Infiniti General Discussion- 2017 Q60 Coupe Arrival

[Eunos_Cosmo]

It's sad how Infiniti slowly fell from around Renault Nissan alliance, but especially in last 10 years. On the other hand even before alliance Infiniti was not selling that good. If MID4 was produced under Infiniti that would help the brand identity IMO which would attract people to other models.

The G35 was Infiniti's sole USP. The G37 and Q50/60 were just diminishing returns on that one spec of brightness. Every other model they've ever made was just a similar but inferior competitor to Lexus or the Germans that only sold because somebody liked the way it looked or got a really great deal on it. If somebody can point me to a single other Infiniti product that a case could have been made for purchasing it over one of it's segment competitors, I'm all ears. And @05XR8 don't you dare mention the Infiniti G20 was underappreciated and basically a BTCC Nissan Primera with leather. Don't do it! Acura has never done anything remarkable, really, but they at least have a USP - more affordable premium cars prioritizing driving engagement and quality/reliability - there is a rational reason to buy an Acura. Aside from the G35, Infiniti has always come across to me as Lexus, except worse. Why didn't they ever use the GT-R platform? It's been around since 2007 Jesus Christ. That could have been something, at least, and for so little investment.

 

[05XR8]

The G35 was Infiniti's sole USP. The G37 and Q50/60 were just diminishing returns on that one spec of brightness. Every other model they've ever made was just a similar but inferior competitor to Lexus or the Germans that only sold because somebody liked the way it looked or got a really great deal on it. If somebody can point me to a single other Infiniti product that a case could have been made for purchasing it over one of it's segment competitors, I'm all ears. And @05XR8 don't you dare mention the Infiniti G20 was underappreciated and basically a BTCC Nissan Primera with leather. Don't do it! Acura has never done anything remarkable, really, but they at least have a USP - more affordable premium cars prioritizing driving engagement and quality/reliability - there is a rational reason to buy an Acura. Aside from the G35, Infiniti has always come across to me as Lexus, except worse. Why didn't they ever use the GT-R platform? It's been around since 2007 Jesus Christ. That could have been something, at least, and for so little investment.

Only reason why I won’t mention it is because back in ‘94 when I worked in the phone company a co-worker had a nice charcoal grey one. It was an auto. The Accord Euro was just getting some future news buzz in Car and Driver. I really wanted that, but was taking too long(which never arrived anyway until the new Accord Euro/TSX). Plus Honda, Mazda and FordLincolnMercury were all looking swoopy. Honestly I preferred the SE-R over the G20. Paying all that money(like double the price?) for the G20 and the little cousin can whoop its butt.

Howeverrrrrrrrr... I’d have a manual G20 for the Primera feels. Can’t even find one(here in Australia. Bluebirds(of the Altima/J30 shape) are all I can really find.

I also think the GS/Aristo just blew everything Infiniti had out the water. The M30(not that dang convertible) and M45 were awesome. Probably too weird for many and too late to grab GS sales.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Only reason why I won’t mention it is because back in ‘94 when I worked in the phone company a co-worker had a nice charcoal grey one. It was an auto. The Accord Euro was just getting some future news buzz in Car and Driver. I really wanted that, but was taking too long(which never arrived anyway until the new Accord Euro/TSX). Plus Honda, Mazda and FordLincolnMercury were all looking swoopy. Honestly I preferred the SE-R over the G20. Paying all that money(like double the price?) for the G20 and the little cousin can whoop its butt.

Howeverrrrrrrrr... I’d have a manual G20 for the Primera feels. Can’t even find one(here in Australia. Bluebirds(of the Altima/J30 shape) are all I can really find.

I also think the GS/Aristo just blew everything Infiniti had out the water. The M30(not that dang convertible) and M45 were awesome. Probably too weird for many and too late to grab GS sales.

