8:58 am, December 19, 2012
LUXURY brand Infiniti is changing the way it badges its range.From 2014, Infiniti will ditch its Ms, Gs, FXs and EXs and instead opt for a hierarchical structure. The badge “Q” will be used on saloons and convertibles while “QX” will be set aside for the firm’s SUV models.
According to Autocar, the M saloon will be known as the Q70; the G series coupe and convertible will be badged Q60. Meanwhile the all-new G saloon won’t get the letter G on its bootlid – instead “Q50” will be stuck on. EX and FX SUVs will change to QX50 and QX70.
Infiniti says the reason behind the change is to keep the brand in-keeping with its heritage. It was in 1989 when the first Infiniti was launched and that was called the Q45.
Commenting on the news, Johan de Nysschen, president of Infiniti, said: “Over the past few months, we have talked at length with our retailers, our customers, and our business partners about our brand. The need for a new identity and direction to promote consumer familiarity with our model range as we expand the portfolio became evident.
‘To achieve this, we clearly needed a simple and consistent nomenclature framework. After exhaustive research and evaluation, we concluded that “Q” captured the inspiration within the next generation of Infiniti models, as well as emphasising our performance credentials while harking back to our heritage with the Q45.’
The first car to wear the new naming strategy will be a new sports saloon which will get its public debut at the Detroit Motor Show next month.
