Spy Shots: Infiniti FX55 -- think "angry"
by Jonathon Ramsey on Jan 21st 2008 at 7:02AM 
These are amateur shots of what is claimed to be the new Infiniti FX55. The front has been given the curvy treatment that is lately a mark of Nissan's design language, with the fenders pulled up like wings over the front wheels. The grill is the same rounded, convex trapezoid found on the G37, but beneath it the bumper juts out like an underbite, all of which is supported by a receding chin. From the side it looks like the car has pulled its hood back to snarl, like a canine.
A sleek, segmented headlight housing wraps around to the sides, almost Ford Verve-like. The profile stays pretty much the same, which is good, since it's one of the rare SUV's that has managed to be sleek and stylish. Out back, it looks like there's a bit more curve added across the rear, and the tail lights get a similar, segmented design treatment.
The "55" moniker could indicate a new 5.5-liter V8, or something completely different and as-yet-unknown. The new FX is rumored to debut at the Geneva Auto Show in a few months.
[Source: Autoweek.nl]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
memoi 8:43PM (1/26/2008)
I tend to agree with the first comments here: this is either a photoshop or just an owner mod gone waaay wrong. I magnified that front end & it looks like a halloween mask just tacked onto a current version of the FX. The german site says it was spotted by an AutoWeek reader in England? What the heck would it be doing in England? Taking the scenic route to Geneva? Something's not adding up here. Thank goodness it doesn't look authentic, because it's butt ugly. Unless they all started smoking crack recently, there's no way that thing came out of the Infiniti design studio.
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John R 7:29AM (1/21/2008)
I'm going to be honest, I really don't see any similarity between these headlamps and the Verve's.
Anyway, I like the old FX better. The from the front this looks like what a Forrester STI might look like.
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Carlos 2:22PM (1/21/2008)
This is a very bad photoshop - the fenders, doors, side window arc, roof line, body panel seams and A pillar are all exactly the same as the current FX. Take the side profile picture and cover up the front end and you have the current FX.
A redesign would not include any of these parts, look at the new Murano redesign - every panel has been changed in some way.
Plus it doesn't add up - why would Inifiniti, a Japanese company, be testing an FX in Europe where the Dutch Autoweek was able to snap terrible pictures of it parallel parked on a public street. I think its more likely that this Dutch Autoweek is looking for some traffic to their site.
ugg.tryptophan 3:58PM (1/21/2008)
bad photochop, you can tell because on the front end the foglights dont match, the left buldges out further than the right
Chaz 7:34AM (1/21/2008)
Uh oh. Something's gone wrong at the design houses responsible for Infiniti. The last G35 coupe was IMHO the best looking vehicle under $100k (shame about the tasteless modifications many around here receive), and the new one loses something (though I will admit the new sedan looks far better than the old one). I'll need to take a closer look at it, but the updated nose of the M35/45 reminds me of the Mk1 Lexus SC grille debacle. Now this? I suppose one can only tell so much from such an image, but I'm not liking the new nose. make all those J30s, Mk1 Q45s, and pre-update Ms proud, Carlos.
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Mobius_1 7:46AM (1/21/2008)
Just confirmed: Infiniti purchased the Robosaurus and is taking "angry" design cues from it
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Fabri91 8:16AM (1/21/2008)
Hm, it looks like a kumkwat (whatever that may be).
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accord745 8:17AM (1/21/2008)
The only thing that really bothers me is that the headlights and taillights have the same shape - as if they were designed with the same stencil. Other than that, it looks like a pretty decent change. Of course, the black tape hides some details too.
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Cubed 8:30AM (1/21/2008)
Hopefully theres a good chance it will look better than the current QX
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Hamud 8:33AM (1/21/2008)
Thy went too far on the "angry" thing.
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Carlos 8:53AM (1/21/2008)
The FX series is the only CUV I would ever buy, and it looks like I'll never own one after they update this one.
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Ligor 9:31AM (1/21/2008)
a turn for the worst
the EX will now be the looker of the two
I knew Infiniti would have a hard time updating the current design, it's just such a good design, but I never thought they'd mess it up like this in the front end.
shame
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davidtokarz 10:19AM (1/21/2008)
looks awesome. more masculine.
meshies 11:36AM (1/21/2008)
WOW. They really F'd a good design up.
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mike 12:07PM (1/21/2008)
Holding judgement until I see it in person, but I'm liking what I see so far. The FX has always been about agressiveness, and this just takes it to the next level.
Morgan 12:17PM (1/21/2008)
Just when I thought they couldn't make that wort-hog looking thing any uglier!
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dyakobson 12:29PM (1/21/2008)
Disgusting. It looks like a grenade was set off on the front grill, causing everything around it to balloon out.
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Donpella 1:01PM (1/21/2008)
Yes, they did mess up such a good design. Well, with them fumbling the ball, this can create give Cadillac the distraction it needs to steal some of the limelight with its small CUV/SUV(or whateveer they wanna call it!).
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Cajun_Mike 1:09PM (1/21/2008)
I am someone who has been waiting eagerly to see the new Infiniti FX37 and FX50. It's supposed to be show at the Geneva Auto Show in March. I am praying this is not the final design of those models as they have definitely screwed things up. After seeing the EX, I was hoping the new FX would follow suit as far as the classy look except on a larger and a bit more aggressive level. This thing shown here is an abomination. I sure home someone from Infiniti will make a public statement on this thing and say whether it's a fraud, photoshopped hoax or if it's legit. If it's legit, I'm turning my attention to another vehicle for my purchase later this year.
Like someone said above, this is the one CUV that I would buy and was going too, but they have screwed it all up if this is the design.
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Jon 1:21PM (1/21/2008)
I always wondered what it would look like if the Chinese ripped off the FX design and made it their own
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