The Design Secrets of the 2027 INFINITI QX65: From Real Gold to Bamboo

INFINITI built its reputation on vehicles that refuse to blend in. The FX crossover turned heads with its coupe-like roofline when SUVs were still boxy. The Q60 brought sculpture to the sports coupe segment. The 2027 QX65 continues that tradition with a fastback luxury crossover designed to turn heads - and it does so with details most buyers will never notice until someone points them out.

The grille is inspired by a bamboo forest. The signature red paint contains real gold. The interior quilting pattern references the folds of a kimono. These are documented design decisions that required armoured trucks, three-layer paint processes, and months of material sourcing. This is the story of how INFINITI turned a first-ever nameplate into a vehicle that looks like nothing else in the luxury crossover segment.

The Paint That Required Armoured Trucks

Sunfire Red is a deep, radiant red infused with real gold-coated glass flecks - and creating it required armoured truck transport due to the gold pigment's value. The colour requires a tri-coat application: a red ground-coat, a transparent mid-coat with tiny flakes of gold-coated glass, and a clearcoat. A two-coat version would have washed out the gold effect entirely. The result is a finish that shifts depending on viewing angle, lighting, and time of day.

Sunfire Red is inspired by the fiery morning sunrise and is a deliberate callback to the Regal Red paint seen on the iconic Nissan GT-R starting in 2015. That paint also incorporated real gold into a deep red finish. The connection to GT-R is intentional material storytelling - the gold flake is carefully layered to create emotion. The design team treats this paint almost like jewellery, giving QX65 a colour identity that stands apart from other red paints on the market.

The Grille Inspired by a Windstorm in a Bamboo Forest

The QX65's three-dimensional grille is inspired by Japan's bamboo forests - specifically, the layered, vertical structure of bamboo stalks. This layered effect, complemented by a three-dimensional INFINITI emblem and air intakes, signals the vehicle's confident performance.

The SPORT trim takes this concept further with a sportier, more aggressive mesh that imagines a bamboo forest agitated by a windstorm. Exterior accents - window trim, roof rails, door trim, rear bumper protector, and all emblems - are finished in gloss black. The unique 20-inch wheels feature a five-spoke, layered turbine design with concealed lug nuts.

Signature INFINITI digital piano lighting adorns the vehicle's face and emphasizes its width. A unique welcome lighting sequence greets clients when they unlock QX65, beginning with the INFINITI emblem and continuing through the digital piano key lights, culminating with the available INFINITI Light Path, which projects wing-like geometric projections at either side of the vehicle.

The Interior That References Kimono Folds

The AUTOGRAPH trim features semi-aniline leather seats with an asymmetrical diagonal quilting pattern inspired by the layered folds of a kimono - a deliberate reference to traditional Japanese garment construction, where fabric is folded and layered to create structure and visual interest.

Finely crafted details throughout QX65 AUTOGRAPH include open-pore wood-toned accents, a quilted dashboard, aluminium cargo area scuff plates, and illuminated front and rear kick plates. Massaging front seats complete the sanctuary-like experience. The front seats also feature heating, cooling, 8-way power adjustment, and dual occupant memory for seat position and outside mirrors. The driver seat includes 4-way power lumbar support (standard on all trims), while the AUTOGRAPH upgrades the passenger seat to 4-way power lumbar support.

The LUXE trim features silver metallic weave interior accents, while the SPORT trim uses gloss black carbonite trim pieces and a graphite headliner. All three trims feature grained leather-wrapped steering wheels (premium smooth leather on AUTOGRAPH), heated front and rear outboard seats, and tri-zone automatic climate control.

The Fastback Roofline That Defies the Segment

The 2027 QX65 is a striking evolution of the brand's Artistry in Motion design language - featuring a dramatic arching roofline, wide, sporty stance, and precisely drawn bodysides. The roofline draws the eye along a pronounced upper arch toward a crisp rear spoiler. With wheels positioned far to the corners and a wide track enabled by muscular fender shaping, QX65 projects confidence and stability.

