Infiniti Considering FWD Again
01-25-10, 10:13 PM
#46
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Please, stop. Its clear this brand is still in some state of confusion. Do they make good cars. Yup. Is the brand struggling again. Yup.
As one of the few Infiniti fans, I hope this is limited to an A3 competitor.
The G is almost the same size as a Maxima, there would be little sense in having a rebadged Altima or Maxima.
A smaller car however, to rival the 1 series, is the most logical choice, especially considering their recent invasion of Europe. Although I had assumed that was to be the electric car that was in development.
The only Audi's that shares a platform with Volkswagen is the A3, Q7 and the TT. The A4, A5, Q5, and A8 are all based on the MLB platform, used only by Audi and likely Bentley. The future A6, I believe, will be on this platform as well. The Q7 is based on a platform developed between Volkswagen, Porsche and the Q7 is a modified version of this platform.
Audi does benefit from being under the Volkswagen Group, but its relationship with Volkswagen is not like Toyota/Lexus.
The G is almost the same size as a Maxima, there would be little sense in having a rebadged Altima or Maxima.
A smaller car however, to rival the 1 series, is the most logical choice, especially considering their recent invasion of Europe. Although I had assumed that was to be the electric car that was in development.
The only Audi's that shares a platform with Volkswagen is the A3, Q7 and the TT. The A4, A5, Q5, and A8 are all based on the MLB platform, used only by Audi and likely Bentley. The future A6, I believe, will be on this platform as well. The Q7 is based on a platform developed between Volkswagen, Porsche and the Q7 is a modified version of this platform.
Audi does benefit from being under the Volkswagen Group, but its relationship with Volkswagen is not like Toyota/Lexus.
Can we all stay on topic? This is about Nissan/Infiniti, not about anyone else.
01-26-10, 06:25 AM
#47
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Very, very true. While the G37 is a great product I think that engine flexibility is hurting sales somewhat. A G30/25 with a greater emphasis on fuel economy would probably be a significant bump up- look at how many 328is, C300s, and IS250s are sold (even though that's not an apples to apples comparison). Also, truth be told, not everyone WANTS a 330hp sedan. You would be surprised at how many entry-level shoppers think an IS 350 or 335i is "too much car" and actually prefer the lesser variants.
I frequent Infiniti forums daily, and most G owners will be looking into other brands for their next car. Hell I know I am *M3 Please*, there's almost no brand loyalty, and I understand why.
01-26-10, 07:13 AM
#48
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Nissan Teana maybe?
In reality Nissan will probably import the Teana (google it) and sell it as an Infiniti here. The Teana is the European equivalent of the Maxima and is much more upscale (of course since it's sold in Europe).
The Teana is sold as the "Maxima" in New Zealand and Australia. Check them out:
http://www.nissan.co.nz/passenger/maxima/index.php
http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/mo...ima_model.html
Looks Infiniti worthy to me, and not much effort would go into producing the car since its already sold in a lot places around the world.
The Teana is sold as the "Maxima" in New Zealand and Australia. Check them out:
http://www.nissan.co.nz/passenger/maxima/index.php
http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/mo...ima_model.html
Looks Infiniti worthy to me, and not much effort would go into producing the car since its already sold in a lot places around the world.
01-26-10, 08:21 AM
#49
Lexus Champion
In reality Nissan will probably import the Teana (google it) and sell it as an Infiniti here. The Teana is the European equivalent of the Maxima and is much more upscale (of course since it's sold in Europe).
The Teana is sold as the "Maxima" in New Zealand and Australia. Check them out:
http://www.nissan.co.nz/passenger/maxima/index.php
http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/mo...ima_model.html
Looks Infiniti worthy to me, and not much effort would go into producing the car since its already sold in a lot places around the world.
The Teana is sold as the "Maxima" in New Zealand and Australia. Check them out:
http://www.nissan.co.nz/passenger/maxima/index.php
http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/mo...ima_model.html
Looks Infiniti worthy to me, and not much effort would go into producing the car since its already sold in a lot places around the world.
In fact, I heard the J32 is coming to the Philippines next quarter. Damn, this is exciting.
Between this
and that
I'd pick the Nissan hands down
01-26-10, 08:29 AM
#50
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They'll probably import the Teana next year call it the I35 and sell it at $35K to compete with the ES and TL.
01-26-10, 08:35 AM
#51
Lexus Fanatic
Mike, in your test drives you seem to drive the cars on fairly smooth roads. On a smooth road, or even on somewhat rough road, BMW ride quality is usually almost as good as a comparable Lexus, albeit with a bit more road noise, while handling is arguably better, and steering feel is much better without questions.
