The crossover market is exploding, and CUVs with three rows are getting more popular as buyers with families look for options that can fit the kids and more adults.

We first saw Infiniti’s planned entry in this segment last year when they unveiled the all-new Infiniti JX concept at the Concours D’Elegance at Pebble Beach. We were impressed then with the look of this all-new vehicle, and last week we had the opportunity to drive it at the Infiniti drive event in picturesque Charleston, South Carolina.

The new JX is targeting buyers with kids who don’t want to sacrifice luxury and style, filling a gap in Infiniti’s crossover and SUV portfolio. The designers also emphasized space and flexibility in the interior along with cutting edge safety features.

Exterior

The exterior of the JX looks sleek and stylish and is consistent with the design language we’ve come to expect from Infiniti, including the distinctive LED tail lamps. It’s a far cry from some of the boxier or bulkier vehicles from competitors that sport three rows. One new feature that we’ll be seeing more of is the crescent shaped rear side window which adds a nice touch to the vehicle. Overall, the look is a real winner that should be a huge hit with the target market.

Interior

Infiniti engineers focused on space and flexibility with the interior, with particular emphasis on easy access to the third row seats. They created a mechanism that lets the second row seat tilt in a manner to provide the most space, and another to allow users to tilt the seat even when a car seat is strapped in (without the baby of course!). Not having to remove the car seat is a significant convenience for many parents, and adults can easily get in and out of the third row, so grandma will happily jump in the back with the kids. Third row air conditioning was also added, along with two DVD monitors for second row passengers. Throw in Bose technology with the speaker system and you have a luxurious experience for the entire family.

The technology packages are impressive, and the My Schedule feature lets you coordinate your Google Calendar with the map and other functions in the vehicle. So you can set an appointment on your PC calendar and then just instruct the vehicle to “map it” once you get inside. Very convenient! This should be even better once they come up with an app to coordinate all of this.

Performance

The new JX was not engineered to be a performance vehicle, but rather was built for the target market with sufficient and competitive horsepower. I had the chance to push the vehicle at higher speeds and it performed just fine with solid acceleration and solid handling. Moms and dads driving the car certainly won’t have any complaints.

It’s in the safety area where Infiniti has come up with some impressive innovations that will certainly please the target customers. The Backup Collision Intervention is something you’ll be seeing in the commercials for this vehicle. Basically, if you’re backing up at low speeds, the sensors will pick up something behind you or an approaching vehicle and stop the car for you even before you notice the hazard on you rear view camera. I had the opportunity to test it and it worked great. The key is that the driver is going no faster than five miles per hour backing up, but this should do if for most backup situation in the driveway or in a parking lot. Another helpful feature lets alerts the driver if someone or something is right next to the vehicle.

Overview

Infiniti has nailed this one and it should do very well in this segment. The JX is an impressive vehicle and it has all the luxuries buyers will want, and some they didn’t realize they need.

One of the oldest rivalries in college sports will be renewed this Saturday, February 18, when No. 19 Michigan hosts No. 6 Ohio State at 9:00PM ET. And along with Infiniti and The Bachelor Guy.com, Bullz-Eye.com will be hosting a Twitter party during the game!

Join us on Twitter this Saturday night @bullzeyedotcom and talk college hoops with us. We’ll also provide opportunities for you to win prizes, including a $50 Visa Gift Card and Infiniti Branded Basketball, as well as a grand prize of $100 Visa Gift Card and Infiniti Branded Basketball.

To be entered to win, all you have to do is vote in Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge at ESPN.com/Infiniti. After casting your vote, tweet who you voted for to @InfinitiNews and include the hastag #CoachesCharity.

Easy, right? The best part is that your vote goes to a great cause as well.

Infiniti is a proud partner of NCAA Men’s Basketball and is donating $5,000 to each of the charities involved in the Coaches’ Charity Challenge. The coaches’ charity with the most votes will receive $100,000, so be sure to check out ESPN.com/Infiniti to check out all of the charities involved so that you’re ready to vote on Saturday night.

See you around tip off!

