Koma

iTrader: (3)

IS-F coupe please.

Yang1815

iTrader: (1)

Volvo uses it for their station wagons.

Mercedes Benz uses it for their vans.

LexLaw

Long Overdue.

blacksc400

iTrader: (4)

come on, bring us the President already!
and Toyota, we need Century and Royal Crown!!!

Incendiary

Good news.

TRDFantasy

Rumour has it that the Infiniti 5.0L V8 is somewhere in the neighborhood of 390HP.

MR_F1

Lexus 4.6 > Infiniti 5.0


just tho clear that out of the way....

j/k







but i will probably be right anyway

Hypnotik

How about IS coupe first

RA40

iTrader: (6)

I'm hopeful for Infinity. As a young driver when the Q first was shown in prototype drawings, it was the car I wanted. I was let down when time came and being a Toyota fan already, the choice wasn't hard. Still, there is a part that wishes to see another Japanese domestic make the approval of buyers.

The engine race reminds me of the 60's and muscle cars...now transplanted to SUV's and luxo barges.

LetMeShowU

Are you suggesting the Lexus 4.6 will be more powerful or simply "better" than the Infiniti 5.0?

Because given their history, Nissan/Infiniti has always been the one with the more powerful engines. Only until the recent 3.5L which has made its way into the GS350, the IS350, the Avalon, the ES350, & the Camry has the power field really been leveled by Toyota. I can't recall a single engine before 2005 where Lexus had a power edge over Infiniti.

I fully expect, as TRDFantasy stated, that the new Infiniti 5.0 will at least be good for 390hp, taking it beyond the 380hp in the Lexus 4.6. I would not be surprised if it even exceeds the rumored 390hp. However, I'm sure Lexus will win the fuel efficiency battle between the two. Although I think the more interesting comparison will be between the upcoming Lexus 5.0 vs. the Infiniti 5.0.

Anyway, I really wish these companies would focus more on fuel efficiency and adding more technology into perfecting their existing engines instead of constantly increasing horsepower and displacement. They're already powerful and big enough as it is, IMO.

LexFather

Lexus more powerful before 2005.

2nd gen Q45 (should be a Q41, it was 4.1 liters) made 268hp, Lexus 290 LS and 300hp in the GS. The 2GS was the fastest automatic sedan in the world at one point.
The QX4 made a whimpy 176 hp, the RX 300 came with 220. (the FX is faster than the RX today)
IS 300 made 215hp, the G20 what 150hp.
The GS450h is stated to be the equivalent of a 4.5 liter V-8, which Infiniti has with the M45. the 450h is faster and more efficient` and has more power 340 to 325.

The 1st gen Q45 was faster and more powerful than the 1st gen LS. That was 18 years ago. Today, we have;
-discontinued Q45
-380hp LS 460 L and a 438hp LS 600h
Ghosen spearheaded putting the VQ in every single Nissan product, the engine is a marvel. THat was 5 years ago. The G35s caught everyone off guard with their quickness. Well the NEW G35 is out and its slower than the IS 350 and 335.

Toyota/Lexus has caught up and passed with engine technology. Lexus is focused, Infiniti makes a good move or two but as a whole, is lacking.
Engines
Infiniti
VQ 3.5
VQ 3.7 (basically a bore and stoke)
5.6 V-8
4.5 V-8
Lexus
2.2 liter I-4 diesel (Europe)
2.5 liter V-6 (IS)
3.5 V-6 (ES/RX)
3.5 V-6 with dual vvti and direct injection (IS/GS)
3.5 V-6 + hybrid for 340hp (GS)
3.5 V-6 + hybrid for 278 hp (RX)
4.3 V-8 (GS/SC)
4.6 V-8 (LS and GS this fall)
5.0 V-8 (IS-F)
5.0 V-8 +hybrid for 438 hp (LS)
4.7 V-8 (GX)
5.7 V-8 (LX)
5.0 V-10 (LF-A)

I agree with you 100% about fuel economy. Seems Toyota/Lexus are the only ones truly interested in finding a better way of incresing power and economy. The Benz 5.5 liter is a beast but has the same dismal economy as the old 5.0 liter. That is not advancement, IMO.

Lexus base engines are more powerful/as powerful as the competition and the competition has no answer for the hybrids.

That is true advancement.

Nissan going from 4.5 to 5.0 liters is a natural move but I don't think its going to mean much, b/c the competition is either already there or making more new engines.

LexFather

Just look at transmissions, I believe Infiniti has two
-6 speed manual
-5 speed auto that has been around forever, even in the new G35.

