2014 Infiniti Q50 Debuts in Geneva With Diesel, Manual-Transmission Model

The 2014 Infiniti Q50 Debuts in Geneva With Diesel, Manual-Transmission Model gets its European debut this week at the Geneva Motor Show, where show-goers can get their first glimpse of the new diesel model. With a diesel engine sourced from Mercedes, the European Q50 is offered with a seven-speed automatic transmission and, unlike all U.S.-spec Q50 variants, a six-speed manual transmission.

2014 Infiniti Q50 Debuts in Geneva With Diesel, Manual-Transmission Model

2014 Infiniti Q50 Debuts in Geneva With Diesel, Manual-Transmission Model

 2014 Infiniti Q50 Debuts in Geneva With Diesel, Manual-Transmission Model

2014 Infiniti Q50 Debuts in Geneva With Diesel, Manual-Transmission Model

2014 Infiniti Q50 Debuts in Geneva With Diesel, Manual-Transmission Model

2014 Infiniti Q50 in Geneva rear side view 300x187 imageInfiniti says it has tweaked the 2.1-liter turbodiesel, which in the Q50 will produce 168 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. Just as Mercedes insists in the U.K. that the C220 CDI diesel is powered by a 2.2-liter engine, in Europe the Infiniti will be known as the Q50 2.2d. The 2.0-liter turbodiesel in the outgoing U.S.-spec Audi A3 is good for 140 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque. As for the 2014 Q50 diesel, Infiniti estimates the 0-62 mph sprint will take under 9 seconds; for comparison, Audi claims an 8.9-second time for the smaller 2013 A3 four-door hatchback, and Mercedes says the C220 CDI takes 8.1-8.4 seconds with the same engine.

The six-speed manual and seven-speed automatic from Mercedes haven’t simply been stuck into Infinitis — the automaker says the manual has been tweaked and the automatic’s change-up speeds and kickdown points have been shaken up to make the car feel more lively and provide “more urgent acceleration.”

2014 Inifiniti Q50 diesel side 300x187 imageEuropean customers will also get the Q50 Hybrid model, which pairs a 302-hp 3.5-liter V-6 to a 50-kW electric motor for a combined output of 354 hp. While Europeans may be offered the 2014 Q50 with a diesel thanks to Mercedes, the 328-hp 3.7-liter V-6 model isn’t available, but will likely comprise the majority of sales in the U.S. As we’ve previously reported, Infinti’s next addition to the global Q50 fleet may be a turbocharged four-cylinder engine to compete with cars like the BMW 320i and Lexus IS 250.