Originally Posted by 4TehNguyen

G series actually outsold the 3 series last year.

Originally Posted by jrock65

It wasn't in a press release. Such a statement would usually not be made in a press release. As I remember it, they were statements made by a Nissan exec during an interview or excerpts from a talk to the dealers.

I can't find the link right now (it was from about 3 or 4 years ago).

You gotta remember that the Infiniti brand was on life support before the intro of the G35. Basically, the Nissan exec said that the Infiniti brand had no identity and no direction. People didn't identify Infiniti with sport (a la BMW), luxury (a la Lexus), prestige (a la MB) or safety (a la Volvo). It made a couple of FWD vehicles (G20 and I30) and the QX4. The Q45 didn't sell. No image at all.

So they decided to go the Japanese "BMW" route by offering sporty RWD vehicles. An FWD vehicle would have gone against that image. They wanted people to identify Infiniti with something, in this case sport.

It was a risk in deciding to scrap their best seller (the I30/35), but they felt they had to do it to save the brand. In 2001, the I35 accounted for about 50% of all of Infiniti's sales. To discontinue a vehicle that accounts for such as large percentage of your sales is a big risk however you cut it.

Anyways, I don't remember exactly what he said, but that was the gist of it.

An identity is a hard thing to gain or lose in the lux car business. Lexus makes some nice sporty sedans right now, but the lay public still identifies the Lexus brand as a maker of plush, comfortable, and reliable vehicles.

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Infiniti bring back a $35,000 FWD sedan. The ES has virtually no competitors right now. But Infiniti should only do it after a successful flagship sedan.

Originally Posted by T0ked

Prestige and notoriety begin from the top down. Infiniti, much like Acura (which was discussed on another thread) needs a flagship model. Not the $100k sports car, but the ***** out, technology tour-de-force, luxury flagship in the veins of the S, 7, and LS. There is a reason both Lexus and Infinti began with 2 full-size sedans in the 1990s. Inifiniti never really improved upon the Q while Lexus nurtured the LS to what it has become today, its successful flagship model sporting the most powerful engines and advanced electronics. Unless Infiniti is able to do something with the Q, they'll continue to wallow as Teir 2 with Acura and Caddy. Is there a Teir 2.5? I'd throw Jaguar and Audi in there. Definitely contenders, but not quite up there with the big three.

Originally Posted by jaydunn

Tier 2.5?? Some of us here would put Audi way ahead of Acura and Caddy and Infiniti. Have you driven an A6 or even an A4 lately?

Originally Posted by jaydunn

Tier 2.5?? Some of us here would put Audi way ahead of Acura and Caddy and Infiniti. Have you driven an A6 or even an A4 lately?

Originally Posted by jrock65

For luxury brands, I'd rank:

Tier 0: Rolls Royce, Bentley, Maybach, Aston Martin

Tier 1: Mercedes, BMW, Lexus

Tier 2: Audi, Cadillac, Infiniti, Acura

Tier 3: Volvo, Lincoln, Saab

Originally Posted by jaydunn

Tier 2.5?? Some of us here would put Audi way ahead of Acura and Caddy and Infiniti. Have you driven an A6 or even an A4 lately?

Originally Posted by 4TehNguyen

G series actually outsold the 3 series last year. M45 needs a 6 speed auto, Q45 needs to be redesigned quickly. The VQ engine needs to be updated to a new generation, it helped them immensely over the past several years but its not as a modern engine as some competitors are

Originally Posted by 1SICKLEX

Nissan management has still not shown they truly understand the luxury car market. And no offense but Infniiti's are just rebadged NIssans still. There is no corportate climate where "you know what, we are going to try to shock the world here".

Carlos Ghosen is about profits, not building the best anything and that will always keep them behind.

Originally Posted by G35_TX

These are my rankings:

Tier 1 - MB, BMW
Tier 2 - Lexus, Audi, Infiniti, Acura
Tier 3 - Cadillac, Jaguar
Tier 4 - Lincoln, Volvo

This is the way they are and currently are selling as.

