Nissan to Unveil Infiniti Q50 for Europe Next Month

Nissan Motor Co.'s Infiniti brand will introduce the European version of its redesigned Q50 large sports sedan at the Geneva auto show next week.

The car is scheduled to go on sale in Europe this summer. Engine options are expected to include 1.8-liter gasoline and 2.1-liter diesel four-cylinder engines by Daimler AG.

The 2014 Q50 debuted at the Detroit auto show in January with a choice of two powertrains. The standard 3.7-liter V-6 produces 328 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque. A hybrid system combines a 3.5-liter V-6, 67-hp electric motor and lithium-ion battery in a system that delivers a net 354 hp.

Both powertrains incorporate a seven-speed automatic transmission and are available with rear- or all-wheel drive.

All models come with standard rack-and-pinion steering. But Nissan will offer what it describes as the industry's first production steer-by-wire system, which eliminates the usual mechanical link between the steering wheel and the front wheels (a clutch can reestablish a mechanical connection if the electronic system fails).

Nissan says the system, which permits the driver to choose among four combinations of steering effort and ratio, responds faster than a mechanical design to the driver's intentions. An optional active lane control feature uses input from a forward-facing camera to make minor steering adjustments to compensate for cross winds or uneven road surfaces.

The curvy Q50 incorporates several "dynamic wave" styling cues from Infiniti's Essence concept car, including a coupe-like roofline and crescent-cut C-pillars. Other features include narrow A- and B-pillars that ease ingress and egress