Infiniti ESQ revealed in China

Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand, has revealed the ESQ, which will go on sale in China later this year. It is a re-badged version of the pre-facelift Nissan Juke Nismo that was sold in international markets.

The Infiniti ESQ gets the Juke Nismo's 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection engine developing 197bhp and 25.4kgm of torque. The engine is coupled to a CVT, which sends drive to all four wheels. In the pre-facelift Juke Nismo, that engine is good for a 0-100kph sprint time of 7.8 seconds and a top speed of 216kph.

Inside, the ESQ retains the cabin layout of the older Juke, plus that model's infotainment system, as well as luxuries like climate control and three selectable driving modes – including Sport and Eco functions.

The ESQ will help Infiniti continue its push into the Chinese car market. The firm is currently gearing up to introduce several new models into China. Among them is the Q50L, Infiniti's first domestically produced car for the Chinese market, as well as the QX60 Hybrid, a facelifted QX50L and a sportier version of the QX70.

Infiniti sold 14,000 vehicles in the first six months of this year in China, showing year-on-year growth of 130 per cent.