Infiniti Aims to De-Americanize, Focus on Smaller Engines
Launched in 1989 for the U.S. market, Infiniti has since entered into dozens of countries and looks to change its strategy to become a stronger international automaker.
Five years ago, the brand made its entry into Europe but hasn’t found the same success it’s enjoyed in America. According to President Johan de Nysschen, the Infiniti brand is too “Americanized” pointing to the fact that the brand’s entry-level engine is a 3.7-liter V6 with 330 hp. Obviously American car owners love their performance, and the more horsepower a car has, the more appealing it is.
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But that’s not the case worldwide as Infiniti plans to “de-Americanize” the brand for global markets. The Infiniti Q50 in Europe, for example, can be had with a 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel engine supplied by Daimler. Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer goes so far as to say that the “wrong” engines were being offered in the Japanese automaker’s European lineup.
Looking towards the future, Infiniti wants to move up in the market with a larger flagship that could be a coupe-styled four-door model. De Nysschen confirms that the model could hit the market as soon as 2018. But that’s not to say Infiniti is ignoring the entry-level market entirely, which is evident by the introduction of the Q30 at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Infiniti is also working on an EV, which has been delayed to add better technologies to it according to the automaker.
GALLERY: Infiniti Q30 Concept
[Source: Wards Auto]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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