Infiniti CEO leaves after just two years
07-14-14, 01:59 PM
#46
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I've long felt that Infiniti's biggest issue is poor branding. The product is decent, but their model nomenclature is broadly asinine...
There are as yet undiscovered tribes in the Amazon who can tell you that the 3 Series, C Class and A4 compete as do the 5, E and A6 etc. It takes a keen student of the brand to have the first idea which particular favor of Q is intended to compete in which particular segment.
There are as yet undiscovered tribes in the Amazon who can tell you that the 3 Series, C Class and A4 compete as do the 5, E and A6 etc. It takes a keen student of the brand to have the first idea which particular favor of Q is intended to compete in which particular segment.
07-14-14, 02:07 PM
#47
i think infiniti is in a very promising position right now. while many have scoffed at the 'q' naming, i think it's smart to reboot the branding now rather than later. infiniti's had such an inconsistent history... maybe now they're on the verge of really becoming a player, but we'll see.
The Q50 launch has been lackluster and it's their most critical car - stop sales at release, half-baked software and a ride/handling balance that has left the automotive media (and evidently buyers) unimpressed. Perhaps most concerning is the Q50's significantly lower sales vs. the G37. Plus the decision to keep selling the G37 alongside the Q50? That reeks of, "We aren't really 100% committed to the Q50." It's bizarre behavior.
Looking at the rest of the lineup, the Q60 was sent back to the drawing board by a CEO who is now gone after 2 years on the job. The recent generation M/Q70 has been a sales flop. QX50 and QX70 need to be redesigned desperately. Selling rebadged Jukes in China? That's not good for the brand, even if it is a stopgap solution for sales. Execs seem focused on the Eau Rouge, which is expected to sell for around $100,000 and maybe 500 units... while their core product is losing marketshare?
Future Infinitis will be built on Mercedes and Nissan platforms with Nissan, Mercedes or Renault engines. I know a new family of V6 engines is on the way, but is that enough? This relationship with Mercedes seems very odd to me.
I'm not saying Infiniti can't do it - I think they can - but they're fighting a very uphill battle and if the last few years are any indication, it just doesn't look very good. I do wish Infiniti the best - I like the brand and would like to see another strong Japanese luxury brand (aside from Lexus) and Infiniti is really the only hope for that.
07-14-14, 06:32 PM
#48
Lexus Fanatic
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the Q50 launch was botched, for sure. quality issues and strange electric steering programming should definitely not have happened. but i still think it's a great car.
07-14-14, 06:46 PM
#49
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The Acura RLX launch was botched. The Q50 was not botched. Sure, it had (has?) some software issues, but sales have been steady (good) since its release. The G37 is certainly siphoning off potential sales of the Q50, but it was their decision to keep both models in the lineup. Combined sales are more than what the G37 was doing on its own before the Q50 came along.
07-14-14, 06:52 PM
#50
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by MPLexus301
. Personally, I have never been more worried about the future of Infiniti than I am right now.
I'm not saying Infiniti can't do it - I think they can - but they're fighting a very uphill battle and if the last few years are any indication, it just doesn't look very good. I do wish Infiniti the best - I like the brand and would like to see another strong Japanese luxury brand (aside from Lexus) and Infiniti is really the only hope for that.
I'm not saying Infiniti can't do it - I think they can - but they're fighting a very uphill battle and if the last few years are any indication, it just doesn't look very good. I do wish Infiniti the best - I like the brand and would like to see another strong Japanese luxury brand (aside from Lexus) and Infiniti is really the only hope for that.
, despite a potent engine, is not what I would call a true flagship in the same mold as the regional Q45. Neither, IMO is the competing Cadillac XTS, Lincoln MKS, or Acura RLX. The XTS, especially, is disappointing.
07-14-14, 07:01 PM
#51
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Everyone knows that these models are not true flagships. The Q70L is interesting because it will be sort of a tweener between a mid-grade model and full-fledged flagship. Will be interesting to see how well it sells and if buyers cross shop it with the other "real" flagships.
07-14-14, 07:17 PM
#52
As a Q50 owner from the first day it was available for sale, I will say the launch was botched.
I have had the car 11 months and no software fix. No corporate reaching out, no offer to make things right.
When you have customers who can pretty much buy whatever they want and you don't support them after the sale, particularly what there have been issues with the car that leave the customer feeling they got less than they paid for, they lose faith in the brand. I certainly have.
Yes it is an excellent car but why should I spend my money at Three Stooges, Inc?
I do not expect to own another Infiniti.
I have had the car 11 months and no software fix. No corporate reaching out, no offer to make things right.
When you have customers who can pretty much buy whatever they want and you don't support them after the sale, particularly what there have been issues with the car that leave the customer feeling they got less than they paid for, they lose faith in the brand. I certainly have.
Yes it is an excellent car but why should I spend my money at Three Stooges, Inc?
I do not expect to own another Infiniti.
07-14-14, 08:10 PM
#53
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As a Q50 owner from the first day it was available for sale, I will say the launch was botched.
I have had the car 11 months and no software fix. No corporate reaching out, no offer to make things right.
