- Infiniti’s new red finish uses a mid-coat infused with real gold flakes.
- Sunfire Red brings out the QX65’s curves, highlighting its sculpted lines.
- The QX65 arrives with a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine producing 268 hp.
We’ve long believed that Mazda’s Soul Red is one of the finest colors offered by a mainstream manufacturer, but a newly-launched color for the Infiniti QX65 may have just trounced it. Called Sunfire Red, the twist lies in the paint itself, which incorporates real gold and takes inspiration from a finish once offered on the Nissan GT-R over a decade ago.
According to Infiniti, the new color is inspired by a “fiery morning sunrise,” and it’s easy to see why. Rather than using any old shade of red paint, Infiniti applies a transparent mid-coat with tiny gold-coated glass flakes over the red ground coat, helping it glisten in the sun and vary in shade depending on the light.
Read: New QX65 Revives The FX Formula Infiniti Abandoned Seven Years Ago
Photos released by Infiniti show that Sunfire Red accentuates the flowing lines and creases of the QX65’s body, in particular its rear haunches and tailgate.
Handled With Care
No one’s saying exactly how much gold goes into each Sunfire Red QX65, but it’s enough that Infiniti’s suppliers are forced to use armored trucks to transport the gold flakes.
“The gold pigment is very valuable, it needs to be delivered carefully. Once it’s mixed into the paint, it behaves like any other pigment, but getting it there is a substantial process,” said David Lipka, senior manager of Materials Engineering at Nissan Technical Center North America.
“The color is so deep and rich that it requires multiple layers,” Lipka added. “A two-coat version would have washed out the gold effect. Because the gold is bonded to microscopic glass flakes, the visual impact spreads across every body panel. It gives QX65 a color identity that stands apart from other red paints on the market.”
GT-R Regal Red Connection
The finish is very similar to Regal Red, which was offered on the Nissan GT-R starting in 2015. Just like Sunfire Red, the GT-R’s Regal Red incorporated real gold accents into the red paint. As with six of the other nine colors offered for the QX65, Sunfire Red is paired with a gloss black roof.
Infiniti has yet to release the online configurator for the QX65, so we don’t yet know how much Sunfire Red will cost, but it’s safe to assume it will be one of, if not the most expensive paint option.
