Latest news with #QX65
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
As Its Parent Company Stumbles, Infiniti Hopes to Shine
Infiniti, like its parent company Nissan Motor Corporation, is in the midst of a pivotal year. The premium arm of the Japanese company has fresh product to offer customers and a lineup that is bringing in more affluent buyers than ever before in North America. Deliveries of the redesigned, full-size, three-row Infiniti QX80 are ongoing and a refreshed QX60 is making its way to dealer lots nationwide. In the next fiscal year, Infiniti is expected to begin selling its new QX65 SUV, and two years later, an all-electric Infiniti SUV will come to market. "This is a very important year for Infiniti. We have now the QX80 at full speed. We're going to have QX80 for the full year," Tiago Castro, vice president of Infiniti Americas, told Newsweek. "We had the best-ever QX80 month in February and the best-ever March, which made the best-ever first quarter of the calendar year for QX80. So that tells me that we're building the momentum," he said. QX60, a midsize three-row SUV, is more popular with U.S. audiences in 2025 than the QX80. Its design and technology refresh is focused on lifting it in a fashion similar to the success the company has had with QX80. "What we're trying to do with QX60 with this refresh is bringing the design cues of QX80 into the QX60 so they're really showing that family resemblance. And then parallel to this, bring all the same technology, things like the Google infrastructure that supports our IT system that gives your ability to do so much with the Klipsch audio system with up to 20 speakers, which is pretty amazing," Castro said. The company will introduce Sport versions of both SUVs, a package that adds darkened fascia and wheels to the model in place of brighter finishes. Unique upholstery options and badging are also included. "These next few years are make-or-break for Infiniti. Once a legitimate contender in the U.S. luxury space, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s with performance-oriented sedans and a clear design identity, the brand has since lost momentum and market relevance. Years of underinvestment, shifting leadership, and an unclear product vision have left Infiniti struggling for identity in a crowded luxury market dominated by German, Korean, and even electric startups," Paul Waatti, director of industry analysis at AutoPacific, told Newsweek. Castro is relatively new to his role. He had one full day on the job before the Trump administration's first major tariff announcement. "It's been very educational," he said. Instead of standing still and taking time to settle into the role, Castro dove in and took immediate action. "I've been meeting with dealers throughout the country. We set up Zoom calls. I met over 20 of them the other day in Nashville. We had dinner with another ten," he said ahead of the New York International Auto Show in mid-April. He relayed that the dealers have expressed to him that the QX80 is "extremely exciting." Castro said: "It started to build momentum, and we needed to stay consistent, focused on that model to really create a halo for this brand. And, they believe the QX60 now has a lot more potential than we have shown [in the past]. So, we need to work together with the retailers to continue to consistently deliver results and build momentum and let customers know how great the product is, but more importantly, how great the client experience is." Reports late last year indicated that Nissan Motor Corp. was on the brink of bankruptcy. On May 13, the automaker revealed the Re:Nissan plan, a pathway forward to enhance performance and create a leaner, more agile business. There is considerable cost savings planned for the current fiscal year. This and future restructuring under the plan is expected to create "a framework to secure operating profitability and free cash flow in the automotive business by fiscal year 2026," the company said in a press release at the time. Despite the very public woes of Nissan Motor Corp., Castro said, "There's a lot of optimism. The new management team coming in with Christian Meunier [Nissan America's chairman who was appointed in January], who is extremely focused on product. He believes in Infiniti wholeheartedly, and the new [Nissan Motor Corp.] CEO Ivan Espinosa. In fact, Christian, Ivan and I worked together for three years in Brazil. So, we know each other well. Ivan is very aligned with this direction. So, we're going to build a product plan that will continue to build on the momentum." Grille of the 2026 Infiniti QX60. Grille of the 2026 Infiniti QX60. Infiniti Waatti said: "Compounding the challenge facing Infiniti is the instability of parent company Nissan. As Nissan battles global restructuring, resource constraints, and a still-fragile brand perception, Infiniti is left walking a tightrope—tasked with reinventing itself while relying on a parent brand fighting its own battles." "That said, the next phase offers a narrow but real opportunity. If Infiniti can capitalize on electrification, modern design, and an improved ownership experience, while finally delivering products that compete head-to-head with luxury stalwarts, it may reclaim relevance. But make no mistake: this is a final proving ground. There's little room left for incrementalism or misfires," he said.
