2004 Infiniti G35 Sedan Awd Auto on 2040-cars

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Infiniti will reinvent its models, tech and design language as part of reboot

Infiniti raised more than a few eyebrows when it announced plans to follow a strategy it described as Nissan-Plus. Although this term suggests the brand's image will be dangerously watered down, its chief executive stressed its flag will remain firmly planted in the luxury car segment as he outlined what to expect in the coming years. The executive team led by Infiniti boss Peyman Kargar will reboot the company with a focus on profitability. "Premium brands should bring more money to the company, so that's the objective. We are not at the level we want to be," he told Automotive News. Several new products are on their way, including a crossover with a fastback-like roofline named QX55, and Kargar clarified many future models will ride on an architecture shared with parent company Nissan. It will be compatible with gasoline-powered, hybrid and electric drivetrains. He explained sharing platforms and components is necessary to save money because the company, like its peers and rivals, is spending a small fortune on developing electrified, autonomous, and connected technology. The shift will likely spell the end of the driver-friendly rear-wheel drive platform found under the Q50 and the Q60, but don't expect Infiniti to put its emblem on, say, a Sentra, and call it a day. It will remain a luxury brand. "The objective is to use these assets of the company, and then to reinject the money we are saving into the luxury experience and ingredients of Infiniti. We will put more money into Infiniti's future, but this money will come from the savings in globalized platforms," Kargar explained. The strategy he's outlining is one many of the firm's competitors have already adopted. Lexus, Acura, and Audi all build cars using parts sourced from their respective parent company. Lamborghini's Urus is related to the Volkswagen Touareg under the sheetmetal. Kargar noted every upcoming new model will be defined by an overhauled design language. We don't know if recent concept cars (like the QX Inspiration introduced in Detroit in 2019; pictured) will influence its upcoming vehicles. However, its future cars will offer nicer interiors, more user-friendly infotainment systems, and they'll receive tech features before Nissan's variants get them, which, oddly, hasn't always been the case in recent years. Infiniti's turn-around will start in 2020, when the aforementioned QX55 makes its debut after a brief delay.

2024 New York International Auto Show Editors' Top 5 Picks

The New York Auto Show, like many other shows over the past few years, has shrunk. But it's still playing host to some interesting reveals, and we even got a few surprises this year. It was dominated by Nissan and Hyundai Motor Group products, but ones running the gamut from affordable cars to flagship SUVs. It was a strange situation of being both quite diverse in reveals, and not at all, depending on how you looked at it. Our favorites of the show are a clear representation of that. And another interesting observation, only one of the picks was significantly electrified. Scroll down to see the best reveals of the New York Auto Show,. 2025 Nissan Kicks View 10 Photos 5. Nissan Kicks "The Nissan Kicks has gone from a reasonably attractive and small crossover into something way more funky with cool textures, color combinations and some actual presence. Plus, it's more spacious, more powerful and has available all-wheel drive. If Nissan can keep the price nice and low to compete with similarly stylish and well-executed competition like the Chevy Trax, the company's got a real winner on its hands." – News Editor Joel Stocksdale InfinitiQX80-Z63-051 View 39 Photos 4. Infiniti QX80 "The QX80 wasn't technically shown at the New York Auto Show, but it was revealed just a week prior at Hudson Yards – accross the street, in other words. Frankly, I wasn't blown away by the initial photos, but I think it looks great in person. The attention to detail both outside and in seem appropriate for an SUV that Infiniti hopes to sell for six figures loaded up. I'm a believer." – Associate Editor Byron Hurd 2025 Kia K4 Live View 7 Photos 3. Kia K4 Sedan "The Kia K4 interior has way more style than anything in the compact car price range has any business having. Now, if we don't get the green interior option shown in the initial global reveal photos, I'm retracting several of my points here. Otherwise, wowza. I kept looking and looking at that K4 interior photo, and finding new, interesting details to admire. Oh, and the exterior is pretty cool, too, though I do prefer the hatchback in that regard." – Senior Editor, West Coast, James Riswick Genesis GV60 Magma Concept View 10 Photos 2. Genesis GV60 Magma "I am psyched to see Genesis show off a proper performance car. The “Sport” trims on its various models are sort of neat, but the Magma brand looks like the real deal.

Infiniti gets boiled down to four P's: Performance, passion, precision, provocation

So then we asked, "Well, what does that mean?"
We met Andreas Sigl, the global director of Infiniti's Formula One involvement (that's him above on the right), at the US Grand Prix in Austin last year, and our questions to him were aimed at understanding what Infiniti was doing and where it intended to go. In spite of regard for its products and increased sales, few outside - and even inside - Infiniti seemed to have a clear idea of what the brand stood for.