THE GOOD 12 - PART VII

INFINITI G

Let us liken Infiniti's G35 sedan and G37 coupe to discovering you'd booked your favourite New York City hotel on Hotwire.com, at a 25% savings mind you, after already resigning yourself to staying at the Super8.

Landing an Infiniti G is showing up at your favourite restaurant for lunch and realizing the best main course they offer is on special; and with dessert thrown in for free. The buyer determines his or her luxury sports sedan need; spends their money on Infiniti's G coupe or sedan, and finds a couple extra thousand dollars sitting in their bank account. How'd that happen?

This Infiniti sports sedan took the world by storm when it debuted as a first-generation BMW 3-series competitor. Now in its second iteration, the G35 and G37 don't need to sell on value - they're good enough without a price advantage - but if savings Infiniti wants to give, then savings we shall have.

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Engines: 306 or 330 horsepower and 268 or 270 lb-ft of torque from a 3.5L V6 (sedan) or 3.7L V6 (coupe).

Mileage: City high = 26mpg. City low = 17mpg.

Base USD Price: $31,600

Anything Else? Individual horsepowers can be had for $103.27 in the sedan, but are ¢0.52 more expensive in the coupe.

WARD'S 10 BEST ENGINES

Ward's has once again named its Ten Best Engines. It seems as though Ward's Auto has staked out a claim on this category of engine ranking and is rather respected and trusted now. 2007's best engines come from four different Japanese manufacturers, the German big three, as well as Ford and GM.

Audi's 2.0L turbocharged inline-four makes 200bhp and 207 lb-ft of torque. BMW's twin-turbocharged 3.0L inline-six produces 300bhp and 300 lb-ft of torque. The 3.0L V6 turbodiesel in Mercedes-Benz's E-class produces 208bhp and 400 lb-ft of torque. Ironically, the three German companies infiltrated Ward's 10 Best list with four turbochargers divided amongst the three engines.

Ford's 4.6L V8 is capable of more than 300bhp in the Bullitt and Shelby GT. The 6.0L V8 in hybridized form that we've seen in the Yukon/Tahoe hybrids and GM's 3.6L V6 from the Cadillac CTS form the American contigent.

Honda's smooth and powerful 3.5L V6 from the new Accord is one of two three-and-a-half litre engines on the list. The V6 from Lexus' IS350 is another formidable powerplant. 3.7 litres equals V8-style power in the Infiniti G37, too. Finally, Mazda's 2.3L turbocharged inline-four ends the list as the fourth turbocharged model, as well as the second with just four-cylinders.

CAR AND DRIVER ANNOUNCES 10BEST FOR 2009

From the time he was knee high to a grasshopper - whatever that means - The Good Car Guy has been a faithful believer in Car & Driver's 10Best. That's part of the reason why GoodCarBadCar.net's The Good 12 is modeled after C/D's 10 Best; with realistic cars (under $71K this year) that can be recommended year-after-year if they remain better than the opposition. Don't believe that GoodCarBadCar.net will always be in firm agreement with C/D's editors.

This year Car & Driver named two domestics to its 10Best list. Added to that were four from Europe and four from Japan. The list is below with a sentence from Car&Driver and an additional thought from The Good Car Guy. Keep in mind, The Good 12 v2.0 begins revealing itself on the eighth of December.

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BMW 3-Series: "Is this perfection? History has shown that there’s always room for improvement. But even so, in our view, no current family of cars comes closer to that elusive target." 

TGCG: No argument here.

Cadillac CTS & CTS-V: "Cadillac has created many memorable cars. This one is unforgettable." 

TGCG: Stretching only slightly less, I'd say that the CTS is memorable, the V version unforgettable.

Chevrolet Corvette: "... the standard Corvette coupe and convertible continue to deliver a level of performance and style that’s unbeatable for the money." 

TGCG: Indeed, it is the ZR1 and Z06 that show what tremendous value the regular 'Vette represents, even Chevrolet can't make its own car look overpriced.

Honda Accord: "It’s equally clear that the Accord has evolved steadily to maintain its position as a mainstream pacesetter."

TGCG: Contrary for the sake of being contrary, the thought that at some point Honda may need to revolutionize the Accord rather than simply evolve their midsize car can't help making a nest in my brain; not because Honda will need to but because I want them to. The Accord was a Good 12-winner last year.