Yep. And somehow Infiniti pivoted their whole rebrand around the Q nameplate, the car that got creamed into literal oblivion by the Lexus LS. Even the Acura RL lived on longer than the Q. But yet, Q is what Infiniti decided to hang their hat on. It didn't matter that the G series was by far their most successful project in terms of brand identity, they just had to go with the anonymous Q# format. Its hard for me to say if that was worse for the brand than the complete lack of effort any time after...like 2014....but it certainly hasn't helped, particularly when most people associate Q with Audi, not Infiniti.

 

[Tornado]

I mean that idiot from Audi was the one who foisted it on them before going to Cadillac and doing the same thing. Maybe it was corporate sabotage.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Yep. And somehow Infiniti pivoted their whole rebrand around the Q nameplate, the car that got creamed into literal oblivion by the Lexus LS. Even the Acura RL lived on longer than the Q. But yet, Q is what Infiniti decided to hang their hat on. It didn't matter that the G series was by far their most successful project in terms of brand identity, they just had to go with the anonymous Q# format. Its hard for me to say if that was worse for the brand than the complete lack of effort any time after...like 2014....but it certainly hasn't helped, particularly when most people associate Q with Audi, not Infiniti.

Maybe Infiniti could have salvaged the Q name a few years ago by marketing towards right wing conspiracy theorists. A missed opportunity.

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

I mean that idiot from Audi was the one who foisted it on them before going to Cadillac and doing the same thing. Maybe it was corporate sabotage.

He was only there 2 years. Wish I could see the compensation this guy received as he jumped from Audi to Infiniti to Cadillac to VW. Seems like he had a pretty clear gameplan:

0. Go to big brain business school

1. Enter company B based on the prior cycle (see below) at company A giving shareholders some nice juice
2. Do some significant sounding but ultimately superficial move (OK in his case, this was rather specific and predictable - change the model naming for some ****ing reason) engineered to bump the stock price in the near term (<24 months)
3a. Get paid bigly for said juicing if it worked
3b. Still get paid a lot even if juicing didn't work (Looking at Nissan's price before and during his tenure, it doesn't seem like it moved the needle)
4. Leave company B not giving a **** about it one way or the other. Under no circumstances, are you supposed to stick around beyond the initial stock juicing period. Return to step 1.

 

[05XR8]

Turned on GT7 and went to Infiniti Brand Central. So bland.




The VGT car should have been a reimagined Q45. Buck that coupe trend and “be true” to the origins of the brand.

I feel this Episode is a better story than the one PD selected for GT7.


I can’t help but think Inifiniti should have used the Nissan names of the cars that were rebadged. Cefiro, Cedric, Laurel, etc. The Q45 name is fine. Everything else should have been a name.

Yep. And somehow Infiniti pivoted their whole rebrand around the Q nameplate, the car that got creamed into literal oblivion by the Lexus LS. Even the Acura RL lived on longer than the Q. But yet, Q is what Infiniti decided to hang their hat on. It didn't matter that the G series was by far their most successful project in terms of brand identity, they just had to go with the anonymous Q# format. Its hard for me to say if that was worse for the brand than the complete lack of effort any time after...like 2014....but it certainly hasn't helped, particularly when most people associate Q with Audi, not Infiniti.

The G35 was Infiniti's sole USP. The G37 and Q50/60 were just diminishing returns on that one spec of brightness. Every other model they've ever made was just a similar but inferior competitor to Lexus or the Germans that only sold because somebody liked the way it looked or got a really great deal on it. If somebody can point me to a single other Infiniti product that a case could have been made for purchasing it over one of it's segment competitors, I'm all ears. And @05XR8 don't you dare mention the Infiniti G20 was underappreciated and basically a BTCC Nissan Primera with leather. Don't do it! Acura has never done anything remarkable, really, but they at least have a USP - more affordable premium cars prioritizing driving engagement and quality/reliability - there is a rational reason to buy an Acura. Aside from the G35, Infiniti has always come across to me as Lexus, except worse. Why didn't they ever use the GT-R platform? It's been around since 2007 Jesus Christ. That could have been something, at least, and for so little investment.

