"There was also the fact that customers weren’t exactly duking it out in dealer showrooms to get at Q45s. By the end of calendar year 2001, Infiniti had sold less than 6000 Q45s. After six months in 2002, Q sales are down from even that—30 percent fewer than 2001. The competition, meanwhile, was going strong. Lexus was selling almost six times as many LS 430s in ’01 and twice as many GS 300s as Infiniti was selling Qs; Audi almost five times as many A6s; BMW almost three times as many 7 Series. Even Acura moved twice as many RLs out the door as Infiniti moved Qs. So the Q lacked sales momentum. Why not repackage it and sell it for less? As the Japanese don’t say, “Voilà, M45.” "

http://www.autoweek.com/cat_co...73292

At first I was really skeptical of the M45 but I've totally changed my mind about the car. It looks very nice and has evolved into a high-end, high-tech Impala SS. VERRRY nice. I've never been a big fan of the new Q45, sorry JasonB. It just looks....very unQish. I have this feeling that Infiniti should restyle the new Q into something more Masculine, more aggressive. Something along the lines of the offspring of an M5, Skyline, Old Q and Impala SS.

Sope said it perfectly. The new Q is absolutely UNRECOGNIZEABLE from 30 yards. I was thinking it should look more like a large version of the Skyline, right down to the beefy squared-off fender bulges. Up close it's beautiful but not passionate like the early Q's and other Nissan models.

If the M45 looks as good in person as it did in JasonB's pix, I'm wanting one.

First mod - Switch out the grille, and lose the logo - Then drop it 2".

Run out and get this month's CARandDRIVER. There is a good article in there about the M45. And the car is maroon/burgundy instead of that damned silver that EVERY manufacturer is using to advertise. I bet 5-7 years from now silver on the used market will be like emerald green is now on the used market. If you find a 93-96 INFINITI, BMW, lexus (lowercase) that green color is everywhere.

Good point - Colors can make or break the car. I really wanted my 95 Q45t to be black, but in AZ it's impractical. So the Ivory Pearl was the next best option... That dark green was very faddish and short-lived.

I just wish someone would do away with that champagne/gold/beige metallic color that's so popular. UGLY!

AZhitman managed to disrespect (dismiss, dissemmble, disseminate, destroy, decimate?-no on the last two) both my Q's.

His pearl is purty and I would choose it over Champagne for my Texas car. Buying previously owned is limiting, but so economically rewarding. I like both the interiors, maybe the Champagne one more. I'll tell you in 10 days when I see it again.

Black on black doesn't do it for me, especially in TX or AZ.

To misplace one's vocabulary is a unfortunate act.

Sorry Brian - Wasn't my intent. I haven't EVER seen the Q in champagne in person, so I think it may have been a rarer color. I see the Emerald ones all the time.

I see a lot of Ivory Pearls, but never another one with the "t" package.

The black interior does nothing for me.

p.s. I wouldn't care if your second Q was Mary Kay pink - with that few miles, I'd take it ANYDAY!:ylsuper

I wonder if the true reason I has reintroduced the M is because the new Q has failed (relative to 2nd-gen) in sales.

I mean, does the Q have that look that makes you fall in love at first sight? Or does it have to grow on you?

The new M is definitely a more striking design and is essentially the same as the Q except for the sheetmetal and fewer luxury touches than the Q.

I imagine the suits at Infiniti saying to themselves three months after the new Q came out, "Gentlemen, we have misjudged the American luxury market. They DO care about accurate acceleration times, horsepower ratings, and styling."

"What if we brought back the M with less rounded styling but the same engine and just a fewer features and we'll price it between the G and Q?"

"Hmmm. Maybe they won't realize that we realize the new Q doesn't have the same caché as those damn Lexuses."

"Hopefully the combined sales of the M and Q will equal the 2nd gen Q..."

"Then once the M finds its following, we'll use the profits from it to totally redesign the Q to be more distinctive!"

Good luck, guys!

All they would have to do is get rid of that garish grille (The `90Q was perfect!), make the wheel openings a bit bigger so that even 18" wheels don't look like 15"s, and resculpt the rear decklid to be less curvy.

I've now seen pics of the M45 in lots of places including this site...funny how it looks like an update of the second gen Q..maybe the second gen Q body style with the new Q's interior and engine would have been selling 30% more than with the understated "windtunnel" look (that I'm not slamming just pointing out the general style of the car) that the 02' has....meanwhile it should be very clear to Infiniti's management that the 02' Q is a failure, now they need to do a post-mortum and figure out why? If understated exterior styling doesn't come up as #1 on the list than they need some new management.