Honda Fit: "If there’s a better combination of thrift, practicality, and fun-to-drive, we haven’t seen it yet."

TGCG: In last year's Good 12, regarding the old Fit, " The Fit possesses sharp steering, a snickety-snick gearshift or even a 5-speed automatic, and remarkable economy."

Infiniti G37: "We're not immune to the appeal of more power, of course, but there's more to the G's story than increased muscle."

TGCG: The G was a winner at GCBC last year, too. Competition has stiffened, however, even as the G improved.

Jaguar XF: "As pleasant as it is to behold, the XF’s most compelling attribute is outstanding dynamics."

TGCG: Only the letdown from the C-XF concept that led up to the XF keeps it from attaining glory at GoodCarBadCar.net.

Mazda MX-5 Miata: "... the steering provides that rare sense of connection that makes the car an extension of the driver's will."

TGCG: Yet, not as much of an extension as it once was. It is not the Miata's downfall - no not at all -  just a small discouraging factor that makes me wonder why C/D infuses such exaggeration. 

Porsche Boxster/Cayman: "Neither of these mechanically identical mid-engined cousins can be called inexpensive."

TGCG: A problem, is it not? The Boxster is so deserving, the Cayman incredible but undeserving. So much more money for slightly better handling and the loss of drop-top ability?

Volkswagen GTI: "As an added bonus, GTI ownership includes an exceptionally high practicality factor."

TGCG: The GTI isn't special because its fun... for a hatchback. It is fun first and foremost; its hatchbackness secondary.

2009 INFINITI G37 CONVERTIBLE - 16 PICTURES

Think way back to the fifth month of this year and remember the rendering "drawn" up by The Good Car Girl of the future Infiniti G37 convertible. Okay, the picture isn't that clear in your mind, so take a look right here.

Infiniti released an official image in July; but now a full gallery of 16 photos is available below. Nissan's luxury division says that from the A-pillar back, the design is distinct from the G37 coupe. As we've come to expect from the 21st century Infiniti, power is plentiful and looks are good. In fact, as far as hardtop convertibles go (sometimes awkward), the G37 ranks right up there with its greatest foe, the BMW 3-Series cabrio, in terms of topless good looks.

VOLVO XC60 GROUND CLEARANCE DOESN'T HURT?

In its first drive/review of the Volvo XC60, a soon-coming competitor for the BMW X3, Land Rover LR2, Audi Q5, Mercedes-Benz GLK, and Infiniti EX35, Motor Trend surprised me with the following statements (read the whole piece here):

"Canyon-carving sessions are surprisingly rewarding given Volvo's priority on safety...... Clearly its engineers took a different tack with the XC60 and gave on-road performance a high position on the agenda...... the XC60 doesn't feel tall or unstable. Credit its firm and responsive MacPherson-strut front and multilink rear suspension that minimizes body roll through corners...... Volvo's traction and stability-control systems (DTSC, RSC) don't kill the fun too quickly...."

Why is this so surprising? Does The Good Car Guy, an admitted Volvo fan, not believe Volvo to be capable of turning a compact SUV into a bit of a dynamic dynamo? No, no, no. See, Motor Trend also brought to my attention another aspect of the XC60 - it's height. The XC60 T6 AWD possesses 9.1 inches of ground clearance. Height off the ground inherently produces tipsy-topsy vehicles, and the 4000+ pound Volvo with that much ground clearance led me to believe that this, of all Volvos, would be the softy in the corners. For context, have a look at competitor clearance below.

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Volvo XC60: 9.0 inches

Mercedes-Benz GLK350: 7.9 inches

Audi Q5: 7.87 inches

BMW X3: 8.0 inches

Infiniti EX35: 5.4 inches

Land Rover LR2: 8.3 inches

Volvo XC90: 8.6 inches

HOW CONSUMER REPORTS RELIABILITY RANKINGS RELATE TO GCBC AWARDS

Late last year and in early 2008, The Good Car Guy handed out twenty awards. Well, let's be honest: eight of them were shameful awards. The Good 12 and The Bad 8  place significance on vehicles that can be purchased by people you and I know - no Ferraris, Lamborghinis, or Bentleys. Of the hundreds and hundreds of different models available to the North American consumer, The Good 12 tells you which you should buy if at all possible in 2008 and The Bad 8 makes very clear which cars you should not buy if at all avoidable.

