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New Infiniti Q Flagship In Doubt

 
5 9,073 views March 15, 2010

2011 Infiniti M

2011 Infiniti M

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Infiniti dealers across the country have been desperately waiting for a new Q flagship sedan to take on the likes of the Lexus LS and BMW 7-Series to be announced, however, it appears their wish may never come true.

The last Q model ended production back in 2006 and at the time the base sticker price of the car was $58,750. The current range topper in Infinti’s lineup is the latest 2011 M56, which starts at $57,550, so there’s definitely room for a more upmarket model. However, Infiniti’s vice president of its global business unit, Toru Saito, explained to Automotive News that the Q45 never sold well in the U.S. and that a more expensive model will be even harder to sell. There’s also the fact that the latest 2011 Infiniti M is almost the same size as the old Q45.

All is not lost, however. Saito went on to explain that the new M will "play a flagship role" to gauge demand for an even more expensive model by seeing how many people buy the most expensive M with all the options boxes ticked.

However, the top priority now for Infiniti is to generate more global appeal. Infiniti is no longer a brand isolated to the U.S. and is currently sold in Korea, China, Russia and most of Western Europe. Another major focus is environmental and efficiency challenges, which the upmarket Nissan division hopes to address with a new all-electric compact car.

[Automotive News, sub req’d]





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Comments (5)

  1. By Beelzebub Posted: 2/4/2008 7:33am PST

    They really need to have a flagship sedan just make sure that they do it right next time. The G & M were great for their class & helped turn things around for Infiniti ... they just need to apply the same magic here.
     
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  2. By simple Posted: 2/5/2008 1:39am PST

    Dear Nissan/Infiniti, and all Infiniti retailers across the globe,

    This is alot simpler than you might think. Many automakers around the globe follow a very simple yet very effective and proven strategy when it comes to offering high end luxury cars. Build one car on one platform and provide a number of V6, V8 powertrains with the addition of hybrid power. In your case however, you could take stretch the next gen M series platform (for cost effectiveness) and offer newer versions of your proven and highly acclaimed V6 and V8 engines. Develop new diesel variants of the VQ engines for european consumption. A VQ diesel with similar power would be something to behold of. Use next gen hybrid power based of the next gen Altima Hybrid and attach it either to a petrol or diesel unit. Present a concept to preview the next gen Q series to see consumer reaction, but be sure to further advance your design language and try to be a little risky and adventurous with your styling, unlike the subtle design change from the prev gen G to the current gen which was barely noticable at first. With attractive design with new technology mated to proven powertrains should give you an edge in the competition.
     
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  3. By shift Posted: 9/17/2009 3:20am PDT

    No matter what Infiniti needs a flagship sedan. I agree with simple and they should just put the next Q flagship onto the next generation Infiniti M or put it on the GT-R platform. Also what the Q flagship lacked was advertisement and if Nissan/Infiniti advertised the Q earlier on it would have made a difference in sales. They should also try to put a twin-turbo six cylinder with direct injection technology, ala Ford's 3.5L Ecoboost engine (as the base engine making north of 400+ hp) and make the price as the last Q flagship that was produced in 2006. Distinct standard features should only be applied to the Q flagship and not any other vehicle in the Infiniti lineup. The 2006 Q45 had a great shape and should be an evolution or should be part of the current Infiniti style that the original G35 started. An optional AWD system, long wheel base version, and add a top of the line V8 that should top at least 6.0L should be its top line engine (with HP north of the M56 V8 which will make 400hp in 2011). And prices should be between $58,000-$65,000 to undercut even the Lexus LS series. Also should have their hallmark handling and an interior design meant for a flagship of the Infiniti lineup.
     
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  4. By Rick Posted: 3/15/2010 9:27am PDT

    They need to make their current lineup less ugly before adding another ugly and expensive model to their lineup.
     
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  5. By NoNameDenton Posted: 3/15/2010 7:19pm PDT

    Rick, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Anyways, smart move for Infiniti, better to see if the customers would be willing to pay for a higher money model before building one that will not sell.
     
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