INFINITI’s Design Director Alfonso Albasia Reveals His Favorite Model

In a recent interview conducted by INFINITI with their Design Director Alfonso Albasia, the expert revealed his favorite model of all time, the INFINITI FX, which recently has transformed into the QX70 crossover.

Of the INFINITI FX, Albasia narrates, “In 1999 or 2000, working at Nissan Design America, I saw some photographs from Japan of three models of a project that I really did not know much about, a completely new category of vehicle…They were part SUV, part sports coupe. But you have to realize that 16 years ago, crossovers did not exist. This combination of aspects was so fresh and unseen. I just stared at the images: ‘What are these cars?’ One of the vehicles was what would become the first INFINITI FX. It was amazing to me that something so visually powerful could possess such simplicity in its design. What made it visually powerful was its silhouette, its gesture! It was like an egg that had bitten into an aircraft carrier. The hood was so long and horizontal, yet the cabin so tight and arced. It had so much attitude. I remember when I saw the first one on the road three years later, I simply smiled, knowing how back in Japan, they had really pulled it off, making such an effortlessly iconic vehicle and keeping true to the original vision.”

Today, this crossover design is embodied in the QX70. Starting at $45,850 MSRP, the QX70 showcases a luxurious design, vast technological upgrades, and serious horsepower. The standard model features a 325-hp 3.7 liter V6 engine with a 7-speed transmission, 18-inch split 5-spoke aluminum alloy wheels, a RearView Monitor, an INFINITI Intelligent Key, and a Bose 11-speaker premium audio system. The crossover is sure to please any driver and garner a second look from all passersby.

To test drive the QX70, stop by Baker Motor Company’s INFINITI of Charleston in West Ashley.