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Infiniti FX review
September 20, 2012
YOU DON’T HAVE to be a Vettel fan to recognise the Infiniti name, especially if you believe that it’s the fourth most visible brand in Formula One. Although the RB8 is actually powered by a Renault engine, F1 provides Infiniti with a powerful global marketing platform and success can already be measured by its popularity in growth markets such as Russia, China and Western Europe. Now Infiniti returns to South Africa with five new model ranges comprising EX (compact) and FX (big-performance) SUVs, a luxury M30d sedan plus G37 Coupe and Cabrio.
A range of V6 and V8 petrol and V6 diesel engines hooked-up to a silky seven-speed automatic transmission is available across the range. Technical highlights including four-wheel active steering, aluminium wishbone suspension, Lane Departure Prevention (LDP), Intelligent Cruise Control (ICC), Distance Control Assist (DCA), Forward Collision Warning (FCW) and Intelligent Brake Assist (IBA) are available on high-end models.
Infiniti was initially established in 1989 to target the likes of Lexus and Cadillac in the US market. In 1996 an ill-fated attempt was made to enter the SA market but the timing was all wrong. The company’s HQ is now in Geneva and the brand has its eye on 70 global markets (SA is its 47th). Locally, Infiniti will initially operate through two dealers located in Hatfield, Pretoria and Melrose, Johannesburg. Showrooms will share the same premises as the larger Nissan dealerships in major centres but the more sophisticated Infiniti corporate identity will be visually different at the point of sale. There will be a tailored buying experience with the likes of ‘lobby and hostess’ but the two brands will share backroom operations and resources such as parts and servicing. Centres in Durban and Cape Town will be operational in the last quarter of this year, with a 10-dealer network planned for 2014 backed by its own financial services division.
At the local launch I sampled both of the range-topping FX SUVs, the FX30d turbodiesel and FX50 petrol, whose design inspiration was drawn from the 2009 Infiniti Essence supercar concept – and came away impressed by their roadholding, ride quality, comfort and performance.
Infiniti SA is mindful of the strength of the German brands though, who dominate over 80% of local luxury vehicle sales. The company admits that it will take time for the brand to get traction and has set its sales forecast at 250 vehicles in the first year. I feel this is realistic given the quality and breadth of the offerings. How long it takes for these attributes to permeate into the minds of local consumers however, will depend on how aggressively Infiniti positions the brand against the Germans going forward.
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