SWITZERLAND probably isn't the best place to try out a high-powered sports coupe, with speed limits on non-motorway roads restricted to just 50mph, but I did my best with the 400bhp Infiniti Q60.

Powered by a V6 twin-turbo petrol engine the sleek Q60 can hit 62mph in just five seconds and on to a top whack of 155mph with four-wheel drive and a seven-speed auto box.

So it was difficult to properly access the performance of this new motor from Infiniti, the luxury arm of Nissan.

The Q60 comes with a choice of 2.0-litre or 3.0-litre petrol engines. The larger V6 is all-wheel-drive and the 2.0-litre rear wheel drive. There isn't a diesel option.

It would have been nice to try the Q60 on a dual-carriageway or motorway where it would have come into its own as a comfortable grand tourer, but instead we were restricted to short bursts of open road between villages where 30mph limits are strictly observed.

Having said all that, I loved the car itself for its stunning looks, comfort and handling.

With the 400bhp engine you can expect to get a combined mpg of around 31, which isn't great, but the 2.0-litre will get you around 41.5mph, according to Infiniti.

Emissions are 156g/km for the 2.0-litre and 208 for the V6.

The Q60 is a real head-turner with sweeping lines, wide wheel arches, sculpted sides wide 3-D grille and long bonnet plus crescent-cut rear pillars. Its overall appearance is up with many others in the sports coupe sector.

It also comes with 19-inch aluminium alloys, LED headlights with "light guide" technology which Infiniti says spreads light evenly on the road ahead.

The interior is classy, with the higher spec models offering very supportive leather seats which are multi-adjustable and you are surrounded by quality fittings all round including brushed aluminium and black wood inserts.

Room in the back is a bit restricted and taller adults might find headroom a problem, but this kind of motor obviously isn't meant for family motoring, although rear space would be OK for kids.

The centre console has twin touchscreens (eight-inch upper and seven-inch lower) as part of the InTouch central control system - the latest generation of the company's infotainment technology.

There is a great choice of driving aids on the Q60 which means drivers can set the car up for their personal preferences when it comes to different driving conditions.

At the touch of the screen you can choose engine settings for sport, standard, ECO and snow conditions. Steering choices include standard, dynamic, sport and sport+ and on to standard or sports settings for the suspension settings.

The Q60 includes Infiniti's "steer by wire" system which does without mechanically linked parts and instead communicates electronically via an electronic unit which relays steering input from the driver to the wheels. In the unlikely event of this failing a mechanical fall-back system kicks in immediately.

I found the top range 3.0-litre Sport Tech Q60S AWD (costing £46,690) a comfortable motor with very little wind, road or engine noise when on the move.

Response from the automatic box was crisp and smooth with just a bit of whine when pushed hard. Steering was positive and, when I managed to get up a bit of speed on tight bends, it cornered well with very little body roll.

The £34,990 2.0-litre rear-wheel drive Sport model wll probably be the choice of most UK buyers.

It has plenty of power and, of course, is much cheaper, but it still handles well and unless you live in a part of the country where all-wheel-drive would be an advantage it will fit the bill.

Infiniti is gaining strength in the UK, with sales more than doubling over the past twelve months.

It's still a niche brand but the Q60 has great road presence and will give the marque a boost.