Blogging From A to Z Day 9: I is for Infiniti

Images courtesy Infiniti

For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here. 

Back in 1985 Nissan engaged in an ultra top-secret mission to bring about a luxury brand that would later become known to the world as Infiniti. The brand was supposed to take the fight to the luxury brands from Europe and the United States, giving Nissan a presence in a market segment it had never before entered. Keep in mind this was back when people thought of Japanese cars as cheap and economical, not luxurious. 

The brand launched in 1989 with two models: the Q45 and the M30. For some time Infinitis were so much like their Nissan counterparts that many people had trouble taking them seriously. After all, you cannot buy a stripped-down version of the BMW 5 Series or Cadillac CTS. Of course, this was a common practice with Japanese luxury brands.

This definitely is nothing like an Altima! 

Today, things are much different. Nissan has given Infiniti considerable autonomy, allowing the brand to pursue the unique needs and wants of the luxury market. Infiniti headquarters have moved to Hong Kong and the brand has been spreading throughout the world. The brand also announced that it was renaming all of its vehicles so all cars start with a "Q" and all crossovers and SUVs start with a "QX." The all-new Q50 is not a reworked Altima, and Infiniti is even toying with producing a high-performance version of the car, called the Eau Rouge. Infiniti is moving forward in more daring directions, and I think is more of a threat to different luxury lines now more than ever. I wouldn't kick a Q50 Eau Rouge out of my garage, that's for sure!