Ghosn Tires Of Infiniti Scraping The Bottom Of Barrel Of The Premium Market - But What Would You Do To Fix This Mess?

Article: "...with Ghosn vying since the 1990s to be in the top tier of premium brands..."

With about 2 decades behind you of vying, consider the possibility that what's standing between Infiniti today and where Infiniti wants to be, is NOT the marketing and sales execs you keep dropping in and swapping out. Perhaps it's something else, like brand identity, polarizing styling, value proposition, etc.

All this, plus it seems Infiniti is constantly is start or re-start mode. They have yet to find a groove and stay there. It's hard to build brand equity with a company that has basically changed it's mood every 18 months for the past 25 years. I wish them well because they have tremendous potential if someone would just run the friggin company right.

As much as I love Infiniti, I agree with TheSteve.

Infiniti has long struggled with with brand identity. Worse now than ever. IMHO, Infiniti abandoned the popular "G" moniker and alienated consumers. The entier lineup change was drastic and overshadowed the launch of the Q50.

Infiniti needs to amp up the marketing and act like a big boy brand to gain the respect the company deserves. In fact, I commend Infiniti designers with cars like the Q60 concept, but some design elements can be overdone and need to be reeled back.

Only time will tell the fate of this brand. A fresh face at top might be the answer...

I owned a G35 several years ago. It had a powerful engine and very reliable. But with the new naming conventions from G ==> Q has been a mess or disaster. The former Audi fellow who headed them up for a SHORT period left to manage the GM Cadillac division.

We visited a local Infiniti dealer last weekend. They have nice exterior design, BUT still need some work on the inside. TWO NAV type screens on the center stack-awkward. Also it's so CONFUSING since we have the Q50 which is the NEW body style/name; BUT we also have the Q40 - OLD BODY style which really was the G37; ==> which really started out as the G35. One name change is dangerous; let alone 3. They had a very competitive product but just stood still and rested on their laurels without doing much to assert themselves more.

Remember when Ford Motor Company changed their Taurus name to a "Ford 500"; after all the flak they took, Ford eventually changed the name back to Taurus.

Infiniti needs to give up. Now that Nissan/Renault is in bed with Mercedes, Infiniti becomes redundant.

Honestly people...the G35 went to the G37...M35 to M37...big whoop. Now new naming configuration...Gs are now Q 40s and Ms are Q70s...Q50 is a new model. What is so hard to figure out? If you find that change hard to deal with, then living life in the 21st century must really be a challenge. I work in IT and it is ALL about change everyday. Our world is that way too. Look how quickly electronic components from stereos, to phones, to TVs tocomputers become obsolte as fast as they can be rolled out. I am 60 years old and I love the change and keeping up with it. It makes life interesting! ;-)

Well, for one they (including Nissan) are as ugly as him.

Amen. Right on the money!!

Not to mention that they used a truck engine as the development platform for their first 3.5L QV6, while Toyota used the IRL series to develop their first 3.5L V6.

Infiniti has continually struggled with identity and direction. They have demonstrated very little continuity in model offerings and their decisions seem to be all over the map. No other luxury carmaker's product family tree is as broken as Infiniti's. it's no wonder "Infiniti" suffers from brand recognition as the public basically can't keep up with the frenetic changes, replacements, disappearances, reappearances, etc. And the new naming structure probably just set them back another 5-10 years.

First, the Q45 went from something somewhat different/quirky to more mainstream then back to hideously ugly. The RWD J30 lasted a few years and appeared to be fairly popular and instead of fixing what needed to be fixed, they replaced it with the FWD I30, essentially a Maxima with luxury dressing. The M30 was around for a few years as a 2-door coupe, then the M name disappeared for a decade only to return as a mid-size sedan, I believe replacing the I30. The QX4 was a rebadged Pathfinder that was, in effect, replaced by the pricier and much more space-compromised FX35/45. They seemed to be on the right track with the G35 and subsequent G37 coupes and sedans and both were crazy popular both for performance and design. Then they went a little wonky with the steering and suspension of the Q50. On top of that, they initially were going to discontinue the G37 sedan, but decided to keep it on board as the Q40. In addition, instead of getting a much needed redesign and update AND instead of creating a true flagship model, they decided to add some inches to the M's wheelbase and offer a LWB model. Let's not forget the on-again/off-again Emerg-e AND Eau Rouge.

After almost 20 years of trying, self-preservation prevents you from looking in the mirror...