Somewhere between winding Tennessee back roads, a luxury dinner in downtown Nashville, and a sold-out night for Chris Brown and Usher’s #RNBTour inside Nissan Stadium, one thing became clear: INFINITI isn’t simply launching another luxury SUV. It’s introducing a new chapter.
Source: Lauryn Bass / @itslaurynbass
The automaker invited media to Nashville for an immersive weekend centered around the all-new 2027 INFINITI QX65, allowing journalists to experience the vehicle firsthand while hearing directly from the executives leading the brand’s evolution.
“It marks the renaissance of the brand for us,” Kim Core of Product Marketing said during the vehicle presentation. “We’re launching five new products over the next five years to really change the brand.”
For INFINITI, the QX65 isn’t just another nameplate. It’s the beginning of a larger transformation.
Inside The Experience
The weekend blended product education, hospitality and entertainment, giving attendees multiple opportunities to explore the QX65 on and off the road.
Itinerary
Friday
Welcome reception
Executive dinner at V Modern Italian
Networking with INFINITI leadership
Saturday
Executive breakfast
2027 QX65 product walkaround
Guided Tennessee drive experience
Lunch at Southall Farm & Inn
Multicultural Mixer
Chris Brown and Usher concert at Nissan Stadium
Sunday
Inspired By The Past, Built For What’s Next
During the product presentation, Core explained that designers revisited one of INFINITI’s most recognizable vehicles (the original FX) to inspire the QX65’s coupe-like silhouette.
Source: Lauryn Bass / @itslaurynbass
“The designers used the inspiration of FX and that fastback design to create the look of this car.”
That heritage is balanced with details that lean heavily into Japanese craftsmanship.
The grille takes inspiration from a bamboo forest, while the signature lighting draws influence from piano keys in the front and fighter jets in the rear.
Source: Lauryn Bass / @itslaurynbass
Even the paint tells a story.
“This paint is very special in that it has real gold flakes embedded in the paint,” Core explained, noting that the premium finish contains gold-coated glass flakes designed to shimmer differently depending on sunlight.
Source: Lauryn Bass / @itslaurynbass
Luxury That Thinks Ahead
Rather than overwhelming drivers with technology, the QX65 aims to make it feel intuitive.
Core introduced journalists to the Japanese philosophy of Omotenashi, describing it as anticipating a guest’s needs before they’re ever expressed.
“Omotenashi really means welcoming you without you asking it to do something.”
That mindset appears throughout the vehicle. Approach lighting welcomes drivers before they open the door, while the INFINITI Light Carpet illuminates the ground beneath their feet.
Inside, the media vehicles featured an exclusive vermilion red semi-aniline leather interior accented by gold trim, quilted dashboard details, and customizable ambient lighting.
“This is my favorite interior of all of our products,” Core said.
Where Innovation Meets Everyday Driving
The QX65’s technology is designed with everyday convenience in mind rather than novelty.
Among its standout features:
Smart Rear View Mirror with live camera view
Personalized Sound profiles that tailor audio based on each driver’s hearing
Individual Audio headrest speakers for private phone calls and navigation
Wireless charger with an integrated cooling fan
64-color ambient lighting
Klipsch Reference Premiere 20-speaker audio system
ProPILOT Assist 2.0 hands-free highway driving
Heated, ventilated and massaging front seats
Sliding rear seats with class-leading legroom
“It’s completely hands off. It is eyes on,” Core said of ProPILOT Assist 2.0, explaining that while the system allows hands-free highway driving, an interior camera continuously monitors driver attention.
Beyond The Driver’s Seat
The QX65 wasn’t the only thing on display throughout the weekend.
Source: Lauryn Bass / @itslaurynbass
Saturday evening concluded with a Multicultural Mixer before guests headed into Nissan Stadium for Chris Brown and Usher’s concert: the R&B Tour. This is an experience executives said reflected the company’s broader vision.
“Doing opportunities and experiences like this are so important for the company,” Ashli C. Bobo, Director of Communications for Nissan Group of the Americas, said. “It’s an opportunity for us to connect with consumers and people that drive our vehicles, the opportunity to connect with media, dealers. This is a special time. It’s a meaningful time and it has a business impact, a cultural impact, and a community impact.”
For LLoryn Love-Carter, Senior Manager of Corporate Communications, the Multicultural Mixer represented more than its name suggested.
“Multicultural means, come on in, everybody. Every shape, size, color, interest; everybody come in. Let’s have a good time together.”
She said that same philosophy guides the brand’s vehicle lineup.
“INFINITI has something for everybody. If you’re a mom, we got something for you. If you’re married, no kids, we got something for you. Professional woman, we got something for you. We have something for everybody.”
Love-Carter added that pairing the weekend with live entertainment reflected the personality behind the company.
“We are about fun, we are about innovation. We are about keeping it sassy, keeping it cool. It’s as diverse as our lineup.”
The Executive Take
For Tiago Castro, Senior Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Nissan, one of the QX65’s most impressive features isn’t necessarily the one people notice first.
“I love the way it looks and drives,” Castro said. “But I also love to be able to be with my family and be able to talk on my phone by myself with the Individual Audio system.”
As thousands of fans poured into Nissan Stadium, Castro said the evening reflected exactly what Nissan hoped the weekend would accomplish.
“We’re in Nissan Stadium, and I’m looking forward to Nissan Stadium getting hot with everybody. This is an important event for the whole community. Our team here is super excited, and everyone wants to have some fun. It’s a great Saturday night.”
Source: Lauryn Bass / @itslaurynbass
The Takeaway
The QX65 doesn’t ask luxury buyers to choose between performance, comfort and technology. It attempts to deliver all three while introducing a more intentional approach to hospitality and design.
If Nashville served as the opening act, the message was clear: the QX65 is more than a new crossover. It’s INFINITI’s statement of where the brand is headed next.
