Introduction:

Infiniti is the luxury brand of Japanese automaker Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. It serves as Nissan's luxury brand in the American, Canadian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, South Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, Russian, and Ukrainian markets. Nissan also has plans to release Infiniti into many European markets (Germany in 2008 and United Kingdom in 2009 [1]), as well as in Japan sometime after 2008.


All current Infiniti coupes, sedans and crossovers are based on the Nissan FM platform. The center of the engine is placed behind the front wheels. This placement makes weight distribution more even, which is intended to improve braking, acceleration, and handling. It also reduces the polar moment of inertia. The only exception is the QX56 full-size SUV, which rides on the Nissan F-Alpha platform.


Infiniti's model name designation includes one letter for coupés and sedans (two letters for SUVs) and a number reflecting engine displacement. For example, the QX56 is an SUV featuring a 5.6 L engine. An exception to this was the QX4 SUV, which featured a 3.3 L engine (1997-2000) and later a 3.5 L engine (2001-2003). An 'x' following the engine displacement of Infiniti sedans denotes an all wheel drive model (e.g. Infiniti G35x).


History

The Infiniti brand was introduced in the United States in 1989. Its purpose back then, as it is now, was to create and sell premium vehicles in the United States that wouldn't have otherwise fit in with Nissan's more mainstream image. Not by coincidence, Infiniti was created around the same time as Japanese rivals Toyota and Honda's luxury brands, Lexus and Acura respectively, were introduced in the U.S. The brand's sales were disappointing, a fact many attribute to some of Infiniti's poorly received advertising at the time. The company's initial campaign aimed to bring about brand awareness with Zen-influenced spots that focused on nature.


However, the ads didn't show the actual cars, and many believe this omission did no favors for a company that was hoping to have buyers recognize and clamor for its vehicles. Better advertising and the introduction of award-winning models eventually made Infiniti a contender in the luxury vehicle segment of the American market.