Auto shows are where automakers like to make a big splash with new product and announcements. And at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show, it won’t be any different, as it appears Infiniti is gearing up for some big news. Check out the video below for hints of what’s to come!

I knew I was in for a treat when I traveled to Pebble Beach this past weekend with Infiniti. Any trip to the beautiful Bay Area that included a visit to the iconic Pebble Beach golf course would be memorable. But visiting during the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance provided a completely unique experience. The Concours ranks as the most prestigious classic car show in the world. I was stunned by the number of beautiful cars that were on display. It’s a car enthusiast’s dream event, but anyone who appreciates great cars would have an unforgettable experience.

Infiniti took the opportunity around this event to introduce two impressive concept vehicles, including the JX Concept crossover which made its debut at an elegant evening event and the Etherea concept which was introduced for the first time in North America. The Etherea was introduced on Saturday morning on the 18th green at Pebble Beach, which would be the location for the Concours on Sunday (see photo below).

The Concours is the signature event for car enthusiasts, so all weekend we saw a virtual parade of amazing vehicles. Everywhere you turned you could spot old and new Ferraris, Bugattis, Rolls Royces, Aston Martins, Lambos and more, along with classic American cars as well. In the days leading up to Sunday, tons of vehicles we on display. One of my favorites was this 1968 Dodge Charger R/T:

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We were thrilled to be guests of Infiniti for this year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, which is one of the most prestigious classic car shows in the world. We were in Pebble Beach the entire weekend as Infiniti unveiled its JX Concept crossover and also introduced the Etherea concept for the first time in North America.

The Concours d’Elegance culminated on Sunday, and above we have a slideshow of some of the scenes from the event. It’s stunning how many rare collectibles are on display at this event, and all the cars are displayed on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach. The day starts early, as guests and media are on hand to watch as each classic car is driven onto the course as you can see in the second photo above. You can spend the entire day there admiring all the cars. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Ferrari 250 GTO so you’ll see several photos of the Ferraris above.

We’ll be posting more photos from the weekend here and on Dashboard News and we’ll be publishing a recap of the event as well so check back soon.

I’ve seen tons of beautiful cars, old and new, this weekend at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. It’s an amazing celebration of the automobile, and this morning we found ourselves on the 18th hole at Pebble Beach as Infiniti introduced its Etherea Concept for the first time in North America. It was a little cloudy and chilly as you can see from the photos, but the view was spectacular. Tomorrow morning we’ll be back for the Concours as some amazing classic automobiles will be on display on the same spot.

The Etherea Concept is very impressive and is worthy of such a prestigious location for its introduction. I love the lines on this car, and the suicide doors punctuate the bold design. It’s clear from this vehicle and the JX Concept introduced yesterday that Infiniti will continue to be aggressive in its styling. The Etherea is an “exploration” of a future model so it will be interesting to see the final product, but they’re definitely headed in the right direction.

You can learn more about the Etherea Concept and the JX Concept at the Infiniti Facebook page.

Infiniti invited Bullz-Eye out to Pebble Beach for the annual Concours d’Elegance and the introduction of the new Infiniti JX Concept crossover. The new vehicle was unveiled last night at an elegant reception at the famed Lodge at Pebble Beach.

The Infiniti JX Concept is a preview of a new 7-passenger/3-row luxury crossover that joins the Infiniti lineup in spring 2012. The JX Concept was unveiled by Senior Vice President and Chief Creative Officer Shiro Nakamura: “The JX Concept advances the Infiniti design language, sharing design cues of the Infiniti Essence concept, yet interprets those elements in ways suitable to the needs of a family luxury crossover. From the dramatic front grille and headlight design to the crescent-cut D-pillar and greenhouse shape, the JX Concept shines as a fresh, bold alternative to the many flavors of vanilla currently dominating the three-row luxury crossover segment.”

