At a time of electrification and the near-extinction of manual gearboxes, Infiniti is preparing to make a bold move. The Japanese luxury brand is reportedly preparing a new rear-wheel-drive sports sedan equipped with a manual transmission. And at least in North America, it will sport a familiar name.
Such a product could spark renewed interest in Nissan's luxury brand, which is struggling to make its presence felt in the current automotive universe.
Q50 here, Skyline elsewhere
Few official details are circulating, but persistent rumours point to a few of them. Under the hood, the new model, to be named Skyline in Asia but likely Q50 in America, will welcome a modified version of the 3.0L twin-turbo V6 already used by Nissan for its Z sports car, except it will deliver more horsepower, somewhere around 450.
Other important factoids include a sleek silhouette, rear-wheel drive and, yes, a manual gearbox, as well as Skyline genes revisited for the 21st century. In short, a direct rival to what's left of German sports sedans, but Made in Japan.
On the style front, there’s nothing official as of yet, of course. But renderings appearing online suggest a dynamic silhouette, inspired by both the model's history and a vision turned towards the future: athletic proportions, daytime running lights integrated into a hard-to-miss grille, a roof sloping towards the rear, and a well-finished interior featuring at least two large screens. Not to mention the dedicated space for the manual gear shifter.
A return of the Q50
But why such a comeback, when 2024 marked the end of life for the classic Q50 (with barely 564 units sold in the country in 2023 and a total of about 248 Q50/Q60 units sold in 2024 in Canada)? Sports sedans are being abandoned in favour of SUVs. Out of more than 1.86 million new vehicles sold in Canada in 2024, the vast majority were utilities and electrified vehicles.
Meanwhile, the disappearance of pulse-raising cars is almost total: Only a handful of manual-transmission models remain available in our market (barely 27 out of 315 in 2025). Infiniti, by opting for a high-performance gasoline engine and a manual gearbox, is thus targeting a niche clientele, smaller but loyal, disappointed by the standardization of the market.
Price-wise, we can expect a steeper hill to climb than the old model: the Q50 Red Sport was already pushing $58,000, and the new version could approach $70,000 for the high-end sport versions.
That likely wouldn't be enough to discourage enthusiasts. In any case, those enthusiasts will have time to think things over - the sporty and modern Q50 is expected to be unveiled in 2026 and arrive here for 2027.