Lexus
5 speed auto
6 speed manual
6 speed auto
8 speed auto
CVT for AWD and RWD
CVT in the LS is one of a kind

Any word is CVT going into Infiniti? I see NIssan is using it more.

Yang1815

iTrader: (1)

Rumor is that Infiniti will have a 6 speed auto for 08 as well since many owners have been complaining about the fuel consumption at highway speed.

LetMeShowU

Hmm, let's take a closer look by each year:


1990

Flagship V8: LexusLS400 (250hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (278hp) - Advantage = Infiniti


1991

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (250hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (278hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Entry Level V6: Lexus ES250 (156hp) vs. Infiniti M30 (162hp) - Advantage = Infiniti


1992

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (250hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (278hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Entry Level V6: Lexus ES300 (185hp) vs. Infiniti M30 (162hp) - Advantage = Lexus


1993

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (250hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (278hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Entry Level/Executive Class V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp) & Lexus ES300 (185hp) vs. Infiniti J30 (210hp) - Advantage = Lexus


1994

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (250hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (278hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Entry Level/Executive Class V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp) & Lexus ES300 (185hp) vs. Infiniti J30 (210hp) - Advantage = Lexus


1995

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (260hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (278hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Entry Level/Executive Class V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp) & Lexus ES300 (188hp) vs. Infiniti J30 (210hp) - Advantage = Lexus


1996

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (260hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (278hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Executive Class V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp) vs. Infiniti J30 (210hp) - Advantage = Lexus
Entry Level V6: Lexus ES300 (188hp) vs. Infiniti I30 (190hp) - Advantage = Infiniti


1997

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (260hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (266hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Executive Class V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp) vs. Infiniti J30 (210hp) - Advantage = Lexus
Entry Level V6: Lexus ES300 (200hp) vs. Infiniti I30 (190hp) - Advantage = Lexus


1998

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (290hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (266hp) - Advantage = Lexus
Executive Class/Entry Level V6: Lexus GS300 (225hp) & Lexus ES300 (200hp) vs. Infiniti I30 (190hp) - Advantage = Lexus


1999

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (290hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (266hp) - Advantage = Lexus
Executive Class/Entry Level V6: Lexus GS300 (225hp) & Lexus ES300 (210hp) vs. Infiniti I30 (190hp) - Advantage = Lexus


2000

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (290hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (266hp) - Advantage = Lexus
Executive Class/Entry Level V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp) & Lexus ES300 (210hp) vs. Infiniti I30 (227hp) - Advantage = Infiniti


2001

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (290hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (266hp) - Advantage = Lexus
Executive Class/Entry Level V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp), Lexus ES300 (210hp), & Lexus IS300 (215hp) vs. Infiniti I30 (227hp) - Advantage = Infiniti


2002

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (290hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (340hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Executive Class/Entry Level V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp), Lexus ES300 (210hp), & Lexus IS300 (215hp) vs. Infiniti I35 (255hp) - Advantage = Infiniti


2003

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (290hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (340hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Executive Class V8: Lexus GS430 (300hp) vs. Infiniti M45 (340hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Executive Class/Entry Level V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp), Lexus ES300 (210hp), & Lexus IS300 (215hp) vs. Infiniti G35 (260hp) & Infiniti I35 (255hp) - Advantage = Infiniti


2004

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (290hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (340hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Executive Class V8: Lexus GS430 (300hp) vs. Infiniti M45 (340hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Executive Class/Entry Level V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp), Lexus ES330 (225hp), & Lexus IS300 (215hp) vs. Infiniti G35 (260hp) & Infiniti I35 (255hp) - Advantage = Infiniti


2005

Flagship V8: Lexus LS400 (290hp) vs. Infiniti Q45 (340hp) - Advantage = Infiniti
Executive Class/Entry Level V6: Lexus GS300 (220hp), Lexus ES330 (225hp), & Lexus IS300 (215hp) vs. Infiniti G35 (280hp) - Advantage = Infiniti



So, using the best V8 & V6 options each brand had to offer per year for model years 1990-2005, here are the results:


Flagship/Executive V8 = Infiniti has had the more powerful V8 in 12 of 16 model years.

Executive/Entry Level V6 = Lexus has had the more powerful V6 in 8 of 15 model years.


So while Lexus has had the slight advantage in the V6 department, Infiniti has clearly had the advantage over Lexus in the V8 department.

EZZ

Haha. Great post. I love how someone does their homework and definitively backs their position. We shouldn't be surprised that Infiniti will usually win the horsepower war though (upcoming g37 sedan and coupe, M50 etc...). That is the card they have to play to keep alive.