As you can see from the photos above, the JX Concept stands out with aggressive styling. The accessibility and comfort of the third-row seating will also be a major selling point. “With the JX, you will even be able to leave a child seat latched to the 2nd row while getting in or out of the 3rd row – just one example of the vehicle’s inspired flexibility and versatility,” explained Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore. “The 3rd row isn’t the typical penalty box either, with adult-sized room for all occupants and five-and-a-half inches of 2nd row forward-back adjustability.” Learn more about this and other Infiniti vehicles at the Infiniti Facebook page.

Check back as we will be posting more updates from the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. This event is one of the premier celebrations of the automobile as only the most beautiful and rare automobiles are invited to appear on the famed eighteenth fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links each year.

This is the best time of year for many sports fans. Baseball season is underway (and with it, the promise of spring), the NFL Draft is around the corner, the NBA is gearing up for the postseason and, of course, the excitement of March Madness culminates with the Final Four and the crowning of a new national champion.

We’ll be on hand in Houston for the Final Four, along with our friends at Inifiniti, who debuted ads for their sleek new M Hybrid during tournament telecasts this year. Many consider March Madness the greatest event in sports, and to see two Cinderellas fight for the chance to meet two of the game’s most respected programs in the title game will be memorable, for sure.

Below, we’ve detailed five things we’re most looking forward to as we prepare for this weekend’s games. Check them out, but first, learn more about the all-new 360 hp, 32 mpg Infiniti M Hybrid, the high-performance hybrid.

1. Brad Stevens vs. Shaka Smart
These two are the hottest young names in the college coaching ranks and it will be interesting to see how the chess match plays out. Neither team runs at a blistering pace, but Smart will likely try to push the tempo to take advantage of his team’s depth and athleticism. Butler has struggled against the press, so VCU is likely to use pressure early and often. On the flip side, Stevens always seems to have the Bulldogs executing with precision both offensively and defensively, so look for Butler to get a few easy baskets coming out of timeouts.

2. VCU’s three-point shooting
By any measure, the Rams are on fire from long range in the tournament. After shooting a decent (but not great) 36% on the season, they’ve hit at a 44% clip in the tournament, and it’s been the difference in just about every game. Butler is pretty darn good at guarding the three-point line (32% on the season), so something has to give. If the Rams hit at a 40%+ clip on Saturday, they have a great chance to advance.

3. Matt Howard
This kid stands 6’ 8” and is 230 pounds of bone and muscle, with an emphasis on bone. The Butler forward typically is the least athletic player on the court, but he more than makes up for it with savvy and hustle. Need someone to give up his body to get a loose ball? Howard is your man. Need someone to calmly hit a free throw or a three-pointer in a tight game? Howard is your man. Need someone to awkwardly outplay the other team’s bigs? Yes, Howard is your man. We just wish that he still had his moustache.

4. Kemba Walker vs. the Kentucky defense
UConn has won its first four tournament games because it had the best player on the floor. Walker is averaging 26.8 points in the tournament, which is no surprise considering he’s coming off a five-game, 130-point scoring spree in the Big East Tournament. Conversely, the Wildcats are #20 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency. That’s not elite, but it’s better than solid and you better believe that John Calipari will have a gameplan that utilizes his team’s rangy athleticism to try to slow Walker down. If UK holds Walker below his tourney average, they have a great chance to pull out a victory.

5. Jim Calhoun vs. John Calipari
There’s bad blood between these two since Calipari’s days at UMass when he beat out UConn for the services of Marcus Camby. Cahoun never likes to lose, but he especially wants to beat the hotshot, and Calipari still qualifies. It didn’t sit well with the UConn coach when Calipari made it to the Final Four before he did, so it would be sweet revenge to bounce Kentucky out on Saturday.

John Paulsen contributed to this piece. For more of John’s Final Four coverage, head over to The Scores Report.

March Madness is considered the greatest sporting event of the year by many. The bracket challenges are an event unto themselves. This year, Infiniti is giving basketball enthusiasts the chance to do some good with their brackets. The company has teamed up with NCAA Men’s Basketball to help Coaches vs. Cancer raise as much as $500,000.

To participate, simply fill out a round-by-round bracket at CBSSports.com. For more details about how your correct picks will help a great cause, watch the video above.