Infiniti – the brand that Nissan created specifically for the North American market – has achieved significant success after more than 20 years of development. With the right approach, this brand, along with its “endless road” symbol, is becoming increasingly popular worldwide.
Nissan officials came up with a strategy in 1986 to establish a luxury brand targeting consumers in the United States and Canada. In 1986, the project was approved and Nissan introduced its first “bullet” – the Q45. In 1987, the name “Infiniti” was officially chosen by transforming the word “infinity” to symbolize Infiniti’s commitment to meeting the unlimited needs of consumers.
Infiniti with the “endless road” symbol
Based on that concept, Nissan hired the company Lippincott Mercer to design the first Infiniti logo in 1989. Some people believe that the two intersecting lines at the center of the ellipse represent a straight road to infinity. Others imagine the logo as two hands clasped together in the martial arts pose, symbolizing strength, courage, and determination always directed forward.
Infiniti brand officially appeared in 1989. Specifically, on December 8, 1989, after a year of research and project development, all 51 Infiniti dealerships in the United States and 12 dealerships in Canada simultaneously opened their doors to introduce the Q45 sedan and M30 coupe luxury models specifically designed for the North American market. One year later, the two models officially reached customers.
Q45 – the first sedan model of Infiniti
The purpose of this brand was to create and sell unique cars in the American market, no longer hiding under the image of Nissan. Initially, the sales of this brand were very poor, with many reasons, but the main reason was the poor advertising campaigns of Infiniti at that time. The company’s first advertising campaign focused on promoting the brand through Japanese Buddhist-themed landmarks and nature. However, these ads did not show the actual cars, and many believed that this neglect was not beneficial to the company, while the company expected customers to realize that they wanted to buy the company’s cars.
Many Infiniti models are symbols of luxury and uniqueness
It wasn’t easy for Infiniti to rise above the “battlefield” like the American market, as at the time of its inception, the parent company, Oldsmobile, was on the verge of closure. Infiniti initially produced two models, the Q45 and the G20 sports sedan. It was followed by models like the J30 with its round body or the compact and short M30, and the I30. Even more unusual was the midsize sports utility vehicle QX4, based on the Nissan Pathfinder, which strongly boosted Infiniti’s sales.
Success came to Infiniti over the years. Just one year after its launch, the Q45 made it onto the list of the best cars, as voted by Road&Track. The Q45 found its market (although it was outsold by the Lexus, a rival brand). Its V8 engine with 278 horsepower was the leader of the time. In addition, the Q45 applied the “cutting-edge” technology, becoming the first car equipped with an automatic damping system.
The QX56 model is also a success of Infiniti
In 1991, the famous market research company J.D.Power chose Infiniti as the brand that most satisfied customers. Infiniti’s sales increased steadily throughout the 90s. However, by the end of the decade, the brand was no longer as popular as Lexus and Acura. At the beginning of the 2000s, Infiniti made determined efforts to focus and upgrade its products. The company’s aim was to create uniquely styled and high-quality models. The redesigned Q45 was created for that purpose. Based on the FM prototype, both the sedan and coupe versions quickly achieved success. Not long after that, the FX35/FX45 model, a type of SUV, was introduced. This model focused on style, combining the advantages of sports cars with the conveniences of wagons.
Today, Infiniti continues to compete with other well-known brands such as BMW, Audi, and Lexus in terms of popularity and recognition.
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