Of course, those vehicles are in the running for 2009's Good 12 and Bad 8. If they're still the best, they ought to be recognized that way. But before that comes, it appears that Consumer Reports has released its reliability rankings, pieces of news in which many consumers (how ironic) place a great amount of trust.

So, how do those rankings compare with The Good 12 and The Bad 8? Have a look below.

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Small Cars: Consumer Reports says the Scion xD and Mini Cooper Clubman are at or near the top while the Nissan Versa sedan is the worst. The Good 12 holds fast on the regular Mini Cooper while the Versa sedan resides in The Bad 8.

Family Cars: Consumer Reports puts the Toyota Prius and Kia Optima at or near the top with the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger platform-mates at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent on the topic.

Sporty, Coupes, & Convertibles: Consumer Reports places the Lexus SC430 and Volco C30 at the top with the Chrysler Sebring convertible and Saturn Sky at the bottom. The Bad 8 has both the Sebring and Lexus SC in its grasp.

Luxury Cars: Infiniti's M35 and Lexus IS250 are CR's most reliable; the V8-powered Cadillac STS and V8-powered Mercedes-Benz E-Class are at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net speaks neither well or ill of all four.

Minivans/Wagons: The Toyota Matrix and Scion xB are the best of the bunch in CR's rankings, the Chrysler twins (Town & Country, Grand Caravan) are the worst. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent.

In the SUV/truck arena, the Toyota Tundra; Honda Ridgeline; Toyota Sequoia; Honda Pilot; Lexus RX400h; Honda Element, and Toyota FJ Cruiser are all leaders of their respective packs. Conversely, the Ford F-250; Land Rover LR2; Saturn Vue in V6 all-wheel drive form; Land Rover Range Rover; Volkswagen Touareg; V8-powered and diesel-fired Mercedes-Benz GL-Class; and the Dodge Dakota 4x4 are all unreliable by Consumer Reports' standards.

One more thing: Consumer Reports also said the Honda Fit; smart fortwo; and Infiniti G35 are "also very reliable". Those cars are in The Good 12.

INFINITI EUROPE READY TO SELL

Although it's only a half-lineup - lacking the jumbo SUV that is the QX56, the M35, M45 and all-wheel drive derivatives -  and though the Infiniti dealership network represents less than two dozen outlets, Infiniti is ready for Europe. Alive for two decades in other parts of the world, most notably North America, Infiniti's most recent successes bode well for this European adventure, more of which you can read about here.

The lineup is pictured below. At its grandest, the FX50 is a wild and value-driven alternative to a Porsche Cayenne Turbo. The lesser-powered but still capable FX37 should do the trick for many buyers. The EX37 is a true crossover; stuck halfway between wagon and SUV. The G37 coupe and sedan are two of Infiniti's strongest products, taking the fight to the German trio from Mercedes-Benz (C-Class), Audi (A4), and BMW (3-Series) quite ably.

Click here for all Infiniti-related posts from GoodCarBadCar.net

Three dealers in Switzerland, five in Spain, two in the Netherlands, five in Italy, and one each in Poland; Estonia; Belgium; Bulgaria; France; and Greece will serve potential customers. Many of whom, I might add, will be searching for diesels that they will not find. Problems establishing dealers in the UK will delay Infinitis's launch there until 2009.

MOTOR TREND NAMES SUBARU FORESTER ITS SUV OF THE YEAR

On its website, California-based Motor Trend has announced that the Subaru Forester is their SUV of the Year.

Other SUVOTY contenders included the BMW X6, Infiniti FX and EX35, Honda Pilot, Kia Borrego, Chevrolet Traverse, Dodge Journey, Volkswagen Tiguan, Ford Flex, Nissan Murano, Lexus LX570, and Toyota Sequoia. The Good Car Guy profiled the Forester in a 3 To Beat back in February where it performed admirably as well as in Part III of Dreams VS Reality with the Infiniti FX45 and Porsche Cayenne. Subaru's advertising for the Forester has garnered plenty of positive attention, as well.