When you have customers who can pretty much buy whatever they want and you don't support them after the sale, particularly what there have been issues with the car that leave the customer feeling they got less than they paid for, they lose faith in the brand. I certainly have.
Yes it is an excellent car but why should I spend my money at Three Stooges, Inc?
I do not expect to own another Infiniti.
I have had the car 11 months and no software fix. No corporate reaching out, no offer to make things right.
When you have customers who can pretty much buy whatever they want and you don't support them after the sale, particularly what there have been issues with the car that leave the customer feeling they got less than they paid for, they lose faith in the brand. I certainly have.
Yes it is an excellent car but why should I spend my money at Three Stooges, Inc?
I do not expect to own another Infiniti.
07-14-14, 08:14 PM
#54
Lead Lap
As a Q50 owner from the first day it was available for sale, I will say the launch was botched.
I have had the car 11 months and no software fix. No corporate reaching out, no offer to make things right.
When you have customers who can pretty much buy whatever they want and you don't support them after the sale, particularly what there have been issues with the car that leave the customer feeling they got less than they paid for, they lose faith in the brand. I certainly have.
Yes it is an excellent car but why should I spend my money at Three Stooges, Inc?
I do not expect to own another Infiniti.
I have had the car 11 months and no software fix. No corporate reaching out, no offer to make things right.
When you have customers who can pretty much buy whatever they want and you don't support them after the sale, particularly what there have been issues with the car that leave the customer feeling they got less than they paid for, they lose faith in the brand. I certainly have.
Yes it is an excellent car but why should I spend my money at Three Stooges, Inc?
I do not expect to own another Infiniti.
07-15-14, 05:32 AM
#55
I have had 2 software updates
I only found out about the first by being on a Q50 forum.
The second was part of a campaign.
Neither of these fixed the apps.
Lex2, yes the car is great and had fewer out of the box issues than my 06 IS350 had (also an early production car in the first year of the new model).
The key difference in the experience is that both Lexus and my dealerships did everything they could to make me happy.
Infiniti has done nothing and the dealer I take the car to for service just goes by what Infiniti tells them and that is dahm little.
I only found out about the first by being on a Q50 forum.
The second was part of a campaign.
Neither of these fixed the apps.
Lex2, yes the car is great and had fewer out of the box issues than my 06 IS350 had (also an early production car in the first year of the new model).
The key difference in the experience is that both Lexus and my dealerships did everything they could to make me happy.
Infiniti has done nothing and the dealer I take the car to for service just goes by what Infiniti tells them and that is dahm little.
07-15-14, 09:36 AM
#56
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As a Q50 owner from the first day it was available for sale, I will say the launch was botched.
I have had the car 11 months and no software fix. No corporate reaching out, no offer to make things right.
When you have customers who can pretty much buy whatever they want and you don't support them after the sale, particularly what there have been issues with the car that leave the customer feeling they got less than they paid for, they lose faith in the brand. I certainly have.
Yes it is an excellent car but why should I spend my money at Three Stooges, Inc?
I do not expect to own another Infiniti.
I have had the car 11 months and no software fix. No corporate reaching out, no offer to make things right.
When you have customers who can pretty much buy whatever they want and you don't support them after the sale, particularly what there have been issues with the car that leave the customer feeling they got less than they paid for, they lose faith in the brand. I certainly have.
Yes it is an excellent car but why should I spend my money at Three Stooges, Inc?
I do not expect to own another Infiniti.
07-15-14, 10:35 AM
#57
We were first in the USA with the Q50, the launch was a botched to be kind. If people remember we couldn't figure out why the IS kept being tested and reviewed but not the Q50. The launch was delayed 3 months and the issues were never sorted out. Dealers begged for the car. The other issues are very well documented.
07-15-14, 06:47 PM
#58
Lexus Fanatic
After all, once your owner sells it, the new owner could decide that he (or she) may want a different franchise (and vehicle-brand) instead.
07-15-14, 07:18 PM
#59
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Lex2, yes the car is great and had fewer out of the box issues than my 06 IS350 had (also an early production car in the first year of the new model).
The key difference in the experience is that both Lexus and my dealerships did everything they could to make me happy.
Infiniti has done nothing and the dealer I take the car to for service just goes by what Infiniti tells them and that is dahm little.
The key difference in the experience is that both Lexus and my dealerships did everything they could to make me happy.
Infiniti has done nothing and the dealer I take the car to for service just goes by what Infiniti tells them and that is dahm little.
Do you think that the lack of sales was the car itself, the Infiniti brand, or simply that nobody wanted to buy from a dealership that might not be around much longer? After all, once your owner sells it, the new owner could decide that he (or she) may want a different franchise (and vehicle-brand) instead.
After all, once your owner sells it, the new owner could decide that he (or she) may want a different franchise (and vehicle-brand) instead.
07-15-14, 07:29 PM
#60
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by Lex2InfiN
I think he meant they couldn't sell them because of the software issues and weren't allowed to sell them as per Infiniti orders until there was a fix.
I hadn't considered the software issues.