The stretched arch profile preserves utility with competitive cargo capacity: 1,014 litres behind the second row and 1,917 litres behind the first row. The second-row seats feature 60/40-split folding, reclining, and sliding functionality, with Magic Button Touch Release from the cargo area.

From the rear, QX65 makes a bold statement with a three-dimensional, full-width LED tail lamp featuring multiple pronounced vertical elements inspired by aircraft fins. Its rear wiper is subtly hidden within the rear spoiler, contributing to enhanced rear-window visibility and allowing the wiper to clear a greater amount of the window.

20-inch wheels are standard on LUXE and SPORT trims, with 21-inch machined-finish alloy wheels on AUTOGRAPH. The AUTOGRAPH trim is also available with two-tone exterior colour options that create a striking visual contrast.

The Technology That Connects to Your Digital Life

The 2027 QX65 features Google Built-in connectivity, integrating Google Assistant, Google Maps, and access to apps through Google Play directly into the vehicle's infotainment system. The INFINITI InTouch 12.3-inch Interactive Display serves as the central hub for navigation, entertainment, and vehicle settings. The INFINITI 12.3-inch Dynamic metre Display sits behind the steering wheel, providing driver-focused information in a customizable digital format.

All three trims feature Intelligent Key with push button start, approach unlock and walkaway lock, remote engine start, and power windows with one-touch up/down and auto-reverse. The SPORT and AUTOGRAPH trims add power tilt and telescopic steering column with dual occupant memory, entry/exit assist, and Universal Garage Door Opener.

The panoramic sunroof with power open/close/tilt and power sunshade is standard across the lineup. The power liftgate is standard on LUXE, while SPORT and AUTOGRAPH add motion-activated liftgate functionality.

The Powertrain Built for Confident Performance

The 2027 QX65 is powered by a VC-Turbo engine producing 268 hp and 286 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. The engine is paired with Intelligent All-Wheel Drive across all three trims, which distributes power to the wheels with the most traction. A drive mode selector allows the driver to adjust throttle response, transmission behaviour, and steering feel to match driving conditions.

The VC-Turbo engine uses a variable compression ratio (8.0:1 to 14.0:1) to balance performance and efficiency. It requires premium unleaded fuel and Tier3-Bin50 (EPA) and LEV4 ULEV40 (CARB) emission certification levels.

The Safety Systems That Work in the Background

The 2027 QX65 includes the INFINITI Advanced Air Bag System, front seat-mounted side-impact supplemental air bags, and roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags with rollover sensor. High Beam Assist automatically switches between high and low beams based on oncoming traffic. Rear Door Alert reminds the driver to check the rear seat before exiting.

The tire pressure monitoring system uses direct sensors to monitor individual tire pressure in real time. Easy Fill Tire Alert provides an audible signal when the correct tire pressure is reached during inflation. LED headlights with full low and high beam functionality and auto light control are standard across all trims, along with LED signature daytime running lights and LED tail lamps.

Power-folding and power-adjustable heated outside mirrors with reverse sync functionality are standard on all trims. The AUTOGRAPH trim adds a driver's side auto-dimming outside mirror. Rain-sensing front windshield wipers are available as part of the exterior feature set, and an electronic parking brake provides secure vehicle hold functionality.

Why the QX65 Distinguishes Itself in This Segment

The 2027 INFINITI QX65 is built for buyers who want their luxury crossover to look and feel different from everything else in the parking lot. The fastback roofline sacrifices some rear headroom compared to boxier competitors, and the premium fuel requirement adds to operating costs. But if you want something that turns heads and feels special to drive, the QX65 delivers on that promise in ways most competitors do not.

The design details - real gold in the paint, a bamboo-inspired grille, kimono-fold quilting - are not gimmicks. They are documented design decisions that required months of material sourcing and engineering work. The result is a vehicle that looks like nothing else in the luxury crossover segment and feels like it was designed for buyers who care about those details.

The 2027 INFINITI QX65 is expected to arrive at Canadian dealerships in summer 2026. Visit Spinelli Infiniti in Pointe-Claire to learn more about the QX65 lineup and reserve your spot for a test drive when the vehicle arrives.