QOTD: Will New Product Boost Infiniti?
Scanning the news today, I came across a story about Infiniti's plans to unveil four new models, and while this could've been a standard news post, I decided it also worked as a QOTD.
Autoblog reports via Automotive News that Infiniti recently hosted about 200 of its dealers in the City of Angels, and the company showed two new ICE vehicles and two new EVs at the event.
It seems a new QX80, based on the next-gen Nissan Patrol, is in the works. The bigger news here is that it appears top-trim models will be targeted at Cadillac and Lincoln and priced accordingly, with a base sticker of over $100,000. Oh, and a twin-turbo V6 making about 450 horsepower should replace the V8. Expect an available air suspension. We should see the 2024 QX80 as soon as this summer.
Next up will be a Lexus RX fighter named the QX65. This vehicle will share bones with the QX60 but lose the third-row seat.
The two EVs appear to be a Q70 electric sedan that drew comparisons to the Tesla Model S and a midsize crossover.
AN notes that this is the first Infiniti dealer meeting in almost a decade.
So, will an influx of four new models help the stagnant brand get back on track? Or is it not enough? Obviously, it will depend somewhat on how good these new vehicles are, but even if they're good that might not be enough.
What do you think? Sound off below.
[Image: Infiniti]
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Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.
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If the product is compelling, I say they can turn it around. I have a soft spot for Infiniti as I grew up with them. My parents always bought Nissan, and switched to Infiniti when the brand bowed.
I'm with HunterS as well as I have a soft spot for Infiniti as I have a couple of relatives who have and had multiple Infinitis and they have been solid, reliable cars. However, a regular Honda Accord that is $10,000 less is also a solid, reliable car. Even the optimist in my says Infiniti just doesn't have a future. While it isn't as bad as what Chrysler did in the 1990s with the Neon and just put a different brand name on the trunk and a different steering wheel airbag cover and call it a day, it's pretty obvious where the Infiniti CUVs get their bones from.
And something was mentioned in the comments section a while back about something similar and that Lexus might end up in the same boat, and I tend to agree. Lexus went from a compelling lineup of the LS, GS, ES, IS, and SC to now mainly pedestrian Toyota CUVs with nicer interiors. And while there's money to be made in selling vanilla, is it enough for the long term? Infiniti is the same thing - what products do they have in the pipeline for the next generation of luxury car buyers who want something different - something their older parents didn't drive? Because if history holds, Generation Z and younger, when (or sadly, if) they get that buying power, they likely aren't going to want to truck around a generic gray CUV - they'll be seen as the minivans of my generation. And Infiniti has nothing to offer.
Make them nicer badged Nissans, mothball the dealers, and stop torching money on what ended up being a failed experiment.
Infiniti needs to go back to being the Japanese BMW. Right now I think they are just adrift
My wife's Q60 (aka G37) is a great vehicle but Infiniti just doesn't show up on people's radar when shopping. I have no idea how Acura managed to put itself clear enough of Honda to become a different brand but at this point Genesis is more desirable then Infiniti. Part of the problem is "near luxury" can be had from nearly everyone these days, its just the highest trim level of the normal / common brand. IE: a loaded VW is just as good as the base level Audi.
There was a time when Infiniti was the rear wheel drive version of Nissan and thus the sportier brand. However now that everything is a AWD CUV what is the point? Does anyone cross shop a Q60 vs an M3? My wife did and the idea of an out-of-warranty German car was a firm no thank you.