Infiniti Cars
Infiniti is a Japanese luxury automaker that began selling vehicles in the U.S. for the 1990 model year. Infiniti is a division of Nissan. In addition to cars, they sell SUVs and crossovers.
In 1985, Nissan created a special task force (dubbed “Horizon Task Force”) to research and develop a new luxury line of automobiles. By 1987, the project had taken on the name “Infiniti.”
The first Infiniti cars made their debut in fall of 1989 (as 1990 models). The models were sold through a specially selected network of U.S. dealers (51 initially). Two models were introduced: the Q45 luxury sedan and the M30 sports coupe.
The Q45 was not only Infiniti’s first vehicle; it was the brand’s longest lived. The Q45 was sold until 2006. Infiniti introduced its entry-level sports sedan, the G35 (later renamed the G37), in 2003. The brand’s first SUV, the Infiniti QX4 (later known as the QX56), was introduced in 1997.
Car and Driver gave the 2009 Infiniti G35 one of the slots in the magazine’s “10-Best” awards. Cigar Aficionado magazine named the 2009 Infiniti FX50 the winner of its “Top Luxury Crossover” award.
Infiniti’s primary competitors are BMW, Lexus, Acura and Mercedes-Benz. The brand’s identity is that of a luxury automaker; thus, vehicles such as the G35 are often cross-shopped with vehicles such as the BMW 3-Series or Acura TL.