Just to add about the GT-R question. GT-R in Motorsport we’re seeing success. The Infiniti brand could have gotten some of that love with a fly Inifiniti super coupe. Even using the M35 Stagea to get premium sales in that segment of Audi, BMW and Mercedes wagons. At least it would have gotten people in the showrooms.

 

[GranTurNismo]

2025 QX 80 is officially unveiled. Will be priced between $84,500 to $112,500, a pretty significant price jump from the outgoing model. Its wheelbase and length is the same as the outgoing model, though it did grow taller and wider. Powertrain is a twin-turbo 3.5L V6 making 450hp, 50 more than the old 5.6L V8.

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a60249603/2025-infiniti-qx80-revealed/

 

[Tornado]

I think it's hilarious that this comes out five or so years after luxury makes already started course-correcting away from the mistakes this is making on debut. Nissan really doesn't have any money to spend on anything.


And it starts at more money than a Escalade and the Navigator? Lmao.

 

[05XR8]

First thing that came to mind was Chris Tucker’s line in Rush Hour, “How you gonna sell a big box of grease?!”

Couldn’t use a fully tuned GT-R NISMO engine? If someone is going to spend $120,000 on a petrol Nissan SUV make it worth it.

 

[GranTurNismo]

Infiniti becomes latest brand to go CUV/SUV only, as it is killing off its ancient Q50 sedan after MY2025 without replacement.

https://www.motor1.com/news/730907/infiniti-q50-dead/

 

[DK]

"Daringly different".
Only sells SUVs and crossovers.

I just love the automotive industry. /s

 

[MIE1992]

It's just so fascinating to me that meanwhile, Acura and Lexus seem to be doing a lot better than Infiniti, especially Lexus.

 

[Darla Starch]

Because "shock and awe we actually have to put work in" is an idea they get

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

It's just so fascinating to me that meanwhile, Acura and Lexus seem to be doing a lot better than Infiniti, especially Lexus.

You could make an argument that Lexus makes the best cars, period.

You can make an argument that Acura makes premium feeling cars that drive nicely and have an expectation of reliability for a reasonable price.

I don't honestly know what argument you can make for Infiniti. They're there too? They make one vehicle you can argue is a plausible alternative to an equivalent Lexus (The QX80)...hardly a compelling case for an entire brand.

 

[Darla Starch]

Because "shock and awe we actually have to put work in" is an idea they get

Look at this dork, Infiniti is cooking

Infiniti Could Kill The QX50 And QX55, Offer Rebadged Nissan Rogue | Carscoops

The QX50 and QX55 could die in the summer of 2026

www.carscoops.com

 

[GranTurNismo]

Infiniti is what you get when you insist on something luxury but can't get financed from an actual luxury brand. There are very few brand-loyal new Infiniti customers- especially in 2024. One is acting irrationally by buying a new Infiniti over the competition. The subprime new luxury car market just isn't that big.

 

[MSZ]

Look at this dork, Infiniti is cooking

Infiniti Could Kill The QX50 And QX55, Offer Rebadged Nissan Rogue | Carscoops

The QX50 and QX55 could die in the summer of 2026

www.carscoops.com

So that's why they never offered the e-Power Rogue in North America while the e-P X-Trail has been selling in other market for years. They are saving that for the Infiniti rebadge! Truly unbelievable.

 

[Darla Starch]

Infiniti is what you get when you insist on something luxury but can't get financed from an actual luxury brand. There are very few brand-loyal new Infiniti customers- especially in 2024. One is acting irrationally by buying a new Infiniti over the competition. The subprime new luxury car market just isn't that big.

Wait, the subprime new luxury car market hasn't been taken over by the BHPH market yet? 🤯

 

[DK]

Look at this dork, Infiniti is cooking

Infiniti Could Kill The QX50 And QX55, Offer Rebadged Nissan Rogue | Carscoops

The QX50 and QX55 could die in the summer of 2026

www.carscoops.com