Infiniti just showed us what its next generation of SUVs will look like

At the Paris Motor Show, Infiniti pulled the cover off its QX Sport Inspiration concept, a vehicle the automaker said in a statement will establish "markers for future Infiniti QX models" and explore the "brand's vision for a next-generation, premium mid-size SUV."

It actually looks pretty sharp, and in production form could wind up with Infiniti's supercool new VC-Turbo engine, also revealed in Paris.

With the QX Sport Inspiration, Infiniti said that it is pursuing "'Powerful Elegance' form language," consisting of a "signature double-arch grille, focused 'human eye' headlamps, 'crescent-cut' pillar and masculine, fluid body sculpting."

Crossover and SUVs are turning into the segment where designers look to make their mark, as fewer automakers maintain sports-car programs. Sales growth has been strong with SUVs, so 2016 will see a number of new vehicles hit the streets, including Jaguar's F-Pace, Bentley's Bentayga, and Maserati's Levante.

It isn't a bad canvas to work with, given that SUVs - even midsize models - are fairly large. Designers have also been incorporating sedan and sport-car elements into SUV design, creating some hybrid coupé-styling touches, such as the QX Sport Inspiration's "sloping roofline," as Infiniti described it.

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