WTF Infiniti?

[RicerX]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/17/infi ... ng-scheme/

Oh boy, this is about to get confusing with a capital Q.

Infiniti has just announced a brand-new scheme that calls for completely new model names across its entire lineup of vehicles. Making things even more difficult will be the fact that all coupes, convertible and sedans will get a Q prefix while all crossovers and SUVs will be prefixed with QX.

Further muddying the waters, previous engine displacement monikers will be replaced by a double-digit number "representing hierarchy within the range." Put less simply, the slot in the lineup currently held by the G Sedan will be called Q50 while the G Coupe and Convertible will be called Q60. Q70 will replace the M Sedan at the top of the automaker's lineup of cars.

On the truck side, the range-topping QX is now the QX80. Sitting below is the QX70, which was formerly the FX, then the QX60 that used to be the JX and finally the QX50, which was but is no longer the EX. Qonfused yet?

Getting back to the G... excuse us, Q50, this is the new sedan that Infiniti had previously announced would be debuting at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. Best we can tell, this is a replacement for the old G Sedan, and it will sit below the currently available G Coupe and G Convertible, which will be renamed Q60.

The Q50 will be the first model from Infiniti to fall into the new Q-based naming convention, with the rest of the automaker's lineup falling into place as 2014 models are announced. Infiniti said on a conference call that this move was necessary as the brand branches out beyond the United States.

[Bubba1]

http://www.autoblog.com/2012/12/17/infi ... ng-scheme/

Oh boy, this is about to get confusing with a capital Q.

Infiniti has just announced a brand-new scheme that calls for completely new model names across its entire lineup of vehicles. Making things even more difficult will be the fact that all coupes, convertible and sedans will get a Q prefix while all crossovers and SUVs will be prefixed with QX.

Further muddying the waters, previous engine displacement monikers will be replaced by a double-digit number "representing hierarchy within the range." Put less simply, the slot in the lineup currently held by the G Sedan will be called Q50 while the G Coupe and Convertible will be called Q60. Q70 will replace the M Sedan at the top of the automaker's lineup of cars.

On the truck side, the range-topping QX is now the QX80. Sitting below is the QX70, which was formerly the FX, then the QX60 that used to be the JX and finally the QX50, which was but is no longer the EX. Qonfused yet?

Getting back to the G... excuse us, Q50, this is the new sedan that Infiniti had previously announced would be debuting at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. Best we can tell, this is a replacement for the old G Sedan, and it will sit below the currently available G Coupe and G Convertible, which will be renamed Q60.

The Q50 will be the first model from Infiniti to fall into the new Q-based naming convention, with the rest of the automaker's lineup falling into place as 2014 models are announced. Infiniti said on a conference call that this move was necessary as the brand branches out beyond the United States.

I got an email broadcast from Infinity about the name conversion. I agree it's "WTF are they thinking". They've pretty much abandoned the excellent reputation developed over the last 10 years by the "G" series" and attached it to a far less revered letter, plus it's a letter already actively used by Audi.

[RicerX]

I would have been more comfortable with I and IX being used for the naming convention just to meet them halfway. But this makes ZERO sense. The G has a stellar reputation and market brand value. Now when someone mentions Q50, they will have no idea what car they're talking about. On top of that... the QX is known as being a beast of an SUV... now it encompasses the FX and EX?

They're basically undoing all of the brand value they've taken 10+ years to establish for 80% of their lineup. This has got to be one of the stupidest marketing decisions I have ever seen NNA make, unless they start showing the Juke against BRZs in mock-drifting commercials.

[frapjap]

They're basically undoing all of the brand value they've taken 10+ years to establish for 80% of their lineup. This has got to be one of the stupidest marketing decisions I have ever seen NNA make

That says it all, man. Its kinda like BMW saying "nah, lets not call it the 3 series anymore and call it Jens513." Or worse yet, Toyota changing the name of the Camry or Corolla to something that would cause a huge confusion in brand identity.

[krash]

Someone stole notes from the europeans....

This is a terrible idea. I agree with Bubba. No more G35, I have a Q60 brah. plus, thats going to make it feel crappy to own anything less than a Q70 or Q12124 or whatever

[Bubba1]

To be fair, NNA is not the only brand to go this questionable route. I remember Acura abandoned such strong names as "Legend" in favor of letters. And Lincoln renamed what's left of their line up as MK- something.

[szh]

To be fair, NNA is not the only brand to go this questionable route. I remember Acura abandoned such strong names as "Legend" in favor of letters. And Lincoln renamed what's left of their line up as MK- something.

Dropping names in favor of letters+enginesize does not bother me per se.

But, a completely unconnected naming convention as being proposed is simply too stupid to be acceptable. WTF, Infiniti?

I am going to send off some letters to folks at Nissan/Infiniti (I met some of them on a trip to Nissan's Japan HQ some time back).

Z

[VQpwrdSE-R]

Work your way up in the ranks to #2 in the luxury vehicle category, then make major changes. Yeah makes sense

[Infinitiguy19]

They've pretty much abandoned the excellent reputation developed over the last 10 years by the "G" series" and attached it to a far less revered letter, plus it's a letter already actively used by Audi.

The letter Q is less revered than G?

I wish Infiniti brought back the Q45 as a Q50 or something. But I have no words for what Infiniti has done.

[asoomal]

2012 is happening.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

2012 is happening.

I LOL'd!!

[darylzero]

From Jalopnik

Infiniti Is Brilliant To Call Every Car A Q
Travis Okulski

Last night, Infiniti announced that in 2014, every single car they make will start with the letter 'Q.' The M35 becomes the Q70. The FX35 becomes the QX70.

If you followed auto journalists on Twitter, you'd have thought that the world was actually ending. "Infiniti is stupid!" "Infiniti is throwing down years of brand recognition!" "This is confusing!" Except it isn't stupid or confusing. Here's why.

Since Infiniti has been in existence, it has been searching for an identity. In my opinion, they've never really found one. Cars like the G37 go after BMW while an EX37 goes after Lexus. They don't have a cohesive brand strategy.

But now Nissan has placed former Audi man Johan De Nysschen at the helm, and he knows where he wants the company to compete: He wants them to take down his former employer. If you think about it, Audi — and Volvo — name their cars in the same way that Infiniti is about to do. It doesn't confuse those buyers or customers, at all.

"But what about the cachet that Infiniti has in the G-series name plate?"

What cachet? It's not a name like Taurus, Accord, 911, or really any other car on the road. G has been around in its current, performance guise for about a decade. That's the blink of an eye.

In the automotive press, we tend to think that names have power. And they do, amongst journalists and enthusiasts. But G37, M37, and QX56 mean jack s*** to Harvey B. Carbuyer. In fact, it probably confuses the hell out of them.

Instead, Infiniti is simplifying everything for it's base, the people that will buy their cars. It's smart. Want a midsize Infiniti sedan? Q70. Want a small one? Q50. Want a medium sized crossover? QX70.

That's far better than Acura's naming strategy. The MDX is an SUV, but the RLX and ILX are sedans. What is the X there for? Not all of these cars are all wheel drive. Infiniti will have a letter or two and then two numbers to describe the size. It's simple and direct, I like that.

Last night, I was one of the skeptics and thought this was a terrible idea. But then I realized that Infiniti has only had one iconic car in its entire history.

That car? The Q45. That's a letter that might still have some resonance with potential customers. It's worth a shot. Good for Infiniti for actually trying something.