Infiniti: "we'll beat BMW and Merc"

[Rory]

Should be interesting - they make some great looking vehicles, although they always look better without a front number plate in the US!

From Autocar.co.uk:
"Infiniti is promising to undercut BMW and Mercedes prices and offer better dealer service when it comes to Europe in September 2008.

“We will have a small price advantage over the Germans, but we’ll make the offer much more attractive too. It won’t just be about price,” Infiniti Europe boss Jim Wright told Autocar.

Nissan’s upmarket brand is also being bullish about the type of dealer service customers can expect. All dealers will be standalone sites, separate from Nissan showrooms, and buyers will get what Infiniti insiders are describing as “industry-leading” levels of care.

One barrier to buying, though, may be finding a dealer in the first place. At launch there will only be 80 dealerships spread across 20 European countries, with just a handful of sites coming to Britain and likely to just be located in big cities.

At launch there will be four Infiniti models. The BMW X3 rivalling EX35 – launched at the New York motor show this week - will be joined by a G37 coupe, also being shown for the first time at New York, and its 3-series-targeting saloon sister. The remaining two models still to be launched are an X5-sized FX – likely to make its debut next March - and the next-generation M35 that will be targeting the Mercedes E-class.

All models are being launched with either V6 or V8 petrol engines. However all with have a new V6 diesel option, jointly developed with Renault, by 2010."

 

[hawk20]

I am trying to imagine Lexus lauching a luxury car and saying it will be fitted with an engine they are buying from, say, Peugeot. What an odd way to lauch a luxury brand over here. Top dollar but really it's a Renault.

 

[Rory]

I think the Peugeot / Ford V6 diesel (used in Jaguars and Land/Range Rovers, of course) is widely regarded as a very good engine.

Of course extra taxes, and extra costs for emissions requirements, plus improvement in petrol engines, may well kill diesels before too long anyway.


The compromises in changing the car to RHD may be more of an issue.

 

[eric242340]

This is a very interesting post. Ive worked on a few Nissan infiniti (Q45) and a major problem seems to be the transmission. When it has tranny problems, you cannot get the parts. its built in japan and in china there are no tranny parts. So what is it going to be like when it hits Europe and not too many dealers. Its a great car and I would not put it down, but the parts network does not exist in Asia, so how can there be service and support in Europe？

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

I think the much bigger problem is going to be brand awareness. I think it is very unlikely that many Europeans will pick a car make perceived as American over BMW, Mercedes, Audi or even VW.

 

[eric242340]

I think the much bigger problem is going to be brand awareness. I think it is very unlikely that many Europeans will pick a car make perceived as American over BMW, Mercedes, Audi or even VW.

Hi Neil, its not American its and wait for it Japanese, nissan and a very nice car. This is Asia and there are very few of these cars, so how do they expect to compete on the european market. Service and support is none existent here.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

I think the much bigger problem is going to be brand awareness. I think it is very unlikely that many Europeans will pick a car make perceived as American over BMW, Mercedes, Audi or even VW.

hence the use of the word "Perceived"

 

[eric242340]

hence the use of the word "Perceived"

Sorry, missed the percieved bit

 

[100%Bitch]

To me they look very Lexusesque and may I say it, boring. I think the Japanese have a very long way to go to produce anything as good as a Mercedes, and that comes from somebody who has a Nissan in the family (a Micra, which is a fantastic little car by the way).

Just my opinion.

 

[eric242340]

To me they look very Lexusesque and may I say it, boring. I think the Japanese have a very long way to go to produce anything as good as a Mercedes, and that comes from somebody who has a Nissan in the family (a Micra, which is a fantastic little car by the way).

Just my opinion.

Nissan make some very good cars and they have their market place, but the infiniti is a very expensive car and I doubt it will go any where near challenging MB or BMW, thats in the European and Asian markets

 

[daveenty]

To me they look very Lexusesque

A word which has now been added to my dictionary and will be used extensively.

Got a mate with an IS250 and he isn't impressed with me calling it a Toyota

Probably be less impressed with Lexusesque

Thanks for this one. (And no. I wouldn't have an Infiniti over a MB.)

 

[eric242340]

A word which has now been added to my dictionary and will be used extensively.

