2005 Infiniti Fx35 Base Sport Utility 4-door 3.5l on 2040-cars

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Infiniti to get Leaf-based electric sedan after all

Infiniti suffered a huge blow a few weeks ago when CEO Johan de Nysschen jumped ship after two years on the job to take the helm at Cadillac. As boss, he spearheaded change within the Japanese luxury brand and was among the biggest champions of the Q50 Eau Rouge. However, the company is far from sunk. Plans put in place prior to de Nysschen leaving are still on the table, according to Nissan product planner Andy Palmer to Automotive News, and that could mean a rosy future for the once AWOL LE sedan (pictured above) and other models.
Back in 2012, Infiniti promised that it would have the LE on the market as a premium electric sedan by 2014. It was supposed to share the battery pack with the Nissan Leaf but with a more powerful, 134-horsepower motor. But have you seen one on the road recently? The luxury EV was eventually shelved, but de Nysschen pledged the idea wasn't dead. Maybe now is a better time for it. According to Automotive News, the LE is rescheduled to launch in 2017 or 2018. The latest version would use the Leaf platform but with a more potent, next-gen battery to give it a range over 90 miles.
Of course, the LE isn't the only thing on the way from Infiniti; it also appears to be planning a two-pronged approach for small cars. Palmer recently tweeted that the company would build the forthcoming Q30 hatchback and QX30 crossover in the UK in 2015. Additionally, the automaker is firing up a new joint venture factory in Mexico with Mercedes-Benz; building compact models there starting in 2017. According Automotive News, the Mexican-built models will be more US-focused while the UK-built ones will appeal more to Europeans.

2016 Infiniti QX50 First Drive [w/video]

One crucial change to the 2016 Infiniti QX50 (formerly known as the EX35) may have just made the company's smallest crossover suddenly relevant. So how does one add appeal to an eight-year-old model, without any significant cosmetic or powertrain updates? By addressing its biggest flaw head-on: size. For the 2016 model year, Infiniti has stretched the QX50's wheelbase by 3.2 inches, and the crossover is now 4.5 inches longer overall. In addition to a roomier cabin – 8.3 cubic feet more to be exact – there's one number that sticks out above all else: four more inches of knee- and leg-room in the back seats. Like scoring an exit-row seat on your flight, the extra space may be just enough to change the experience. So how can the upmarket Japanese automaker justify costly changes to the platform when it's only moving 250 of these vehicles in the US per month? Americans can thank the Chinese for that. As in the US, sales of small crossovers are quickly rising in China – a country where being chauffeured is more common for those of means – and rear-seat passengers who can pay for a driver don't want to feel like they're sitting in the penalty box. The platform-sharing economics work, and in this case, everyone stands to benefit. Pricing is reduced by $500 from last year, with the rear-wheel-drive 2016 QX50 now starting at $35,445 after delivery. Infiniti says it considers the Acura RDX and Lexus NX as the QX50's direct competition, but it's worth noting that both of those competing models sell more in just one month than Infiniti's smallest crossover sold all of last year. The QX50 isn't likely to reach its competitor's levels anytime soon, but Infiniti hopes the roomier iteration will pique shopper interest. To help that cause, the 2016 model gets a few light cosmetic touches too. Up front it receives a new grille that's more in line with the brand's current design language, new LED fog and daytime running lights, new door mirrors with LED turn signals, revised side sills, and a new rear bumper. Beyond aesthetics, pricing is reduced by $500 from last year, with the rear-wheel-drive 2016 QX50 now starting at $35,445 after delivery. The all-wheel-drive version adds another $1,400 to that price. All models get more standard equipment, including a power moonroof, heated front seats, and the new LED accents. Inside the cabin, things look much as they did when the crossover first debuted as the EX35, back in 2007.

Airbag recall widens to include BMW, Chrysler, Ford and Toyota

The recall of faulty airbag inflators supplied by Takata has exploded today to grow to seven automakers. In most cases, only models in certain high-humidity regions were affected because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found in its investigation that moisture played a roll in determining whether there would be a problem. However, some companies opted for national campaigns. The exact number of affected models for these campaigns isn't yet known at this time.
BMW is recalling an undisclosed number of 325i, 325Xi, 330i and 330Xi models from the 2001 through 2005 model years and the 2001-2006 model year versions of the 325Ci and 330Ci for the driver side and passenger side inflators. Only vehicles currently registered in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands are covered under this recall.
Neither Chrysler's filing with NHTSA nor its press release list the specific models affected, but a company spokesperson told Autoblog that at this time it only covers the driver and passenger side inflators for the 2006 Dodge Charger in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the US Virgin Islands