Infiniti car history
Infiniti is a luxury automobile brand created by Nissan. Infiniti sales officially began on 8 November 1989 in North America to compete with Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, BMW and Lincoln. Since then, its global operations have expanded to also include Mexico, Middle East, South Korea, Taiwan, Russia, China and Ukraine. Today, Infiniti's global network comprises more than 230 dealers in 15 countries. [1] Nissan's strategy is similar to that of firms Honda and Toyota, who created their own luxury brand Acura and Lexus.
Carlos Ghosn, President and CEO of Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., announced the arrival in Europe of Infiniti in the Geneva Motor Show 2008. [2] The official launch is planned for autumn 2008 and will be phased over a space of two year period as Infiniti rolls out its operations in 21 European countries. The headquarters for Infiniti Europe is located in Rolle, Switzerland.
Initially four models will be offered in Europe, starting with the next generation of the iconic Infiniti FX50. The FX50 is a high-performance crossover, equipped with a new 5.0-liter V8 engine, 32 valves and 390 horsepower and integrates advanced technology Variable Valve Event & Lift (V-VEL). It competes directly with similar models from Mercedes M-Class, BMW X5, Lexus RX, Audi Q7, Porsche Cayenne and Range Rover Sport. [3] Infiniti also be introduced in the market for high-end sedans with the second Infiniti G37 generation, equipped with a 3.7-liter V6 engine, which is expected to be a challenge for the BMW 3 series, Audi A4, Mercedes C-Class and Lexus IS. The Infiniti G37 Coupe will share much of the hardware with the sedan counterpart but its dynamic elegance is designed to appeal to a completely different buyer, usually decantarÃa by the BMW 3 series Coupe, Mercedes CLK-class, Audi A5 or the Lexus SC 430 . Infiniti has also released the first compact coupe crossover world, the Infiniti EX37, which features a luxurious interior, a command driving position and all-wheel-drive. The EX37 is the first production vehicle the world has the advantages of the advanced Around View Monitor (AVM), which gives the driver a bird's eye view of the vehicle while parking. Also present the unique self-healing paint Anti-Scratch (ASAP). The EX is marketed in the same high-end segment of the BMW X3, Audi Q5 and the Mercedes GL-Class.
The M Saloon and the QX56 will not be available immediately but is expected to launch a V6 diesel completely renovated in 2010, specifically designed for Europe [4].
All coupes, sedans and crossovers Infiniti today are based on Nissan's FM platform. [5] The center of the engine is located behind the front wheels. This position balances the weight distribution in order to improve braking, acceleration and handling. The only exception is the QX56 full-size SUV based on the F-Alpha platform for Nissan, although at this moment there is no estimate of introducing it in Europe outside Russia.
The Infiniti model designation includes one letter for coupes and sedans (two letters for SUVs) and a number reflecting engine displacement. For example, the FX50 is an SUV with an engine of 5.0 L. The 'x' following the engine displacement of Infiniti sedans denotes that this is a model with all-wheel-drive (eg Infiniti G37x).
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