However try hitting a large bump or pothole in a BMW and then do the same in a comparable Lexus. You will find that BMW deals with those a lot harsher.
However try hitting a large bump or pothole in a BMW and then do the same in a comparable Lexus. You will find that BMW deals with those a lot harsher.
BMW's, even with the stiffer Sport Package, are, in general, a superb combination of ride, handling, and steering feel.....among the world's best. The only BMW I have driven that ended up too stiff for my tastes was the M3, although the M3 makes up for it, of course, with track-grade handling. Early-production X3's were also rather stiff, but not as harsh as the M3.
01-26-10, 08:40 AM
#52
Lexus Fanatic
Actually Mike, the FWD RX outsells the AWD model by a healthy margin. In the south and on the west coast, AWD RXs are basically special order only. Most dealers do not order AWDs unless there is a customer request, or maybe once in a blue moon. In the central and northern parts of the nation the breakdown is somewhere around 50/50 for AWD and FWD units.
However, linking with the thread title, even the presence of a number of FWD RX models is good reason for Infiniti to have FWD competition.
01-26-10, 01:22 PM
#53
Lexus Fanatic
In reality Nissan will probably import the Teana (google it) and sell it as an Infiniti here. The Teana is the European equivalent of the Maxima and is much more upscale (of course since it's sold in Europe).
The Teana is sold as the "Maxima" in New Zealand and Australia. Check them out:
http://www.nissan.co.nz/passenger/maxima/index.php
http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/mo...ima_model.html
Looks Infiniti worthy to me, and not much effort would go into producing the car since its already sold in a lot places around the world.
The Teana is sold as the "Maxima" in New Zealand and Australia. Check them out:
http://www.nissan.co.nz/passenger/maxima/index.php
http://www.nissan.com.au/webpages/mo...ima_model.html
Looks Infiniti worthy to me, and not much effort would go into producing the car since its already sold in a lot places around the world.
sounds like it fits the bill
08-29-11, 04:36 PM
#54
Lead Lap
Thread Starter
Update
Infiniti is 1 of the few manufacturers who still maintain the reputation for producing rear-wheel driven automobiles. Now, the Infiniti Division has just said that they’ll be swaying away from a RWD-only lineup.
The last Infiniti to ever use front-wheel drive was the I35 from 2000, which stopped production in 2004 to make way for the G35. But according to Nissan’s vice president of product planning for Nissan North America, we could expect to see a new wave of front-wheel driven Infinitis, starting with the new JX, which comes in April.
“Customers really don’t care that much about the platform beneath their car,” said Larry Dominque, Nissan North America’s VP of product planning. “They care about the car. There are limitations with rear-wheel drive that we’d like to work around–like packaging. We can create more interior space if we get away from the technical requirements of rear-wheel. We don’t have to have the big rear axle and the big transmission.”
Dominque also added that FWD platforms would help fuel economy.
“There is a performance perception with rear-wheel,” he continued. “But we’re comfortable that we don’t need rear-wheel to deliver the performance we need. And some of our vehicles, like the G and the M cars, will remain rear-wheel.”
Now, what really grinds my gears about this statement is: how can Dominque possibly say “customers really don’t care about the platform beneath their car” when customers do care about the platform in 1 way or another by caring whether their cars are front-, all-, or rear-wheel driven?
“If you look at where we were several years ago, Infiniti’s design language was a little too similar to Nissan,” said Nissan Motor Company’s global design chief, Shiro Nakamura. “That was bad for a luxury brand, and we needed to move Infiniti far away. We needed rear-wheel drive to help us differentiate between the brands. But I think we’ve been very successful in achieving that,” he added. “Look at all of Infiniti’s vehicles. They look nothing like Nissan’s.”
Considering that Infiniti has more or less been called Japan’s BMW, Infiniti’s offering of rear-wheel driven cars is very important to the brand’s identity because it defines how their cars drive and simply because Infiniti aims directly at BMW as their direct competitor. However, knowing the significant handling differences between front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, having a flagship sedan, SUV or crossover with front-wheel drive is not at all performance-oriented, which their direct competitors are. How can Infiniti say that they “don’t need to worry about rear-wheel or front-wheel drive now” when they also want to “focus on styling and performance?”
Where the power goes in a car very much has to do with a car’s performance so Nissan’s statements sound very counterintuitive…even to the point where I get the impression that these t2 o buffoons don’t even know what they’re talking about. Not to mention, Nakamura said that Infiniti moved to rear-wheel drive to better differentiate them from Nissan, who primarily made front-wheel driven cars. And they’ve achieved that and insist Infiniti cars remain different from their lesser counterparts…but for Nakamura to say that they want Infiniti to shift towards front-wheel drive, doesn’t that sound like they’re moving backwards?
