Infiniti’s Next Big Swing Might Be a Manual Q50 and Enthusiasts Are Here for It

Infiniti looks ready to trade silence for sizzle. Multiple reports say the brand is preparing a second-generation Q50 sports sedan for the U.S., pivoting away from a once-planned electric replacement and leaning into rear-drive, stick-shift fun. Timing is said to be the second half of 2027, which would give Infiniti a long runway to build buzz around a proper driver’s car.

What’s got everyone talking is the hardware. The new Q50, potentially wearing a Q50S badge, is expected to share bones with Japan’s Skyline and pack Nissan’s twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6, the same family used in the Z. In the Z it makes 400 horsepower, but insiders suggest Infiniti is targeting more than 450, paired with rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission. At a national dealer meeting in Las Vegas, executives reportedly previewed a sleek sedan with slim headlights and round Skyline-style taillights. Infiniti Americas VP Tiago Castro called the redesign “unapologetic and unexpected,” while some attendees described it as “visceral” and “not practical,” which sounds like the point.

If this comes to pass, it would mark a sharp turn from the brand’s recent trajectory. Infiniti dropped the Q50 after the 2024 model year, leaving a lineup of crossovers and SUVs. The Q60 coupe bowed out after 2022, ending the brand’s two-door presence. A fresh Q50 would be a symbolic return to the enthusiast well that once made Infiniti a legitimate foil to BMW and Lexus.

A manual transmission would also be a statement. Stick shifts in luxury sedans are nearly extinct, which is why the Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing gets so much love for offering a six-speed. Meanwhile BMW’s mainstream 3 Series no longer offers a manual in the U.S. That leaves real white space if Infiniti leans in.

There is still a lot we do not know. Reports point to a return of the Red Sport performance trim, platform sharing with Skyline, and a powertrain tune that could eclipse today’s Z, but none of that is confirmed by Infiniti yet. Even so, the broad strokes feel intentional. An emotive, lower-volume halo car fits a brand searching for identity and credibility, especially after years of sales volatility.

Strategically, the pivot is just as interesting as the car. Word is a battery-electric sedan plan was shelved due to market conditions. Infiniti will keep pursuing EVs elsewhere in the lineup, but a gasoline performance flagship buys time and attention in a cooling EV market and gives retailers something exciting to rally around.

File this one under cautious optimism. If Infiniti truly delivers a rear-drive, manual Q50 with Skyline swagger and 400-plus horsepower, the brand could reconnect with fans who grew up on G35s and Q60s. The world may not be fully healed, but this would be a very welcome sign of recovery for driving enthusiasts. We’ll be watching power figures, gearbox details, and how closely the production car sticks to that dealer-meeting preview.