Infiniti shows image of Q30 concept car before 2013 Frankfurt motor show reveal

Infiniti has just released photos of its highly anticipated Q30 Concept, which will be shown to the public at the 2013 Frankfurt motor show.

Even though it may be hard to tell from the photos and sketches which size category this concept car belongs in, the Q30 moniker places this car in a rather compact segment. Designing the Q30, Infiniti says it has tried to blend the features of a coupe, a hatch, and a crossover. From the looks of this concept, we'd say they've succeeded. The Q30 is designed to appeal to younger customers who seek alternatives to traditional premium compact cars -- presumably cars that are very much one defined body style rather than the Q30's mix of three.

The Q30 is designed to combine the best features of three body styles: the sportiness of a coupe, the higher ride height of a crossover, and the interior room of a hatch. While other cars like the Mini Countryman have combined two out of three of those attributes, the Q30 takes the idea even further.

It has been a while since Infiniti marketed a truly compact car, the Peugeot 405-styled G20 of the 1990s perhaps being the smallest car in the brand's lineup, so it's no surprise that Infiniti wants to get out of the strictly sedan-and-SUV lineup.

As automakers like Mini and Mercedes-Benz are starting to offer premium compact cars in the U.S., it was only a matter of time before other luxury automakers brought out their challengers.

By Jay Ramey