Infiniti Q50 diesel: Mercedes engine to power frugal premium mid-sizer

The Q50 diesel becomes the first Infiniti to benefit from the Japanese car maker’s collaborative agreement with Daimler, the owner of Mercedes-Benz.

The Infiniti Q50 adopts the 2.1-litre direct-injection four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine from the Mercedes-Benz C220 CDI and E220 CDI.

The Q50’s version produces an identical 125kW of power and 400Nm of torque to the German duo, although Infiniti says its engineers have modified the powerplant to ensure its response is “in line with Infiniti’s emphasis on performance”.

Infiniti estimates the Q50 diesel will use just 4.4 litres of fuel on the combined cycle and emit less than 115 grams of CO₂ per kilometre – making it approximately 30 per cent more efficient than the performance-oriented Q50 V6 hybrid.

Available with the option of a six-speed manual or seven-speed automatic transmission, Infiniti says the diesel-powered premium mid-sized rear-wheel-drive sedan will accelerate from 0-100km/h in under nine seconds and hit 230km/h at full speed.

The diesel becomes the third variant in the all-new Infiniti Q50 line-up, joining the 268kW hybrid and the naturally aspirated 245kW 3.7-litre V6 petrol unit.

The Q50 is set to become the volume model in Infiniti Australia’s line-up when it arrives in showrooms in the final quarter of this year. The local division is yet confirm which drivetrains it plans to offer, although the diesel appears a logical choice for the car’s German rivals.