Got a mate with an IS250 and he isn't impressed with me calling it a Toyota

Probably be less impressed with Lexusesque

Thanks for this one. (And no. I wouldn't have an Infiniti over a MB.)

Nor would I, but have to admit the LS400 was one of the best cars Lexus ever made and to drive it a dream, thats if you want a silent and smoth ride. The Infiniti needs a huge marketing thing before it can even scratch the MB or BMW image. Thats not to mention its lack of spares and service support.

 

[Andy Wr]

Renault engines! if my van is anything tyo go by the outcome will be far from satisfactory, my van is 2.5 years old and still with electronic faults that Renault can not cure, and I am not alone, my chassis number is in the middle of all the faulty vehicles and what concerns me most is i am out of warranty in September and expecting some huge repair bills, Renault are an attrocious outfit and I would never buy a product of theirs again, as we speak I have just arranged to test drive a new Fiat Scudo van, cant wait to get rid of the Renault, very dissapointed.

 

[television]

Renault engines! if my van is anything tyo go by the outcome will be far from satisfactory, my van is 2.5 years old and still with electronic faults that Renault can not cure, and I am not alone, my chassis number is in the middle of all the faulty vehicles and what concerns me most is i am out of warranty in September and expecting some huge repair bills, Renault are an attrocious outfit and I would never buy a product of theirs again, as we speak I have just arranged to test drive a new Fiat Scudo van, cant wait to get rid of the Renault, very dissapointed.

When I thought of buying a Winnebago based on the Renault diesel I backed out when I found out the problems with the head gaskets.

 

[eric242340]

Renault engines! if my van is anything tyo go by the outcome will be far from satisfactory, my van is 2.5 years old and still with electronic faults that Renault can not cure, and I am not alone, my chassis number is in the middle of all the faulty vehicles and what concerns me most is i am out of warranty in September and expecting some huge repair bills, Renault are an attrocious outfit and I would never buy a product of theirs again, as we speak I have just arranged to test drive a new Fiat Scudo van, cant wait to get rid of the Renault, very dissapointed.

You move from renault, which are bad enough, to Fiat from bad to worse.

 

[type49]

The Japs do generally make the most reliable cars on the market but they don't drive as nice as a German car. Once you've got the "German" bug, it's difficult to change. As for buying something American, unless it's a real muscle car, they don't have anything worth shakin a stick at.

 

[Andy Wr]

You move from renault, which are bad enough, to Fiat from bad to worse.

My last Fiat Scudo in 4 years of ownership had only brake pads & tyres, my Renault has had air mass, washer bottle, ecu remapped 3 times, abs relay, 2 fuel pump relays, alternator and even this afternoon it was playing up but the garage can not do a thing about it until Renault develop a fix for the electronics. The mechanic at the dealers showed me a print out tech bulletin regarding vehicles in certain chassis numbers stating do not under any circumstances replace any components, I have spoken to Renault UK numerous times, I even tried to get them to take the vehicle back but they would not, not been happy with it at all, to save explaining it all Eric, take a look at the following link, my vehicle is not alone, perhaps with your contacts you may have a fix for the problems.

http://www.forums.renault.co.uk/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=92

 

[eric242340]

I cant read that without loggin in and as i, not a member and dont wish to be I cannot fully understand. But be it Fiat or any other car or van of their range I would not want to know. When are Europeans going to wake up. The only reliable cars are built in Germany. Im english, but trust in German engineering.

 

[Andy Wr]

Eric, do you have any information on the Renault Trafic van problems? Some one somewhere knows what the problems are but why they will not fix the problems beats me, I did look at a Vito van but the previous models were real rust buckets and the VW transporter was just too expensive with electric pack and air con. I had a lot of confiedence in my old Fiat Scudo and the new Scudo looks very nicely put together.

 

[eric242340]

Eric, do you have any information on the Renault Trafic van problems? Some one somewhere knows what the problems are but why they will not fix the problems beats me, I did look at a Vito van but the previous models were real rust buckets and the VW transporter was just too expensive with electric pack and air con. I had a lot of confiedence in my old Fiat Scudo and the new Scudo looks very nicely put together.

Sorry mate, im not big on vans or trucks and wouldent want to mislead you. However Renault trucks and vans do seem to be quite popular at the moment, and thats worldwide I might add. Personally I hate renault.