2012 Infiniti G37 X Sedan 4-door 3.7l No Reserve on 2040-cars

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Hyundai, Genesis, Subaru warn their dealers about markups

Six weeks ago, word got out that Ford's VP of sales for the U.S. and Canada wrote one of those "It has come to our attention..." e-mails to the automaker's dealer body. The VP's problem was dealers trying to get reservation deposits for the Ford F-150 Lightning well above the official $100 fee. The tomfoolery resulted in interactions "with customers in a manner that is negatively impacting customer satisfaction and damaging to the Ford Motor Company brand and Dealer Body reputation." Two weeks later, GM told its dealers to cut out the reservation gaming and the markups on the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, banditry that's been going on for two years. Two weeks ago, Ford was back at it, this time about markups on the Bronco. Last week, Asian automakers swept into the melee, with Hyundai and Genesis, Subaru, and Infiniti writing letters to their dealers to deliver some variant of, "Stop pissing off the customers." Automotive News reported an SVP at Hyundai Motor America and the COO at Genesis Motor North America sent letters to their dealers expressing disappointment at "certain pricing practices which, if left unchecked, will have a negative impact on the health of our brand." One of the practices mentioned was dealer markups, another was the bait-and-switch, with dealers advertising one price then charging a higher price once the customer showed up at the lot. The letters acknowledged that dealers are separate companies to the automakers and have the right to set their own prices. The automakers cannot interfere with that; their leverage is distributing allocations and perks such as advertising support and financial incentives. So, like a movie boss letting the protagonist go on a technicality, the brands wrote, "we cannot stand idly by watching the actions of the aforementioned dealers undo all the efforts we collectively have put into making these brands what they are today." Jalopnik got tipped to a letter Subaru of America CEO Thomas Doll sent to that brand's dealers. Doll's polite yet insistent tone was the result of a letter a loyal Subaru owner sent to the automaker's VP of Customer Advocacy. In the market for a third brand-new Forester, the owner said they encountered a "tax" labeled a "Low Inventory Surcharge" of as much as $6,000, putting the Forester out of reach.

Infiniti looking for a new boss after Christian Meunier leaves to lead Jeep

Nissan's premium division Infiniti is expected to announce a new acting global chief for the brand, the company said, after its current head, Christian Meunier, left to lead the Jeep unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Nissan's chief quality officer Christian Vandenhende will oversee Infiniti's global operations effective immediately, until a new brand chief is named, Infiniti said in the statement on Tuesday. Meunier, 51, was named Infinit's global chief in early January after its previous boss Roland Krueger left the Hong Kong-based brand. Meunier will take over as global president for SUV-focused Jeep effective immediately, Fiat Chrysler said in a separate statement. Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley had been running Jeep until he was elevated to the top job in July after the death of Sergio Marchionne. Meunier has international experience from his years with Ford, Land Rover, Nissan and Infiniti, which may prove valuable as Jeep attempts to expand overseas with a lineup of new products including the Gladiator pickup, a Wrangler plug-in hybrid, and the revived Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer nameplates. He's worked mostly in sales and marketing roles, including as senior vice president of sales, marketing and operations for Nissan North America; chairman of Nissan Canada; and his recent role heading up Infiniti. An Infiniti spokesman said Meunier's resignation was not related to Nissan's internal investigation into its former leader Carlos Ghosn.

Next Infiniti FX to gain interior volume

The Infiniti FX, soon to be renamed QX70 thanks to the Japanese brand's convoluted naming scheme, is currently in the midst of its second-generation. And while we like the compact, sporty crossover's driving character a lot, it lacks the "utility" part of the CUV moniker. That lack of cabin space will be addressed in the future, though.
Automotive News recently sat down with Nissan's global design boss, Shiro Nakamura, to talk about the future of what he called "the icon of Infiniti." And while Nakamura-san admitted the FX/QX70's worth to the brand, its sales have long been something of a disappointment. "Exterior and styling-wise, it's very strong as an icon. But to be honest, its sales volume has not been as big as we wanted," a reality Nakamura believes is due largely to its tight cabin relative to its competition.
Finding the right balance might be difficult, though. The FX/QX70 is selling extremely well in both China and Russia, according to Nakamura, because of its looks. Altering that style in order to increase interior space risks alienating a new and important group of buyers for Infiniti. The designer put it best when he told AN, " It is selling well in China and Russia because it stands out. So we want to maintain that striking look." As it stands, we'll likely be living with the current vehicle for a few more years - AN doesn't expect the third-generation of the FX/QX70 to arrive until 2015 or 2016.