2003 Infiniti Fx35 Base Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Nissan sets 2017 sales record with help from Rogue, Titan, and Armada

Nissan Group said its U.S. sales climbed 1.9 percent in 2017 to an all-time record of more than 1.59 million vehicles sold. Free pizza in the conference rooms in Nashville, right? But a closer look shows the company mirroring overall industry trends, with plenty of declining-popularity cars but also a few aging trucks and SUVs. Taken together, Nissan's trucks, SUVs and crossovers saved the day, selling an all-time high of 765,624 total units, up 15 percent from 2016. That offset a 10.9-percent drop in sales of Nissan's cars, as volume sellers like the Altima and Versa posted steep drops. Also buoying overall results was the Infiniti division, which gained 10 percent from the previous year on the strength of models like the Q60 and QX30. Nissan's record year owes a lot to the Rogue, its compact crossover, which set an annual sales record with 403,465 vehicles, an increase of 22.3 percent. Sales of the Titan, Nissan's full-size pickup, grew an impressive 141.9 percent to 52,924 units, while the Armada, a full-size three-row SUV that was all-new for 2017, also saw a huge jump in sales (154.1 percent) to 35,667. Infiniti, meanwhile, saw overall sales climb 10.9 percent on the strength of huge gains by the Q60 Coupe, which rose 170.8 percent, and the QX30 crossover, which grew almost 524 percent. That being said, Infiniti volume is relatively low. The Q60 Coupe sold a total of 40,444 units and the QX30 14,093 for 2017, while Nissan shifted 40,172 Rogues in December alone. On the car side, the Maxima did well, gaining 7.9 percent to finish at 67,627. Volume-wise, the Sentra dominated, nudging up 1.7 percent to 218,451. But the rest of the lineup mirrored industry trends for the car segment, with steep drops for the Altima (down 17 percent), battery-electric Leaf (-19.8 percent), Versa (-19.2 percent) and Juke (-48.1 percent). Several truck, crossover and SUV models are also not faring so well. The aging Frontier pickup, last updated in 2005, fell 14.5 percent, the Pathfinder slipped by 0.8 percent, the Quest minivan plummeted 55.5 percent and the upscale Murano crossover fell by 11.8 percent. A Nissan spokesman says the Quest is no longer being built for the U.S. market starting with the 2018 model year. Meanwhile, reinforcements are coming. Nissan has said it's planning a new generation of the Frontier, its entry-level pickup, but hasn't clarified when.

Production Infiniti QX30 coming to LA Auto Show

Infiniti showed its QX30 small crossover in concept form at this year's Geneva Motor Show, and now, we've got confirmation that the production car will debut in Los Angeles. But this is just one of some 30 global reveals that will take place at the LA Auto Show this November. The QX30 will be a higher-riding version of the new Q30 hatchback that we'll see in Frankfurt later this month. And since the Q30 shares a lot of its underpinnings with the Mercedes-Benz A-Class, we can probably expect the QX30 to be a sort of Infinitized GLA-Class. Just picture a lifted version of the production Q30 we've already seen in teaser shots. In addition to 30 global debuts, the LA Auto Show will host 20 North American reveals, including the Jaguar F-Pace, Kia Sportage, and Bentley Bentayga that will initially be shown in Frankfurt. The only other LA show global reveal we know about right now is the 2016 Hyundai Elantra. Still, there will no doubt be a lot to talk about come November, with Alfa Romeo, BMW, Bentley, Fiat, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru, and Volkswagen all confirming that they'll have something to show in Los Angeles. Naturally, we'll be on site with our usual obsessive auto show coverage. Related Video: THIRTY WORLD DEBUTS CONFIRMED FOR 2015 LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW 50 total reveals expected and will be streamed live by CNET from the show floor LOS ANGELES, CA (September 2, 2015) – The Los Angeles Auto Show (LA Auto Show®) announced today that 30 world debuts, totaling 50 vehicle unveilings overall, will be introduced in front of media, analysts and automotive industry executives during its Press & Trade Days, November 17-19, 2015. Almost every manufacturer will be making news, and while most have yet to announce details, a few manufacturers have begun to share their debut plans. Specifically, Infiniti will have a global reveal of its all-new QX30 crossover and Hyundai will host the world premiere of its all-new Elantra. Other debuts include Jaguar's first luxury SUV, the F-PACE, and Kia's next generation Sportage. Other automakers officially confirming premieres include Alfa Romeo, BMW, Bentley, Fiat, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, MINI, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Subaru and Volkswagen.

2016 Infiniti QX60 gets a facelift, Hybrid still alive

The future of the Infiniti QX60 Hybrid looked grim a few months ago, when Nissan confirmed the Pathfinder Hybrid was being discontinued. After all, the QX60 and Pathfinder are nearly identical underneath their different bodies. But with this 2016 model year refresh, Infiniti confirms that its QX60 Hybrid will indeed carry on for the new year. It's the same hybrid system as before, combining a supercharged, 2.5-liter inline-four with an electric motor for a combined 250 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque. New liquid-filled active engine mounts are added for 2016 in an effort to reduce overall harshness. Non-hybrid models carry on with the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6, good for 265 hp and 248 lb-ft. Front-wheel drive is standard with both engines, and all-wheel drive is optional. That's the biggest news for the updated QX60. Everything else baked in to the refresh is pretty standard. Up front, there's a new fascia that better aligns the seven-passenger crossover with every other Infiniti product, and the taillights are slightly more stylized than before. It looks nice, but there's still no hiding those Nissan Pathfinder bones. Infiniti says new shock absorbers and springs will help improve ride quality, and steering effort is improved with a retuned, speed-sensitive electronic power assist system. Standard, Sport, Eco, and Snow modes will help you manage the power depending on the weather and your driving style. We don't know how much this will actually improve the QX60's ride, but we never really had any problems with the luxury crossover's relaxed dynamics, anyway. Look for the QX60 to officially debut at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, following a reveal at a media event this week. For the full details on all the super-nitty-gritty changes, check out the press blast below. Infiniti QX60 Premium Crossover Offers Enhanced Design, Dynamics, Comfort and Convenience for 2016 - Refreshed exterior design adds to premium look and feel - Chassis dynamics retuned for a more engaging, comfortable drive - Interior revisions bring enhanced luxury for up to seven occupants - Augmented suite of assistive and intuitive technologies NASHVILLE (Dec. 15, 2016) – Infiniti has comprehensively enhanced its versatile QX60 premium crossover for 2016, introducing a wide range of changes that improve the seven-seater's exterior design and its driving dynamics, while showcasing new features and technologies that improve comfort, convenience and safety.