Look at a new Nissan Z and an Infiniti Q50 side by side. One is a stubby, aggressive two-seater that looks like it wants to eat a canyon road for breakfast. The other is a dignified luxury sedan that’s spent the last decade primarily shuttling executives to golf courses or sitting in suburban driveways. On the surface, they share nothing but a badge parent.
But peel back the sheet metal.
Honestly, they are the same car. Not "kinda" the same. Not "shared DNA" in a vague marketing sense. They are built on the exact same architecture, use the same mounting points, and in many trims, breathe through the same twin-turbo lung. If you’ve ever wondered why the Q50 felt a bit more "raw" than a Lexus or why the Z feels surprisingly substantial, it’s because of the Infiniti Q50 Skyline Z platform—more formally known as the Nissan FM (Front Midship) platform.
It is the skeleton that refused to die.
The FM Platform: A 25-Year Secret
The story doesn't start with the Q50. It starts in 2001 with the V35 Skyline (which we called the G35). Nissan was broke. They needed one chassis to do everything. They came up with the "Front Midship" layout, pushing the engine as far back toward the firewall as humanly possible to balance the weight.
Fast forward to 2026. The world is obsessed with EVs and "skateboard" chassis, yet Nissan is still over here refining a platform that first saw the light of day before the original iPhone existed. It’s basically the Japanese version of the Dodge Challenger's LX platform—old, but so fundamentally "right" that replacing it would cost billions just to achieve the same result.
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People think the new Nissan Z (RZ34) is a ground-up redesign. It’s not. It is a heavily evolved version of the 370Z, which was a shortened version of the G37, which became the Q50. You’ve basically got a sports car wearing a sedan’s bones, and a sedan trying to pretend it isn't a sports car.
Why the Skyline Name Matters
In Japan, the Q50 doesn't exist. It’s the Nissan Skyline. For Americans, "Skyline" evokes images of R34s screaming through Tokyo tunnels with underglow and massive turbos. For the rest of the world, the Infiniti Q50 Skyline Z platform is just a solid, RWD-biased luxury cruiser.
But because it’s a Skyline at heart, it was designed to handle insane power.
When Infiniti dropped the VR30DDTT (the 3.0L twin-turbo V6) into the Q50 Red Sport 400, they weren't just guessing. They knew that chassis could handle 400 horsepower because it was literally the same hardpoints used for the Z. The engine from the Q50 Red Sport is the exact engine in the new Nissan Z. Same turbos? Mostly. Same block? Identical.
The "Frankenstein" Architecture
What makes this platform weird is how interchangeable it is. You can take suspension components from a Q50 and, with very little "redneck engineering," make them fit a Z.
- Wheelbase Games: The Q50 uses a 112.2-inch wheelbase. The Z is shortened to 100.4 inches.
- Steering Drama: The Q50 famously introduced Direct Adaptive Steering (DAS)—steer-by-wire. The Z wisely skipped that, sticking to a mechanical rack that feels, you know, like a car.
- Transmission Tug-of-War: For years, Q50 owners begged for a manual. Nissan said it wouldn't fit or wouldn't sell. Then they launched the Z with a 6-speed manual on the same platform.
It makes the Q50's lack of a stick shift feel like a personal insult to enthusiasts. If the Z can have it, the Q50 could have had it all along.
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The 2026 Turnaround
As of early 2026, the rumor mill has shifted from "the Q50 is dead" to "the Q50 is coming back as a Z-powered monster." Reports from dealer meetings in Las Vegas suggest a second-generation Q50 is slated for a 2027/2028 release.
And get this: it’s reportedly keeping the FM platform.
Why? Because it works. It’s RWD. It fits the V6. It’s paid for. While every other luxury brand is pivoting to numb, heavy EVs, Infiniti is looking at their old parts bin and realizing they have the components for a "four-door Z."
Driving Realities: Q50 vs. Z
If you drive them back-to-back, the family resemblance is eerie. The way the nose dives under heavy braking? Identical. The specific "whirr" of the twin turbos spooling up at 3,000 RPM? Same frequency.
The Q50 feels like a Z that grew up and got a corporate job but still keeps a leather jacket in the trunk. It’s heavier, sure—roughly 3,800 lbs versus the Z’s 3,500 lbs—but the weight distribution is remarkably similar because of that "Front Midship" layout.
The biggest gripe? The 7-speed automatic in the Q50 is a relic. It’s slow. It hunts for gears. The Z got a newer 9-speed Mercedes-sourced unit (or the manual), which transformed the engine's character. If the Infiniti Q50 Skyline Z platform gets that 9-speed in its next iteration, the BMW M340i should actually be worried.
How to Maximize This Platform Today
If you own a Q50 or are looking at a Z, you’re sitting on one of the most over-engineered chassis in modern history. Because they share so much, the aftermarket is a goldmine.
- Cooling is the Achilles Heel: Both cars suffer from heat soak. The intercoolers are small. Upgrading to a heat exchanger is the first thing any "expert" will tell you to do.
- Suspension Swaps: Most of the bracing designed for the Z can be adapted to the Q50 to stiffen up that long sedan body.
- The "Z" Tune: You can flash a Q50 to Z specs (and beyond) quite easily because the internals are built for it.
The Infiniti Q50 Skyline Z platform represents the end of an era. It’s one of the last "pure" Japanese platforms that hasn't been diluted by front-wheel-drive crossovers or generic global architectures. It’s a bit old-school, sorta heavy, and definitely thirsty for premium fuel. But it has soul.
If you’re looking to buy into this platform, focus on 2018+ models for the Q50 to avoid the early turbo seals issues, or just go straight for the Z if you don't need back seats. Either way, you're driving a Skyline in a tuxedo.
Next Steps for Enthusiasts:
Check your turbo coolant levels every 5,000 miles—the VR30 engine is notorious for "disappearing" coolant if the seals start to go. If you're cross-shopping a Q50 and a Z, drive the Q50 Red Sport first; if the size doesn't bother you, the used market price gap makes the sedan a massive performance bargain. For those waiting on the "New Q50," keep an eye on Japanese JDM news for the "Skyline 400R Limited"—it's the blueprint for what's coming to American shores next.