Although there are dozens of different numbers that Motor Trend factored in when determining the SUVOTY, read below to see a list of the contenders in order of their fuel efficiency as tested by MT. In an era where fuel is expensive and families are struggling, the efficiency of family haulers is more important than ever. 

Subaru Forester (awd): 20.1 mpg

Volkswagen Tiguan (fwd): 17.3 mpg

Nissan Murano (fwd): 17.3 mpg

Subaru Forester (turbo awd) 16 mpg

Infiniti EX35 (awd): 15.8 mpg

Honda Pilot (awd): 14.9 mpg

Ford Flex (awd): 14.9 mpg

Dodge Journey (3.5L awd) 14.9 mpg

Kia Borrego (V8 4wd): 13.6 mpg

Lexus LX570 (4wd): 13.2 mpg

BMW X6 (I-6 awd): 13.2 mpg

Infiniti FX50 (awd): 12.9 mpg

Toyota Sequoia (4wd) 12.8 mpg

Chevrolet Traverse (awd): 12.1 mpg

HUGE NISSAN AND INFINITI RECALL OF '07 AND '08 MODELS

Sometime near the beginning of November Nissan and its luxury division Infiniti will begin a Recall that will affect somewhere around 204,631 vehicles, according to NHTSA. To simplify the nature of the problem, hear ye this: the system in the front passenger seat that tells the airbag when to deploy and when not to was manufactured improperly and may be of a one-track mind that sticks with 'do not deploy'. 

Dealers will be testing tens of thousands of Nissans and Infinitis with a 'special tool' that should enable them to discover if the Occupant Classification System is operating correctly. If it's not, the front-passenger seat cushion will have to be replaced. 

Obviously the seriousness of this Recall is undeniable; but neither is the magnitude. Owners of the vehicles listed below should be aware of this Recall and contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or Infiniti at 1-800-662-6200 if you believe your car is affected.

2007-2008 Infiniti EX35

2007-2008 Infiniti G35

2007-2008 Infiniti G37

2007-2008 Nissan 350Z

2007-2008 Nissan Altima

2007-2008 Nissan Murano

2007-2008 Nissan Rogue

NISSAN TRUCK AND SUV SALES TUMBLE IN CANADA

August of 2008 wasn't a bad month overall for Nissan and its Infiniti luxury division in North America. Canadians bought 8.3% more Nissans than they did last August and 12% more Infinitis. In the United States, Nissan sales were up 14.2% while Infiniti sales jumped 8%. Have a closer look at those two sets of Numbers either here or here.

One can't confuse overall sales success for these Japanese brands with truck and SUV success. As one would expect with tightening credit, the lowering value of homes, and the rising price of fuel, people don't seem to want Japanese SUVs. The situation for Nissan in Canada is very clearly laid out below. All numbers relate to August of 2008 and comparisons are with August of 2007.

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25.7 - percentage sales decline for the Nissan Murano

29.1 - percentage sales decline for the Nissan Titan

34.7 - percentage sales decline for the Nissan Pathfinder

47.7 - percentage sales decline for the Nissan Frontier

54.5 - percentage sales decline for the Nissan Armada

61.9 - percentage sales decline for the Nissan Xterra

69.7 - percentage sales decline for the Infiniti QX56

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Now for the good news. Nissan replaced the X-Trail with the Rogue in the Canadian marketplace for the 2008 model year. 934 Rogues were sold in August. Compare that with the 33 X-Trails that were sold last August. Also, Nissan's minivan, the Quest, posted increased sales this August, up 23.5%. Infiniti's two very sporting SUV/Crossovers, the EX and FX, posted decent sales as well. The EX is new to the market and sold 179 units while the FX posted a bump of 23.8%. 

As an aside, Nissan sold 71 GT-Rs in Canada in August. That takes the year-to-date total to.... 72.

HYUNDAI GENESIS SHOWS THE BMW 5-SERIES, BENZ E-CLASS, LEXUS GS, AND INFINITI M AS "OUT OF REACH"

Let's be clear right from the start. In America, the Hyundai Genesis has a starting price of $32,250. A V8 Genesis with no options is $37,250. 

The V6 version of the Infiniti M, the M35 starts at $43,900. For a V8-engined M45, you'll need $50,250. 

For a V6 E-Class Benz, Mercedes wants $52,775. Stepping up to the V8 E550 will require $61,275.

