2013 Infiniti JX

Infiniti will be taking a more is more stance with an upcoming full-size luxury crossover expected to go on sale next spring. After months of teasing, a concept for the big wagon was unveiled at this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance August 2011. The three-row, seven-passenger Infiniti JX takes design cues from the Infiniti Essence supercar concept that debuted two years ago. And while the behemoth's silhouette is elegant considering its size, it lacks the curvy, feline-esque shapes of Infiniti's smaller, but still imposing, FX crossover. The Infiniti JX will be available in both front-wheel- and all-wheel-drive configurations and be powered by a version of the V6 engine found in the Infiniti FX35 and Nissan 370Z. The Infiniti JX Concept was shown with a continuously variable transmission and Nissan has been a leader in this technology. CVTs tend to be efficient at the price of performance, however, so we are wondering how they'll pull that off. The interior of the JX promises to have class-leading space and will feature sliding and tilting second-row seats for easy entry into the third row. The second row slides back and forth 5.5 inches for more legroom, also. Other features will include a 14-speaker Bose surround-sound stereo and a new telematics system that will be able to synch drivers' calendars with their mobile devices, as well as Infiniti's personal assistant that will give restaurant and other recommendations. A new backup collision intervention system will detect objects passing behind the vehicle and engage the brakes to avoid a crash. The production version, along will full specifications, will debut at the LA Auto show in November of this year and will, according to Infiniti execs be nearly identical to the concept. Pricing has not yet been announced, and we can only guess because we have no idea. The JX will be a significantly larger vehicle than the Infiniti FX, which retails for $35,550 with all-wheel drive. The Audi Q7 starts at $45,700, while the big Mercedes-Benz GL starts at $60,950. The Lexus LX 570 full-size SUV retails for $77,755, with the Range Rover HSE priced at $78,835.