The 2014 Infiniti Q... They are all now Q.

[DarkSunrise]

This sounds like a stupid idea to me since the new designations are completely ambiguous in meaning.

Take a QX70 and QX60. Assuming the QX70 is the more expensive car, what makes the QX70 > QX60? Is it:

a) Same size, but larger engine (BMW 335 vs. 328).
b) Larger size, but same engine (BMW 535 vs. 335).
c) Smaller size, but larger engine (BMW 135 vs. 328).

I don't know Inifiniti's lineup that well so someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks like the answer is C. I would not have guessed that from the new QX70 and QX60 model names. BMW's nomenclature isn't perfect, but it's much easier to understand than this.

[chulooz]

Seems like they have something up there sleeve.

Talk of a +550hp FI v6 sedan... sounds kind of like another car made by them, I wonder if this will be AWD too? QT-R?

http://www.sidewaysat11.com/infiniti...uture-line-up/

[rice_classic]

Originally Posted by Guff

"yeah, I drive a Q67S"

"oh, no way that's sweet"

"Yeah, top of the line"

"Wait, my mom drives a QX67S though! Isn't that the faster version of your car??!?"

"NO THAT'S AN SUV FFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"


Expect this conversation to occur many times over the next few years.

I've been theorizing the whole "What's in a name" conundrum and I tend to think that a proper name is important.

When the name is an alphanumeric designation (QX50, S2000) or an acronym for something (NSX, FRS, BRZ), it reduces the ease at which the car will be known to the common person (all us gear heads excluded).

When talking about Scion I could say "The Scion TC" and still get responses like, "Wait, is that the little one or the toaster oven?"..... Exactly.

Obviously Merc and BMW and some others have broken the mold but at the end of the day the car is usually and simply a "3-series or an E-class" as opposed to a 315xi-double quarter pounder triple shot latte.

Proper Name = Greater propensity for a non gear head (average person) to be familiar with the car IMHO.

Acronym or Alphanumeric = Mostly known or remembered by enthusiasts or the car owner themselves.

[chulooz]

Agreed!

[n2oinferno]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Seems like they have something up there sleeve.

Talk of a +550hp FI v6 sedan... sounds kind of like another car made by them, I wonder if this will be AWD too? QT-R?

http://www.sidewaysat11.com/infiniti...uture-line-up/

QT-R is too complex and will confuse people.

It will be the QQ-Q.
Then the SUV will be the QX-Q
And then they'll develop and even more powerful supercar. The QQ-QR.

[DIG1992]

There going the way of Audi and Volvo so it might just work out for them

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

[RRnold]

Out of all of the letters in the alphabet, they chose Q! Infiniti, good luck with that dumb move!

[Shagaliscious]

So, are they going to still distinguish the AWD Q60's with an X?

They are going to be giving them parts for the QX60, not the Q60 X

[RRnold]

I just saw the Q50 and this grill looks very similar to the GS and new IS along with the BRZ inspired foglights!











After a short performance from Cirque du Soleil dancers, the sheets were pulled off the 2014 Infiniti Q50 sedan at the 2013 Detroit auto show today. Replacing the 2013 Infiniti G sedan, the Q50 will be offered with a 328-hp V-6 and a hybrid V-6 model with 354 net hp, but company officials also mentioned future global powertrains would include turbocharged I-4s and diesel engines.

At the reveal, Infiniti president Johan de Nysschen said the Q50 would “initially” come with a hybrid model with a 3.5-liter V-6 and a 3.7-liter V-6 gas engine, with the key word being “initially.” He also mentioned that Infiniti’s future global powertrains will include a turbocharged gas I-4 and a clean diesel, and we can’t help but wonder whether the U.S.-spec Q50 will, at some point offer at least one or both potential options mentioned above. Nysschen wants the brand to be a stronger player in the premium segment, and a turbo-four Q50 could help reach that goal by directly competing with BMW’s recently revealed 320i sedan, powered by 180-hp turbo I-4.

However, those powertrains may not come to the U.S. at all; Infiniti already tried a lower-powered variant with the G25, which we slammed in our Sport Luxury Sedan comparison for its anemic drivertrain. With Infiniti stressing that the performance of its cars are at its core, it will be interesting to see what the luxury brand has it up its sleeves with future Q50 variants to better compete with cars from BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, and others.

What powertrain would you like to see in the Infiniti Q50: a turbo-four, a turbodiesel, or would you stick with the 3.7-liter V-6 or the hybrid V-6?

[SubieNate]

Originally Posted by RRnold

Out of all of the letters in the alphabet, they chose Q! Infiniti, good luck with that dumb move!

Q is a designation Infiniti has used in the past so it's not really a surprising choice.

Nathan

[JoeBoxer]

The Q was the flagship of the line and still should be reserved for that IMO. I hate these spindle grilles on the Lexus and Infiniti, the back of the q50 looks good but I find the IS repulsive. Hopefully the coupe will be a little better.

[Sasquachulator]

The G35...I mean the Q50 looks like a damn near clone of the current infiniti M.

I don't see the point of changing the names to the audi structure.... (A3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, while SUV's are Q5, 7)
The letters didn't have to mean anything, as long as it indicated what class the car fit in (G was compact, M was midrange, they didn't have a large car but that would have been the Q) SUV's were FX, EX, JX, QX.

Everyone knew what a G is...I think everyone knew they had the M midsizer...but now people can get confused between Audi SUV's and infiniti's cars.......

[ZDan]

The idea of maximizing brand identity at the expense of model identity has been taken too far...

They removed any meaning from the letter "Q" designation. The cars already say "Infiniti" on them. Why have a meaningless "Q" as well?

The numeric designations used to indicate engine size, now they indicate model, but why add a meaningless zero?

Clearly they're caught up in the current fashion of maximizing brand image, but at what cost? I always loved the G line, and maintained a soft spot even as they acquired bloat, but this new "Q50" seems a lot more M-like to me, no interest...

If they really want to maximize brand identity, just put "Infiniti" badges and emblems all over every model, and no other badges.

Semi-reasonable ideas can be taken to far...

[Dimman]

Originally Posted by ZDan

The idea of maximizing brand identity at the expense of model identity has been taken too far...

They removed any meaning from the letter "Q" designation. The cars already say "Infiniti" on them. Why have a meaningless "Q" as well?

The numeric designations used to indicate engine size, now they indicate model, but why add a meaningless zero?

Clearly they're caught up in the current fashion of maximizing brand image, but at what cost? I always loved the G line, and maintained a soft spot even as they acquired bloat, but this new "Q50" seems a lot more M-like to me, no interest...

If they really want to maximize brand identity, just put "Infiniti" badges and emblems all over every model, and no other badges.

Semi-reasonable ideas can be taken to far...

I blame Honda. They felt that owners were more attached to their individual models, rather than the brand. People were talking about their 'Integra' rather than their 'Acura'. So out came the RSX. This sort of makes sense from a marketing point, but I don't care for it myself.

But this Q thing, I don't really get. Were people bragging about their 'G' or 'FX' rather than their 'Infiniti'? Brand recognition taken one step beyond?