BMW's 5-Series starts with the 528i, a $44,600 car. Add two turbos and you're looking at $49,800. Add two cylinders and strip away the turbos, and the 550i is $58,800.

Meanwhile Lexus, a brand that was once perceived to bean upstart Asian automaker that couldn't succeed in the worldwide luxury car market and sold more for less as a result, now sells the GS350 for $44,550 and the GS460 for $53,020.

So when Hyundai asks if all the Lexus, Mercedes, BMW, and Infiniti is all that impressive if they remain "just out of reach", the Koreans have a point. Visit their websites (all hyperlinked) for an in-depth look at what's on offer from all five manufacturers and watch the Hyundai clip below to see their point of view. Beware, ads don't get much dorkier. For search results of Genesis on GoodCarBadCar.net, click here.

INFINITI G37 CONVERTIBLE REVEALED

Infiniti is rapidly accelerating to the point where G is the new 3. Hmm?

The original G20 was a lackluster front-wheel drive 4-cylinder effort from Nissan's luxury division. Nobody noticed. Along came the first generation G35 coupe and sedan - with an all-wheel drive derivative, as well - and consumers were impressed. Slightly larger than the BMW 3-Series, the Infiniti sedan and coupe were let down by excessive noise, vibration, and harshness but by generating hefty levels of horsepower and torque; delivered plenty of paying customers into Infiniti dealerships. It didn't hurt that the G was drop-dead gorgeous. 

Infiniti's second-generation G35 sedan (soon to upsize its engine) and G37 coupe didn't move the game on significantly in the style department. However, the excessive NVH was dealt with and in true sport sedan tradition, power increased. Finally, another configuration arrives. Unlike Cadillac which just revealed its wagon entry in this category (after a coupe and hi-po sedan), Infiniti headed straight for the hardtop convertible. 

The G37 convertible was shown in rendered form on GoodCarBadCar.net  with some fairings in place. Those fairings didn't appear in production form likely because of the hardtop configuration. Four-seat comfort and susbtantially more than 300 horsepower will help take this G37 Convertible up against the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4 Cabrio, and Saab 9-3 droptop.

STRANGE TIMING FOR TRUCK ADVERTISING IN MONTHLY MAGS

Depressing though the good-looking Mazda CX-7's test numbers from Motor Trend's September issue may be (0-60mph in 7.7 and 17 miles per gallon), especially in light of the Subaru Forester's impressive statistics (0-60 in 6.6 and 19.6 mpg), it's downright alarming the extent to which low mpg vehicles were advertised in the issue that's already on newsstands.

It's not a hard case to make: heavily market the products that you're struggling to sell. Make the buyers aware. On the other hand, expensive advertising directed toward an ever-shrinking market - especially when the products mentioned are already very well-known.... now that seems a little bit silly.

Surely different marketing executives would present differing views on the merits of extensive truck advertising. In a year when the long-time best-selling vehicle in America, Ford's F-150, has been out-sold by four cars over the last couple months, some of the numbers you'll see below are surprising.

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2 - pages of advertising GMC placed inside the cover for the Acadia, a 19mpg large crossover

2 - pages of advertising Mercedes-Benz placed for the 15mpg C63 AMG

1 - page of advertising for the Cadillac Escalade Hybrid, a 20.5mpg SUV

12 - pages of advertising (including a centrefold) for the Chevrolet Silverado which is, at best, a 17.5mpg pick-up truck

1 - page of advertising for the Cadillac CTS, a 22mpg luxury sedan

2 - pages of advertising Dodge placed with business-reply mail for the Ram pickup

1 - page of advertising for the 19mpg Honda Pilot

1 - page of combined advertising for the 22mpg Nissan Maxima and the GT-R

1 - page of advertising for the Infiniti FX which is, at best, a 19mpg sporty crossover

1 - page of advertising for the Toyota Matrix, a small hatchback that can achieve a combined 29mpg

1 - page of advertising for the new Kia Borrego, a body-on-frame large SUV that's available with a V8 but can touch 19mpg with a V6

1 - page of advertising for the 26mpg Suzuki SX4 on the inside of the back cover

1 - page of advertising for the 25.5mpg Acura TSX on the back cover

18.8 - average (best) combined MPG rating of the first five vehicles you'll see advertised in Motor Trend's September issue

22.8 - average (best) combined MPG rating for the final seven vehicles you'll see advertisied in MT/09

NISSAN TITAN & ARMADA, INFINITI QX56 RECALLED

NHTSA has announced a Recall of its largest vehicles. One pickup, the Nissan Titan, its closed in relative, the Nissan Armada SUV, and the Armada's luxurious sibling, the Infiniti QX56, were built in model years 2005 and 2006 with ill-equipped air conditioners. 

