Infiniti FX 50S

Infiniti FX50S at a glance

The FX50S is part of our Infiniti catalogue. The V6 FX37 sold alongside it is described in our Infiniti FX37 article, and the renamed car in our Infiniti QX70 guide.

FX generations and where the FX50 fits

The first FX of 2003 already offered a V8, the 4.5-litre FX45, but it sold poorly in its last years: Wikipedia counts only 1,598 FX45s in the United States in 2007, about a tenth of FX35 sales. For the second generation Infiniti replaced it with a bigger 5.0-litre engine and called the car FX50. In Europe the V8 was joined by the 3.7-litre FX37 from autumn 2008 and the 3.0-litre FX30d diesel from 2010.

Engine, gearbox and performance

The VK50VE is a new 5,026 cc petrol V8 that made its debut in the FX50. Motor Authority's 2008 launch report and TopGear Netherlands both give an output of 390 ("hp" and "pk" respectively) and 500 Nm; the Dutch figure equals 287 kW. Power goes through a new seven-speed automatic, introduced the same year on the G37 coupé, to the ATTESA E-TS all-wheel-drive system. At standstill it splits the torque 50:50, and on the move it can send up to 100 per cent to the rear wheels.

Wikipedia also quotes an electronically limited top speed of 266 km/h (165 mph) for the FX50, but the figure is not clearly attributed in the article, so the TopGear value is used above.

What the "S" package adds

The S package was the sporting option for the FX50. According to Wikipedia it combines:

• Active Steering: a planetary gearset on the steering column varies the steering ratio between 12.0:1 and 18.5:1 according to speed;
• Rear Active Steer: the rear wheels steer by up to one degree;
• Continuous Damping Control, with a two-mode adaptive suspension as TopGear NL describes it;
• 21-inch wheels with 265 mm tyres;
• from the 2012 facelift, adaptive front lighting.

The basis was already stiffer than before. The S51 introduced double-wishbone front suspension instead of struts, and its body was 1.6 times more resistant to torsion and 3.4 times more resistant to bending than the first FX.

Equipment and safety

Motor Authority's launch report lists the FX50's standard equipment in North America: fog lamps, bi-xenon headlights, DVD-based navigation, the Around View Monitor camera system, the self-repairing "Scratch Shield" paint and a Bose audio system. In Europe the 2009 FX earned five stars in the Euro NCAP crash test.

Facelift, Vettel edition and the QX70 rename

The facelift of April 2012 brought a new grille, a slightly revised front bumper, two new colours and new wheels. At the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show Sebastian Vettel presented a special edition of the FX50 named after him. Its V8 was raised to 309 kW (420 PS) and the ride height lowered by 20 mm. An aerodynamic body kit with a front air dam and 21-inch wheels completed the package. Wikipedia gives 150 cars (50 for Western Europe) and a UK price of £100,800, while German Wikipedia speaks of 50 cars built from December 2012 to October 2013.

In summer 2013 Infiniti renamed the FX the QX70. In the United States the 5.0 V8 was offered under the new name only for the 2014 model year. German registrations of all FX and QX70 versions reached 3,886 cars from 2009 to 2018.

Prices and running costs

TopGear Netherlands listed the FX50 S Premium at €109,900 in August 2012. Running costs follow from the engine: TopGear NL lists 13.0 l/100 km and 310 g/km of CO₂, so fuel and any CO₂-based taxes are the main expense. Our fuel cost calculator shows what that consumption means for a given annual distance. The reviewer gave it 15 out of 20 and noted that buyers most often traded in a Porsche Cayenne for it.

Rivals: how the FX50S compares

The FX50S competed with V8 performance SUVs. TopGear NL names the Porsche Cayenne as the car most often traded in against it. Within Infiniti, the other V8 model was the much larger Infiniti QX80 flagship. To set the FX50S against other performance SUVs by power, weight or price, use our car comparison tool or the car finder.

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