BAKU, Azerbaijan – The morning breeze drifts in from the Caspian Sea into the lowland Azerbaijani capital of Baku like it has for millennia.

The ancient capital of Azerbaijan lies well below sea level, but the cityscape of Baku elevates well beyond any provincial borders. Baku is the latest destination for the provocative, all-new INFINITI QX55 on its whirlwind, worldwide debut tour. The new, stunning coupe-crossover SUV from INFINITI is among the latest all-new utility vehicles from the automaker, a return to form for the modern Japanese luxury brand that pioneered a daring luxury coupe shape onto a crossover body.

 

Here in Baku, the QX55 takes residence among the historical buildings and streets that make the Azerbaijani capital that straddles Europe and Asia among the oldest in the region and one of the most authentic: just a handful of streets jut through the international capital, preserving its unique place among worldwide destinations.

To bring the all-new INFINITI QX55 to life in Baku required careful deliberation and creativity. The all-new, four-door crossover demanded an introduction that looked forward to the future while recognizing its past in a way that Baku could only offer. The city, dominated by old-world architecture and themes, bristles with new energy. Baku is home to stunning natural landscapes and breathtaking modern cityscapes in equal turns. Look west, the Caucasus Mountains rise high above the sub-sea level terrain to signal the figurative separation between East and West. Look east, and the Caspian Sea deals rhythmic calm, cresting into the Absheron Peninsula in soothing harmony for its residents.

 

Beginning at the Flame Towers in the Inner City of Baku, INFINITI hosted its valued media, influencers, and personalities in the region to experience the QX55 in its natural habitat: energetic urban with a dash of history.

First impressions mean everything, and the QX55 spares nothing in its first impressions. Guests were treated to a bird’s-eye view of the crossover atop Baku’s iconic Ferris wheel that, at 55-meters above the ground, offered a captivating glance at the crossover’s daring roofline.

On the ground, the QX55 delivered similarly head-turning looks while offering supreme comfort. As drivers wound through Baku’s old city and new street Formula 1 circuit, the QX55’s duality came into view. Although the QX55 harkens back to a familiar shape to INFINITI, which was pioneered by the FX nearly two decades ago — and the first model for INFINITI to reach Eastern Europe — the QX55 looks forward to a new era in the region. Comfort, fuel efficiency, and driver-assistance technologies highlight the QX55’s arrival among rivals — its head-turning looks cement its place at the top.

As the sun dips below the Caucasus range, the QX55’s dynamic urban presence and unmistakable light signature with its “piano-key” digital taillights resonate through the vibrant city. There are multiple entry points to enjoy and bask in the Azerbaijani city and INFINITI’s all-new QX55, but like the breeze that rolls in nearly every day here in Baku, blink too long, and it may be gone.