Yahoo
31-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Infiniti just killed two of its entry-level SUVs
Infiniti has announced that it will cease production of both its QX50 and QX55 SUVs at the end of this year. The QX50 won't see a direct replacement, though the QX55 will see a replacement in the form of the upcoming QX65, becoming the new entry point for the Nissan-owned brand that's in the process of revamping parts of its lineup. The QX50 was a solid seller for the brand, though its sales significantly trailed the larger QX60, which may point to the logic behind Infiniti's decision to go with a slightly larger two-row SUV as the entry point to its brand. Dealers should have supply until the summer of 2026, and production will officially end for the two this end of the two small SUVs will make room in the Infiniti lineup for a flurry of new vehicles. For starters, the QX60's new refreshed form will debut this year, including a variant called the QX60 Sport, per Automotive News, along with a similarly named trim for the updated QX80 that launched in 2024. By 2026, Infiniti will launch the QX65 as the brand's new entry-level EVs, the Vision QXe EV SUV, and Vision Qe EV sedan, are also on their way, though the timeline on these is shaky. For one, automakers have demonstrated hesitancy in introducing new electric models, citing shifting consumer demand. The Trump Administration has also signaled it will look to terminate subsidies for new EV purchases, which could affect Infiniti's plans for the pair. However, current timelines hint at an arrival sometime after 2026. I drove the most recent Infiniti QX50 in its top trim not long ago, and it was a very mixed bag. For starters, the QX50's interior was a huge surprise, with the top-trim $61,000 Autograph model featuring a great selection of novel materials like suede and wood and an overall high-quality feel. The seats were comfy, and I felt the SUV would be plenty for a small family or a couple looking for a slightly larger vehicle with good room and storage capacity, given its footprint. However, the SUV's dated bones also shined through.I found the turbocharged 268 horsepower engine a little anemic compared to similarly priced offerings from German competitors like BMW and Audi. Moreover, the transmission actively worked against me, never really doing what I wanted it to. On top of this issue, the car's tech was vastly outdone by every one of its competitors, all of whom offer much more recent, simplistic, and technologically advanced infotainment systems. Having experienced this, it's easy to see why Infiniti made the call to pull the plug on these two in favor of introducing a much fresher lineup.
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Infiniti QX50, QX55 Dead After 2025, New QX65 Two-Row Coming in 2026
Infiniti confirmed that the (pictured above) and compact SUVs will be discontinued after the 2025 model year. The luxury brand also stated that a refreshed will be revealed this year, with a two-row, mid-size —featuring a coupe-like roofline—following in 2026. Infiniti also made mention of two electric models, the QXe SUV and , but didn't specify when to expect these. Infiniti is preparing for a substantial shakeup. Nissan's luxury brand will end production of the QX50 and QX55 compact crossovers in December, making the 2025 model year their last, as first reported by Automotive News. The Infiniti QX50 will not be directly replaced. Infiniti instead is confirming a new two-row mid-size SUV called the QX65, which is expected to become the brand's entry point. The report from Automotive News originally came as the result of comments by the head of product planning for Nissan's American arm, Ponz Pandikuthira. Infiniti confirmed the death of the QX50 and QX55 in a statement to Car and Driver, both of which won't live past the 2025 model year. Automotive News reported that Infiniti plans to assemble enough examples of the two models to supply dealers until the summer of 2026. The death of the QX50 is a bit surprising, given that it was the brand's second-biggest-selling model in 2024. However, its 10,722 units sold was a far cry from the leader, the QX60, which netted 27,808 sales. The QX50 was only 383 units ahead of the much pricier QX80, despite being the brand's entry-level model. Sales of the QX55, on the other hand, never really took off, with only 3,721 examples of the coupe-like two-row SUV finding homes last year. Infiniti also confirmed that the death of the QX50 and QX55 will be followed by an array of new vehicles. First, Infiniti will launch a refreshed QX60 this year, which will include a variant called QX60 Sport. A QX80 Sport will also arrive in 2025. Then, in 2026, Infiniti will launch a new QX65 crossover, which will be a mid-size SUV with a sloping, coupe-like roofline. Infiniti teased the QX65 in 2023, and the image shows a front end with similarities to the 2025 QX80. Infiniti also reaffirmed its plans for two electric models, the Vision QXe EV SUV and Vision Qe EV sedan. Infiniti also hinted at these two models in 2023, showing a teaser of the QXe SUV and revealing the Qe concept, a sleek-looking sedan with a dramatic front-end light signature. We initially believed these electric models might arrive for the 2026 model year, but the lack of specific dates for the two EVs in Infiniti's statement makes us think they will debut later than originally thought. You Might Also Like Car and Driver's 10 Best Cars through the Decades How to Buy or Lease a New Car Lightning Lap Legends: Chevrolet Camaro vs. Ford Mustang!