Originally Posted by Toyota Motor Sales USA

Lexus Earns Best-Selling Luxury Brand Title For Sixth Consecutive Year - Surpasses 300,000 Sales in Record-Breaking Year


January 4, 2006 - Torrance, CA - Lexus surpassed 300,000 in annual sales for the first time ever in 2005, retaining the crown as American's No. 1-selling luxury brand for the sixth consecutive year. Total U.S. sales came to a best-ever 302,895, up 5.5 percent from 287,927 in 2004.

Since its inception in 1989, Lexus has enjoyed steady growth and expanded business, success the company attributes to its devotion to the pursuit of perfection and its total focus on the customer experience.

"At Lexus, we believe that the ultimate success is a satisfied and loyal customer," said Bob Carter, Lexus group vice president and general manager. "Our business model is based on treating every customer like a guest in our own home, which means providing the highest quality of attention and care at every level: from design conception to dealership and from purchase to service. This, more than any number, is our goal at all times."

The 300,000-unit milestone has been achieved only on three other occasions, by Cadillac, in the mid 1980s. Since that time, no other luxury nameplate has been able to reach this sales pinnacle, even in a thriving auto market.

Sales of Lexus passenger cars achieved all-time record-breaking results with 151,226 units, an increase of 11.5 percent over 2004. The Lexus flagship LS 430 premium luxury sedan continues to be the segment leader with sales of 26,043 units. The all-new GS mid-luxury sport sedans and IS entry-luxury sports sedans contributed heavily to the record year. The GS 300/430 achieved best-ever year-end combined sales of 33,457 units. The GS 300 recorded best-ever monthly sales of 2,973 units, an increase of 305 percent, while the GS 430 posted sales of 458 units, an increase of 349 percent. The all new IS entry-luxury sport sedans, which debuted in October, enjoyed a best-ever overall combined sales month of 4,518 units, an increase of 573.3 percent over the same period last year. The IS 250 reported sales of 2,887 units, while the 306-hp IS 350 enjoyed sales of 1,631 units.

Lexus luxury utility vehicles enjoyed a banner sales year, up 0.2 percent at 151,669 units. The RX 330 was the luxury utility vehicle sales leader in 2005 with 108,775 combined units sold, an increase of 2.4 percent over the same period a year ago. It was the second year in row for the RX to reach 100,000 units in annual sales. The RX 400h, the world's first hybrid-luxury vehicle introduced in April, earned sales of 20,674 units in 2005. The GX 470 mid-size luxury utility vehicle recorded a best-ever sales month in December of 4,599 units, a 4.4 percent increase over 2004.

In addition to record-breaking new-vehicle sales, Lexus Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle sales hit all-time record highs in 2005. Lexus CPO sales of 45,998 for the year were up 5.3 percent over 2004 calendar year totals. For the fourth year in a row, Lexus Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) Vehicles ranked first in customer satisfaction in the 2005 J.D. Power and Associates Used Vehicles Sales and Certification Study (UVSC).

Well-recognized for the excellence of its vehicles, Lexus has topped J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS) for 11 years running. 2005 marks the fifth consecutive year with Lexus as the top-ranked nameplate in the association's Initial Quality Study (IQS), making a clean sweep of five individual segment awards. The SC 430 topped the entire study, as well as the premium luxury car segment with the LS 430 in second. In the APEAL Study, Lexus had the highest number of models at the top of their respective segments: the GS 300/430, RX400h, LS 430 and IS 300/IS 300 SportCross. Lexus also ranked number one in the J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Customer Retention StudySM, gaining 3.5 percentage points from 2004 to take the lead in 2005 by retaining 63.0 percent of its customers. The industry average was 49.6 percent.

"Our bottom line is not a dollar figure, it is an experience – the customer experience," Carter explained. "In recent years we have worked to expand that customer base by delivering the industry's first luxury hybrid SUV as well as by continuing to improve upon already proven and loved vehicles."

Lexus' focus on progress is reflected in the performance and innovation of the all-new IS and GS luxury sedans. The brand continues to make strides in multiple arenas with its ongoing dedication to expanding hybrid technology into other models. Design is critically important as well, with a whole new design direction leading the way towards vehicles that appeal as much to the eye and the senses as they do the driving connoisseur.

"We started out to be the best," Carter said. "We never imagined we would be the biggest. Lexus is about providing our customers the best possible experience. One that we know will keep getting better and better."