientes, Mexico. The 50:50 venture is expected to add the Mercedes GLA in 2018. The factory has been forecast to reach annual output of 300,000 vehicles by 2021 as its product portfolio expands to include Infiniti- and Mercedes-branded small luxury sedans.