The current Infiniti G has soldiered on since the 2009 model year with few updates, so it is about time for a design change. But how much longer do we have to wait? Inside Line reports that the new G will arrive next spring with a new design, fresh engines and a possible hybrid variant.
Nissan VP Andy Palmer reportedly let loose the G's tight time line, while providing room for us to speculate what engineering changes could come with the redesign. The high-ranking executive told IL that the partnership between Nissan and Mercedes-Benz is progressing as planned, and we know that a four-cylinder engine is among the early collaborative endeavors. In fact, just last week Autocar reported that the next G will feature diesel and four-cylinder engines with Mercedes DNA.
Such a powerplant could replace the 2.5-liter V6 under the hood of the G25, and turbocharging could be on order as well. Palmer added that a turbocharged six could also be in the cards, noting that there is a business case for blown sixes that deliver V8 power with V6 fuel economy. Given that the entry Infiniti sedan doesn't currently feature a V8 option, we're all for more G-power for 2014.
The last interesting tidbit is the possibility of a G hybrid model. The addition of a battery-assisted G makes sense given that the automaker already features a hybrid option in its M sedan, and using the powertrain in more applications helps lower development costs.
We've gotten used to seeing Sebastian Vettel kicks some ass on the race track. After all, he is the reigning Formula One world champion twice over. But in a kung-fu movie? We've got to be kidding, right?
Only we're not. As you may recall, Infiniti - the luxury automaker that sponsors both Vettel himself and his Red Bull Racing team - announced about a month ago that the German driver would be starring alongside action star Celina Jade in a short film. Called Drive of the Dragon, it's the first in a multi-part promotional campaign being undertaken by the Japanese automaker. The flick has made its debut, and you can check it out by scrolling down below. But be warned: cheesiness will ensue.
Continue reading Infiniti premieres Sebastian Vettel's kung-fu film debut
We've gotten used to seeing Sebastian Vettel kicks some ass on the race track. After all, he is the reigning Formula One world champion twice over. But in a kung-fu movie? We've got to be kidding, right?
Only we're not. As you may recall, Infiniti - the luxury automaker that sponsors both Vettel himself and his Red Bull Racing team - announced about a month ago that the German driver would be starring alongside action star Celina Jade in a short film. Called Drive of the Dragon, it's the first in a multi-part promotional campaign being undertaken by the Japanese automaker. The flick has made its debut, and you can check it out by scrolling down below. But be warned: cheesiness will ensue.
Continue reading Infiniti premiers Sebastian Vettel's kung-fu film debut
When it comes to supercars, the sky is the proverbial limit. You can literally spend millions. And with vehicles like the Rolls-Royce Phantom, Bentley Mulsanne and Maybach, you can spend hundreds of thousands on a top-of-the-line luxury sedan, too. But when it comes to SUVs, prices seldom if ever breach the $100K mark fetched by the likes of the Range Rover Autobiography Ultimate and the Porsche Cayenne Turbo.
There are a handful of automakers aiming to break that barrier though. Like the upcoming SUVs from Lamborghini and Bentley, the on-again, off-again Spyker D12, and this, the Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Version.
Based on the Infiniti FX50 S, the Vettel edition has had the output from its 5.0-liter V8 upped to from 390 horsepower to 414 for a 5.6-second sprint to 60 and a 186 mph top speed. The suspension is said to have been set up by the reigning two-time world champion himself, with the carbon fiber aero kit developed by his Red Bull Racing team. The only change we've heard of from the concept car pictured above to the production version will be a more conventional pearl white paint job instead of the matte white of the show car.
Only 200 examples will be produced, with 50 earmarked for continental Europe, and most of the rest likely heading to the Middle East. The price for such a high-end performance crossover? 120,000 euros, or about $155,000 in American greenbacks (if it were actually offered here). Of course if that still seems too slow and too cheap, you could always order a custom Juke-R from Infiniti's parent company Nissan and smoke some supercars in the process.
Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz have spent the past two years becoming BFFs under the covers of their small cars. In addition to the production version of the Infiniti Etherea using the Mercedes A-Class platform and Nissan making engines for Mercedes in Tennessee, two years ago it was reported that the next Infiniti G would get engines from the German automaker. As the launch draws nearer, a report in Autocar indicates that Mercedes four-cylinder gasoline and diesel engines will be under the hood from the beginning.
Infiniti has been investing heavily in growing the brand across the world, especially in Europe. The G range had no four-pot in the lineup, and without that, few buyers would even consider it. Having economical engines right from the start will at least give purchasers a reason to cross-shop the G with the BMW 3 Series and Audi A4, its target market. It will need that expanded consideration to move from 2011's 145,000 global sales to the 500,000 sales it seeks in 2016.
If you're wondering why Mercedes would provide engines and know-how to an entry-level luxury car that competes against the 3 Series, one of Mercedes main rivals, Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn said there's no overlap. "People buying Infiniti or Daimler, they don't cross-shop between the two brands.... We came to the conclusion that Mercedes collaborating with Infiniti will not be hurting each other."
