Vh_Supra26

iTrader: (1)

I think its called the QX70 now.

http://www.infiniti.com/us/models/cu...els/qx70.html#

TF109B

I like Infinity. Hope they improve. Baby steps. Just because its a Lexus forum doesnt mean we have to dump on other fellow Luxury Japanese makes. Not every brand is going to be hugely successful. Work is needed but theyre on it. Naming issues or not, they have nice looking new cars. If Infinity and Acura come up, it should help Lexus. The reasoning is they wont just be looking to the german or Jaguar brands as competition vehicles. Caddy coming up along with the other two may make Lexus take a look at the segments they choose to occupy or even recreate. If they do something, Lexus may do something to answer. Competition drives brands to new heights.

Lex2InfiN

I think Infiniti is "dumped on" around here, as you say because Lexus lovers know that Nissan/Infiniti have all the tools to compete head to head with Toyota/Lexus. Acura isn't really competition for either, because they're so less advanced in so many ways which have been discussed over and over on here and other forums to death over the last who knows how many years. But Infiniti is much different. They have the reliability, refinement, engineering and powertrains to compete directly with Lexus (always have). However, they suffered in sales in years past due to horrible marketing and some poor design choices. But have no doubt, that when the Q50 Eau Rogue concept becomes a reality next year, Lexus will have no answer for that. It will be a step above the IS-F and I think many around here are aware of that. Having access to Godzilla bones is something Toyota/Lexus doesn't have. I'm sure I'll be flamed by this statement, but most around here know that this is true. Lexus will have no answer for a GTR-based anything that Infiniti comes out with.

LexFather

Many of us including myself have stated the brands struggles hurt, don't help Lexus. Where the Europeans have multiple powerhouse brands, Asia only has one. The thing is people have been singing the same song for 25 years now and will this finally be permanent change? Not temporary, but permanent.

Sure they do. If they did, then we wouldn't be having this conversation now would we?

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

while renault/nissan is a huge company, i doubt they have anything like the resources of toyota/lexus and more importantly, they're unlikely to pour money into infiniti. now infiniti got off to a really bad start, their original q45 was plagued with problems. their marketing was dreadful. they've sputtered forward though, with the g35/g37 being their best 'hit'. they're now going through another makeover to brand everything a 'q' which seems weird but we may look back on it and think it was genius. their current range is better than ever, but they need a real new flagship.

last i checked, india is part of asia and has its brands (acquired), with jaguar and land rover (india has the last laugh over their former 'rulers' lol).

but i don't agree at all that the success or failure of infiniti (the only other luxury car brand besides lexus - acura doesn't count) makes any difference to lexus. it's not 'japan vs. germany (vs. u.s.)'. it is also obvious that korea's hyundai/kia, with or without a separate brand, is going to have several potentially competitive luxury vehicles, and it is also obvious, that within the next decade we'll see 'better than dreadful' chinese luxury vehicles.

so is it germany vs. japan vs. u.s. vs. india vs. korea? no, it's a global stage and it makes NO difference where a vehicle is designed or made except to those clinging to national identities. do american bmw buyers care if their 'bimmer' is made in germany or spartanburg? no! do rx buyers care that they're made in canada? no!

LexFather

Sorry but you missed the jest of my post. The point is Europe has the reputation for having powerhouse car companies (fashion etc). Benz/BMW's success in America makes it easier for Audi to succeed here when they finally got their act together since cars luxury cars from Germany in particular are ALREADY highly respected here. Contrarily Japanese luxury is still a new relative term in regards to cars and only Lexus has been successful and seen as on par or at least near the Germans. However it is just Lexus. Thus the reputation for Japanese luxury is nowhere near Europeans since the other brands struggle. To make it more specific it is Japan only as the other Asian countries do not offer luxury marques (the only India/Aston Martin sentence has nothing to do with my point and Hyundai isn't a luxury brand).


Thus when one thinks of European luxury, they think Porsche, Audi, BMW, Benz, heck even Ferrari etc. When one thinks of Asian luxury (specifically Japanese luxury) they think Lexus. That is unequal weight which makes it harder for Lexus to seem like a credible brand for those that just automatically dismiss Japanese luxury.

It makes a difference with public perception which in turn sells or does not sell a product/car.

Vh_Supra26

iTrader: (1)

Off topic, but Audi's sales aren't that high when compared to Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus.

US Sales

2002: 85,726
2003: 86,421
2004: 77,917
2005: 83,066
2006: 90,116
2007: 93,506
2008: 87,760
2009: 82,716
2010: 101,629
2011: 117,561
2012: 139,310
2013: 158,061

Allen K

iTrader: (4)

Yeah, but worldwide, Audi is selling like hotcakes.

Vh_Supra26

iTrader: (1)

True, I just assume that most of us are from North America.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

respectfully, i think this is all an 'old world' line of thought... most people don't give two hoots whether a brand is "Japanese" or "German" or "European". If Toyota bought BMW (as it could easily), would BMW then be "European luxury" or "Japanese luxury" and regardless, would anyone care?

BMW's auto transmissions forever were made by GM (a fact most people don't know, example), but of course they were "German cars" with refined 'european' transmissions.

Vh_Supra26

iTrader: (1)

Apparently GM's 6L45 transmission is used in the current X1, X3, 1, and 3-series.

tmf2004

iTrader: (15)

has GM always provided the trannies for BMW? I did not know that

Vh_Supra26

iTrader: (1)

Here are some other links.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...mission-in-BMW

http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=251952

http://www.gminsidenews.com/forums/f...ontract-88400/

http://etereman.com/blog/general-mot...w-to-fix-them/

LexFather

Worldwide, Audi, BMW, Benz I believe all now sell over 1 million units a year...
Lexus sells 500,000 or so
Infiniti maybe 140,000

TangoRed

You're assuming that engine was made to be a sedan engine. In reality that engine was made to be used in all sorts of applications, not just sedans. Clearly the 5.6L V8 didn't make the M56/Q70 V8 nose heavy so I don't see an issue. NO reviews have given complaints about the V8 powertrain.

I honestly would not care in the slightest if Lexus put the 5.7 Tundra engine in a Lexus as long as NVH levels were appropriate.

All in all, you seem to be drawing some sort of distinction where there's no need. The only difference between a "truck engine" and a sedan engine is NVH, placement of things like the alternator, and modifications that allow the engine to operate at odd angles. They're also usually tuned for torque, which isn't a bad thing in a heavy luxury sedan.

I know E36's had them, so they've been in use for quite a while.