Because Nissan cars are front-wheel driven, front-wheel driven Infinitis wouldn’t exactly make them much different because as aforementioned, the handling characteristics between front-wheel drive and rear-wheel are significantly different. And part of the ways that Infiniti has established their differences from their parent company is through the way their cars drive. Sure, it may make sense to the company from a financial standpoint to keep up with the times…but how would Infiniti moving to front-wheel drive maintain the brand’s uniqueness and identity for maintaining rear-wheel driven performance-oriented lineups?
Could these words of future plans for the Infiniti brand mean that they could be writing their own death wish? Let’s hope not. Stay with rear-wheel drive Infiniti!
- By: Chris Chin
Last edited by GS69; 08-29-11 at 04:43 PM.
08-29-11, 05:22 PM
#55
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Infiniti is 1 of the few manufacturers who still maintain the reputation for producing rear-wheel driven automobiles. Now, the Infiniti Division has just said that they’ll be swaying away from a RWD-only lineup.
The last Infiniti to ever use front-wheel drive was the I35 from 2000, which stopped production in 2004 to make way for the G35. But according to Nissan’s vice president of product planning for Nissan North America, we could expect to see a new wave of front-wheel driven Infinitis, starting with the new JX, which comes in April.
“Customers really don’t care that much about the platform beneath their car,” said Larry Dominque, Nissan North America’s VP of product planning. “They care about the car. There are limitations with rear-wheel drive that we’d like to work around–like packaging. We can create more interior space if we get away from the technical requirements of rear-wheel. We don’t have to have the big rear axle and the big transmission.”
Dominque also added that FWD platforms would help fuel economy.
“There is a performance perception with rear-wheel,” he continued. “But we’re comfortable that we don’t need rear-wheel to deliver the performance we need. And some of our vehicles, like the G and the M cars, will remain rear-wheel.”
Now, what really grinds my gears about this statement is: how can Dominque possibly say “customers really don’t care about the platform beneath their car” when customers do care about the platform in 1 way or another by caring whether their cars are front-, all-, or rear-wheel driven?
“If you look at where we were several years ago, Infiniti’s design language was a little too similar to Nissan,” said Nissan Motor Company’s global design chief, Shiro Nakamura. “That was bad for a luxury brand, and we needed to move Infiniti far away. We needed rear-wheel drive to help us differentiate between the brands. But I think we’ve been very successful in achieving that,” he added. “Look at all of Infiniti’s vehicles. They look nothing like Nissan’s.”
Considering that Infiniti has more or less been called Japan’s BMW, Infiniti’s offering of rear-wheel driven cars is very important to the brand’s identity because it defines how their cars drive and simply because Infiniti aims directly at BMW as their direct competitor. However, knowing the significant handling differences between front-wheel drive and rear-wheel drive, having a flagship sedan, SUV or crossover with front-wheel drive is not at all performance-oriented, which their direct competitors are. How can Infiniti say that they “don’t need to worry about rear-wheel or front-wheel drive now” when they also want to “focus on styling and performance?”
Where the power goes in a car very much has to do with a car’s performance so Nissan’s statements sound very counterintuitive…even to the point where I get the impression that these t2 o buffoons don’t even know what they’re talking about. Not to mention, Nakamura said that Infiniti moved to rear-wheel drive to better differentiate them from Nissan, who primarily made front-wheel driven cars. And they’ve achieved that and insist Infiniti cars remain different from their lesser counterparts…but for Nakamura to say that they want Infiniti to shift towards front-wheel drive, doesn’t that sound like they’re moving backwards?
Because Nissan cars are front-wheel driven, front-wheel driven Infinitis wouldn’t exactly make them much different because as aforementioned, the handling characteristics between front-wheel drive and rear-wheel are significantly different. And part of the ways that Infiniti has established their differences from their parent company is through the way their cars drive. Sure, it may make sense to the company from a financial standpoint to keep up with the times…but how would Infiniti moving to front-wheel drive maintain the brand’s uniqueness and identity for maintaining rear-wheel driven performance-oriented lineups?
Could these words of future plans for the Infiniti brand mean that they could be writing their own death wish? Let’s hope not. Stay with rear-wheel drive Infiniti!
- By: Chris Chin
08-30-11, 09:37 AM
#56
Super Moderator
FWD/CVT is literally the only thing that holds me back from buying a Maxima. I love the car otherwise.
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