Infiniti looks to reset with Q50

The car that represents a chance for Nissan’s luxury brand Infiniti to resurrect its faltering launch in Australia goes on sale this Thursday (February 6).

The Infiniti Q50 prestige sedan is the first all-new model to join the line-up since the Infiniti brand was introduced here in September 2012 and is a direct rival to the likes of the Mercedes-Benz C-class, BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and Lexus IS in the biggest segment of the luxury car market.

Infiniti was launched in Australia in September 2012 with the aged FX crossover and large M sedan, before the G37 coupe and convertible arrived three months later.

Infiniti’s Australian launch was hindered by the late withdrawal of its Melbourne dealership -- a situation which took months to rectify – as well as slow sales, dramatic price cuts and, soon after that, the departure of its inaugural general manager Kevin Snell in September 2013.

In 2013, Infiniti managed to sell just 304 vehicles in Australia.

But Infiniti (and Nissan) Australia Managing Director and CEO Peter Jones says the Q50, which is the successor to the G sedan never sold here, can be the brand’s line in the sand, signalling a chance to regroup and recharge.

“This Q50 is the next step for us -- this is where our growth begins.”

Jones agreed with comments by Infiniti global boss Johan de Nysschen at last month’s Detroit auto show that current Australian sales levels were unsustainable.

“I believe he is right,” Jones said. “The numbers we are selling today are not the numbers we are going to be selling in years to come.”

A key factor in that growth, Jones said, would be the introduction of cars aimed for more global markets, rather than being American-focussed, reflecting where most Infinitis had traditionally sold.

“The Q50 is the first of these. There will be more models like this, each of them in coming years adding to our place in the market step by step. And this step by step is important because this is a considered approach and each one of these new models will add to our market share.

“It’s not something that is going to happen quickly. It is going to take years, but this is part of our overall plan for Infiniti.”

As previously reported by motoring.com.au, the Japanese-built Q50 will be offered to Australian customers with a frugal Mercedes-Benz 125kW/400Nm 2.1-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel or in high-performance 268kW/546Nm 3.5-litre V6 petrol-electric hybrid form.

A Benz-supplied 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is due to join the local line-up before the end of 2014, but a naturally-aspirated 3.7-litre V6 offered in North America will not come here.

At launch, the 2.2d diesel will be the price leader in GT form ($51,900 plus on-road costs), under-cutting entry-level models from the established players in Australia’s burgeoning prestige and luxury segments.

It will be offered at a $55,900 promotional drive-away price until the end of April.

The 2.2d and Hybrid will both be sold in mid-spec S and top-spec S Premium forms. All models in the range will drive their rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission, except the S Premium Hybrid, which will be all-wheel drive.

Pricing tops out at $61,900 for the 2.2d S Premium and $73,900 for the Hybrid S Premium.

While well-equipped, the GT misses out on some of the tech and equipment that headlines of the rest of the range, including the production-car world-first steer-by-wire ‘Direct Adaptive Steering’ and 14-speaker BOSE audio, making do with a six-speaker system instead.

The diesel Q50 introduces stop-start technology to Infiniti for the first time.

Only the S Premium models have most of the Q50’s most advanced safety features as standard, including claimed world-first back-up collision intervention, blind spot warning and intervention, distant control assist, forward emergency braking, intelligent cruise control, lane departure warning and prevention, and predictive forward collision warning.

The Q50 rids on a new architecture and employs double wishbone front suspension and multi-link rear suspension. The Hybrid gets a sportier tune and opposed-piston brake callipers.

Infiniti hypes the involvement of F1 world champions Sebastian Vettel in tuning the chassis. Infiniti is a major sponsor of the Red Bull Racing F1 team,

* Watch out for motoring.com.au’s first local drive impressions of the Infiniti Q50, online from midnight tomorrow (February 5).

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