The fan motor is likely not properly sealed, and the water intrusion could lead to corrosion in the motor. Corrosion therein could result in overheating and, potentially, a fire.

180,664 Titans, Armadas, and QX56s fall under this recall notice. Dealers are instructed to install a thermal protection kit and replace the fan motor if necessary.

HEY EUROPE, RESERVE YOUR INFINITI

Infiniti seems to be getting a ridiculous amount of attention here at GoodCarBadCar.net recently. Not that Nissan's luxury division doesn't deserve conversation or consideration.... it's just been a surprising week. Infiniti's search label from this site shows two posts from the 14th of May (including GCBC's own rendering of the G37 convertible), one from the 9th, another from May 7th, prior to which nothing appears since April 2nd. 

What's the news now? Link to the piece from May 9th to read more about Infiniti's unique approach in the UK and you won't be surprised to learn of Infiniti's latest outreach to European customers. Infiniti.eu, available in five languages, allows European customers to be first on the list for the high-value, high-performance Japanese machines. The dealer closest to you will be in contact before regular pre-ordering begins. 

Typically, European car buyers are very particular about the configuration of their chosen car. Choosing amongst the available vehicles on the dealer 'forecourt' is not the default solution. Thus, whether you see Infiniti as an instant success in Europe or not, this isn't a very surprising move. Hype is generated, customers - potential, assured, or wavering - feel special, and much of the process is normal anyway. 

This link allows you to "Secure Your Place". Frequent Infiniti exposure leads The Good Car Guy to heartily recommend it.

INFINITI G37 CONVERTIBLE RENDERING

BMW's 3-series, the Audi A4, and Saab's 9-3 are the main competitors in the entry-level luxury sport sedan-turned-convertible crowd. It was discovered recently that Infiniti wants its successful G coupe to be a member of the cabrio field. Don't be surprised to see more power than its competitors at a lower price with similarly (or more) impressive dynamics. 

There are no official pictures of this Infiniti G37 convertible.... yet. But there are renderings. And the rendering you'll see elsewhere is likely a scanned across-the-fold image from a Japanese publication. The most active photoshopper I know took hold of a G37 and chopped. No California Customs job, this; but it does show the current generation in a likely configuration. Don't be surprised to see the fairings remain as a part of the production model - don't be surprised if they're not. A G37 droptop with fairings would fit with its platform-sharer, the 350Z, while they are also more frequently used these days as aero aids and noise abaters. 

Like it or loathe it, give credit where credit is due - to The Good Car Girl.

NISSAN & INFINITI NEWS

Amazing to consider, isn't it, that late last decade, Renault swooped in to assist a fledgling Japanese automaker known as Nissan? Of course, the French automaker doesn't compete with its French badge in the USA or Canada, but Nissan and Infiniti are doing rather well, thanks.

The goal, of course, is to push that success to another level. Nissan's Versa has helped a formerly prominent small-car brand at the low end. The next Titan pickup will be Dodge-developed. Nissan also has plans to bring the next-gen Cube to this continent. Further to this .....

An enlarged engine for the Nissan 350Z. Three-Fifty will soon become a misnomer. The 3.7L V6 you enjoy in the Infiniti G37 coupe will join with the two-seat Z from Nissan to create the 370Z. Don't expect the overall look of the car to be significantly changed; certainly not the very traditionally Z-car profile. Power will be plentiful, nonetheless. In the G37, the VQ engine generates 330 horsepower. Don't be surprised if the 370Z produces 335-345bhp.

Speaking of the G37, financial reports from Nissan have confirmed the advent of an Infiniti G37 convertible. Another Infiniti convertible became infamous for its inability to convince buyers of its merits in the early 1990s. The M30 lived for just a couple model years but managed a humorous role in George Clooney's "Three Kings".

