With less than a month to go before the Detroit motor show opens its doors to the world's automotive press, Infiniti has unveiled a brand-new V6 engine plus two of the three new cars that will be making their debut at this year's event.

"We're unwrapping a few presents early, prior to the upcoming auto show," said Infiniti Americas Vice President Randy Parker of the marque's new Q50 sedan and QX60 SUV.

Infiniti Q50

Infiniti has been enjoying record sales, particularly in the US over the past 12 months, building up a fan- and client-base in the extremely fickle luxury sedan and crossover market in the process. However, anyone expecting a radically different design from the 2016 Q50 is going to be disappointed, until they drive it, at least.

From the outside, it's business as usual, but under the hood the car is getting the most impressive engine Infiniti has ever built: a new lightweight, twin-turbo 3-liter V6 unit, that can deliver either 300 or 400hp. That makes it more potent than the company's existing VR-series V6 despite being lighter, using a lower displacement and being more fuel-efficient.

"The Q50 has been the heart of our Infiniti line-up since it was introduced two years ago. So now it's only appropriate that we get Q50 drivers' hearts beating a little faster with these advanced VR-series engines," said Parker.

Like a good suit, a mid-size executive sedan can survive fads and fleeting fashions. However, crossovers and SUVs, even at the top end of the market, cannot rest on their aesthetic laurels for more than a season or two. 

Infiniti Q60

And that's why the changes to the QX60 should be clear "From the first time you see it," said Parker.

The edges are more rounded and tighter and the front end is much more in line with the Q50 especially around the grille. There are also new wheels and light cluster designs. The cabin also gets a new choice of material trims including quilting and a host of advanced safety systems are now standard kit. It's the first Infiniti is to feature forward emergency braking with pedestrian detection, for example.

However, the company is saving the best - a production version of its Q60 sports coupe concept - until the actual Detroit auto show. It will be officially unveiled on January 11 at Infiniti's press conference.

In photos: See what took place when Infiniti launched the Q70 sedan in Malaysia.