Nissan breaks ground today on an expansion to its Decherd, Tennessee engine plant and will start churning out powerplants for Infiniti and Mercedes-Benz models in about four years.
The plant already builds four-, six- and eight-cylinder engines for several Nissan models as well as the Infiniti JX SUV. In 2011, the Decherd plant built 580,000 engines. The expansion will boost production capacity by as much as 250,000 units per year.
Nissan's partnership with Mercedes-Benz, announced in January, has the Decherd facility supplying engines to Merecedes' only North American plant in Vance, Alabama. The four-cylinder will be installed in the German company's C-Class sedans.
"This is the newest milestone in our pragmatic collaboration and our most significant project outside of Europe so far," said Renault-Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn in a January press release. "Localized capacity reduces exposure to foreign exchange rates while rapidly enabling a good business development in North America - a win-win for the Alliance and Daimler."
Automotive News reports Nissan will turn to Magna Steyr to build a new Infiniti compact car in 2014. The Austrian manufacturer will assemble the vehicle as part of the luxury brand's efforts to grow in western Europe and other global markets.
So far, Nissan and Infiniti have been tight-lipped about what the vehicle will bring to the table, but earlier reports have hinted the model will be designed to compete directly with the likes of the Audi A3 and Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Speaking of Mercedes-Benz, the new Infiniti will likely ride on the same underpinnings as the current A and B-Class models.
The report says Nissan is set to use a number of Daimler components in the new compact, including Mercedes-Benz four and six-cylinder engines. Expect to see both gasoline and diesel variants as well. Magna Steyr is expected to produce between 50,000 and 60,000 Infiniti units per year. The two companies are currently finalizing the details of the agreement.
Lamborghini Urus, Beijing Motor Show, Scion xB and xD dropped, diesel vehicle sales up
Episode #279 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Chris, Dan, and Chris Paukert are joined by the phenomenon that is Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics to chat about the Lamborghini Urus, the Beijing Motor Show, the end of the Scion xB and xD, and the uptick in diesel vehicle sales. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. We've embedded our Q&A module after the jump for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #279:
Lamborghini Urus
Beijing Motor Show
Scion xD, xB dropped
Diesel sales up 35 percent
In the Autoblog Garage
2012 Infiniti G37XS Coupe
2012 BMW 328i
Long-Term 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman
Hosts: Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Chris Paukert
Runtime: 01:50:38
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We certainly like the idea behind the Infiniti Performance Line, but execution has left us largely underwhelmed. Instead of an M or AMG fighter, buyers are left with little more than fancy paint and a stiffer suspension. But according to Motor Trend, Infiniti may have something more impressive brewing.
An unnamed source spilled the goods on the future of the G line, including a juicy detail about a hyper performance coupe. The next-generation G is set to hit the market during the summer of 2014, bringing with it a rash of changes.
One of those is the introduction of an IPL-specific 3.7-liter V6. The source claims the engine is all-new and features direct-injection and two turbos to help it produce a whopping 530 horsepower. This time, it seems Infiniti has its heart set on stepping up to the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and BMW M3. The engine will be built in Japan alongside the powerplant for the Nissan GT-R.
Now for the bad news. The shadowy source says the high-performance IPL will be priced in line with the GT-R, at least in Japan. On this side of the globe, the brawny Nissan commands a price well north of the $58,930 MSRP on the C63 AMG, which leads us to believe there's still some pricing to be sorted out on that front.
Ward's AutoWorld is well known for its annual "10 Best Engines" list, but the trade publication has been compiling a second list for interiors for a few years now. Formerly known as the "Interior of the Year" competition, Ward's rebranded the list last year, naming the coolest cockpits under the "10 Best Interiors" moniker.
This year's winners are a relatively diverse lot, with hatchbacks, sedans and crossovers all making the list. While Ward's lists them in alphabetical order rather than crowning a single winner, we're choosing to present them with the lowest as-tested MSRP first:
Hyundai Accent ($15,925)
Chevrolet Sonic ($18,745)
Dodge Dart ($21,485)
Volkswagen Beetle ($25,195)
Mazda CX-5 ($30,415)
Hyundai Azera ($36,875)
Chrysler 300 Luxury ($44,855)
Range Rover Evoque ($49,745)
Infiniti JX35 ($54,800)
Audi A7 ($67,430)
The first thing we noticed then is that while fully half the models carrying base sticker prices under $25,000, Ward's was clearly not testing the base models of any of these vehicles. The Chevy Sonic, for instance, starts nearly $5,000 below the price of the car Ward's drove. Even so, that half of the cars on the list could be legitimately called "affordable" is impressive.
Ward's says 40 vehicles qualified for the competition by having "new or significantly improved interiors," and while 13 of those were luxury vehicles, they only made up half of the winners. Ward's says it judged the interiors based on design, fit-and-finish, comfort, ergonomics, safety, material selection, overall value, aesthetics, and human-machine interface.
Check out all the award winners in our high-res image gallery above.