INFINITI'S UNIQUE APPROACH IN THE U.K.

Infiniti, one piece of the Renault/Nissan corporate puzzle, continutes to post decent sales figures in the United States and Canada. March of this year was some 7% better than the previous March, and April was only slightly down in a market that absolutely buried itself in the ground. 

Infiniti's been kickin' in North America for almost twenty years. After a quick start, Infiniti stumbled for many years. Not surprisingly, the Nissan father figure wasn't setting the best example. Renault's involvement with Nissan brought new life to Infiniti, as you'd expect, and since that point, the builder of the G35/G37 and FX family, its two most prominent members, has been on a roll. With Infiniti, consumers expect dynamic design, well resolved on-road dynamics, and a small savings compared with common German competition. 

The G35 sedan and G37 coupe sit at the bottom of the range with the EX crossover. Bump up the $ figure and you're struck with the M35 and M45 as well as the brand-new FX; which is stunning to say the least. The Q, Infiniti's largest sedan, should be back before long, and the QX56 is a Nissan SUV in super-chrome garb. 

With Infiniti's tardy entrance into Europe, Renault/Nissan has given Lexus a huge edge. Lexus' lightning quick takeover of the American market hasn't been mirrored in Europe, a somewhat more image conscious and history favouring group they must be. But, Europeans - and Brits especially - favour a terrific driving experience. And on that count, Infiniti delivers.

Nonetheless, Infiniti is taking a design-led approach to their UK intro. It seems as though Infiniti will ignore the small engine and diesel luxury market, at least at first. Though that may sound unimaginable and, perhaps, even stupid, Infiniti has other plans. Infiniti's will be placed on the fleets of hi-lux hotels. Staff uniforms, business cards, dealership style, and even elevator music must be signed off by a higher authority, namely Shiro Nakamura. 

OK, that sounds design-led. On the other hand, head honcho Carlos Ghosn wants to make money with small production numbers, rather than trying to achieve the impossible feat of dominating the Euro/UK luxury sector. Between 300-500 changes will occur in each Infiniti to fit it for Euro duty. More sound deadening, suspension tuning, and grippier tires are just some of the not design-led changes. Then again, thicker carpets and nicer leather are very Euro-conscious.

Will Infiniti succeed in England, Scotland, and Wales? Quite assuredly, Nissan's definition of success will differ from your's.

GERMANY vs JAPAN - luxury

In March of 2007, the trio of Japanese luxury marques - Acura, Lexus, and Infiniti - reached total US auto sales of 59,718.  That is more than the German luxury trio - BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz - which sold 54,957 vehicles last March.

In the 31 days of March just concluded, the Japanese triumvirate produced numbers of 52,048. Yes, that's down significantly. But don't blame Infiniti. (And don't forget about the two extra selling days in 03/07.) On the other hand, Germany's aged brands formed a total of 51,910. 

If you're curious, which you are or else you wouldn't be reading this, Lexus and BMW are their team leaders. Both brands have sales in the mid-20,000s.  Infiniti and Acura are in the mid-teens, with Mercedes around 5K ahead. Audi brings up the rear, but makes gains every month.  Audi and Infiniti sales were up over 7% when you take into account the number of selling days, comparing March/08 with March/07.

See all Audi or Acura or Lexus or Infiniti or BMW or Mercedes-related 

articles by clicking the links on this line

What does all this mean? I don't know. It is interesting, however, to see that Acura is facing tumbling sales month-over-month month-after-month-after month, but still sold about 5,301 more vehicles than Audi did in March.This is Audi, the company that tells us it will be the biggest worldwide luxury automotive seller sometime early next decade. It's also interesting that amidst the economic turmoil, money is somehow making itself available for 100,000+ sales from luxury brands. That's just these luxury brands. We've not touched on Saab, Volvo, Cadillac, Porsche, Jaguar or the ultra-luxury Bentley/Rolls-Royce/Ferrari field.  

Lexus sold twice as many cars as Buick did last month. So did Kia. Audi doubles Mini. Mercedes sells about 2 cars every time Mitsubishi sells one and after beating Saturn by a few hundred in March of 2007, Benz beat them by 2,662 vehicles this March. 

Still, Chevrolet; Ford, and Toyota all sell more cars than these six prominent luxury badges combined.