Nissan-Infiniti turning into Chevy-GMC/Ford-Mercury?

[stickgoat]

I posted this thread on Probetalk, then decided I wanted y'alls input, so I'm just cut and pasting what I wrote over there....

And before someone decides to try to be smart and point it out, YES, I know Inifiniti is the luxury divison of Nissan.

So as we all know, for some reason car manufacturers occasionally like to make the same car twice. Maybe even three times (DSM anyone?)...just to pick up on sales. You've got the Ford Taurus and the Mercuy Sable. The Ford Crown Victoria and the Mercury Grand Marquis. How 'bout the Chevy Trailblazer and the GMC Envoy? Perhaps the Chevy Silverado and the GMC Sierra. As well as other similar/same cars like the Chevy Cavalier and the Pontiac Sunfire.

You see my point....

Until recently, Nissan and Infiniti had pretty much kept to their own lines of vehicles save for the Pathfinder and QX4 SUVs. But lately, it seems like they're heading down the same paths, too...

The Nissan 350z is rerepresented with an Infiniti badge as the G35 coupe....which is only very slightly not quite as up to par on performance as the Z, but doubly gorgeous in every aspect.

And now, Nismo's new SUV...the Murano, and Infiniti's copy, the FX45. Interestingly enough, this time, it's the Infiniti that gets the performance boost. The FX45 is powered by a 4.5l V8 that takes it from 0-60 in just 6.3 seconds. Snappy indeed, for a sport-ute. Not to mention the knock-your-socks-off styling with such an aggressive front end I almost need to change my britches.

The Nissan version, however, has "only" 3.5l V6 and takes over a full second to reach 60mph, in 7.5 seconds. And I think the Murano raped the 350z for it's taillights, but the sexy styling of this critter I wouldn't say no to, either.

But I'll be dizzamned if that Infiniti isn't nearly a 50 thousand dollar vehicle. Worth it, I'm sure, I'd definitely drive one....you can't argue with 315 horses and a 15 sec 1/4 in an SUV, but golly.

The Murano is a tad more attainable at $35 grand, but you still won't see me driving home in one at that price...

Anyway. With these 4 vehicles being shared amongst the two companies, I really hope Nissan and Infiniti don't start getting all up on each other's jocks like GM has all of their cars doing. Toyota and Lexus do a good job of keeping things separated.

[240_Keyy]

That may be true, but it is far cheaper to have twin cars than it is to have two completely different lines of cars.

I am stupid, do they sell Infinities in Japan or is everything just Nissan?

[stickgoat]

I'm pretty sure Infiniti sells in Japan too

[Mayhem_J30]

i could be wrong but i've only seen nissan's in japan. my J30 in japan is labeled a nissan.to add to your car copying don't forget the I30/I35/Maxima

[wingzero]

There's no infiniti in Japan. There's no lexus or acura for that matter. For example, a lexus Rx300 is called a toyota Harrier in Japan, and an Acura CL (or TL I forget which) is called a Honda Saber, a lexus Sc430 is called a toyota Soarer, and so forth. I'm not sure why it's this way, but personally I would prefer that, Honda NSX just sounds better I guess.

[autotech43]

Just returned from the FX45-35 new model training. This thread caught my attention when I read that the FX and the Murano are copies. They ARE definitley two different vehicles, with the Murano riding a front wheel drive (sideways engine) built from the Altima platform. The FX is built from the G35 midship engine design and does come in the V-6 or V-8 version. The midship engine design if for two reasons, first to eleviate the rear end squat under heavy acceleration, and secondly, to get a better balance (weight ratio)between the front and rear end.

We were told by the Infiniti engineers, that they were building the next generation of Infiniti vehicles so that Nissan and Infiniti will be different in design, and also that customers cant state that an Infiniti vehicle is just a dressed up trim package for the consumer for the higher sticker price!

So in reality, Infiniti and Nissan ARE going in opposite directions with 28 new models coming out in the USA and Japan in the next couple of years for both the car lines.

The only FRONT wheel drive vehicle Infiniti offers is the I-35, which we were told it will get a new design in 18 months or so.They are going to be some big changes coming soon from both the Nissan and Infiniti vehicle manufactures.

Nissan and Infiniti will share some components in the future, but at least they are starting to give the consumer a different design, look and feel (driving experience), instead of just a luxury package verse a non luxury package.

In training we had one Murano and one FX on two lifts side by side, when you looked under both vehicles and started comparing things like wind deflectors (to eliminate drag ) suspension components, driveline, material that components were made from etc etc etc.

One could plainly see differences verse what advertisements, magazines, spec sheets reveal to the public!

[nametakennow]

You do realize that just about every company does this? Ford, GM, Chrysler, Honda, Nissan, Toyota, and even to a point VW (the A4 is essentially a Jetta, not totally, but darn close). Every company with multiple brands does it, no big deal, even companies that are not actually owned by another (Ford-Mazda anyone?) do it. For a while there were Chrysler's and Subaru's (could be wrong, I know it was Subaru and Chrysler or GM). Soon Mercedes will be sharing parts with Chrysler. So model and/or part sharing happens, I honestly don't care. A car is a car, just some are better than others.

[APEXi240]

I'm not sure why it's this way, but personally I would prefer that, Honda NSX just sounds better I guess.

They do that so they can jack up prices, and compete with luxury companies (why they do that, I don't understand).

[autotech43]

I agree, sharing parts is sharing parts. I've been sharing parts on vehicles for many years. But there ARE a difference between a front wheel drive and a rear wheel drive, or are they the same??

I thought that was the issue in this thread, not sharing parts. Sorry if I misunderstood!I do agree that a car is a car, one is just better than the other.

[Onizuka]

Part sharing is an effective way of keeping prices down. I would rather pay 30K for a 350Z that shares half of its parts with other nissan cars than 50K for the same thing that doesnt share any parts with anything.

[BB Turbo]

Yeah, and also to add the list that wing put on, the TL in japan is the jdm accord, so that means that the accord we have here is usdm, and as you all know, the acura rsx here is the integra in japan,and as with i learned in a thread i posted a month or so ago, the x-terra here which is supercharged, is called the x-trail in japan, which comes with the sr20vet, with about 60 more hp too. Why does japan get all of the good crap and we never get s***? funny thing is is that they are probably saying the same thing to us, but referring to domestics probably.

[themadscientist]

They do it because Americans are dumb enough to play along and pay a stupid markup for a name. The Infiniti Q45 in Japan is called an Infiniti but other than that all Nissan, no Lexuses or Acuras.My favorites are the rebadged cars from other companies, Ford Probe anyone? How about a Geo? Ha Ha. I once got into an argument with a guy when I called his Integra a "Honda". He got all huffy telling me how they were different, yada yada so I asked him to pop the hood. I pointed at the big "H" on the valve cover and asked if there was a silent H in Hacura.

[TrueSlide]

Dont forget the Eclipse/talon/laser. Sheesh DSM are some money hungry pigs.

[Bandit240]

OK has anyone noticed how the early 90's Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Passport, and Izuzu Rodeo all look the same???? This has bugged me for years, If you get deeper into them the Vauxhall Frontera (UK and Aussie) also look just like them???