Infiniti, first introduced during 1989 in the United States, has decided to rename its entire range of vehicles starting with the letter 'Q'. The luxury arm of Japanese auto giant will be giving this nomenclature for all vehicles being manufactured in 2014 and onwards. Confusion with other vehicles having similar names have prompted this strategy from Johan de Nysschen, President of Infinity Motor Company Limited.
One of the reasons for this new nomenclature is to stand out in the premium automotive sector. It will be started off when the next generation G-sedan by the company will be showcased at the 2013 Detroit Motor Show. This G-sedan will be known as the Q50, for the time being.
While speculating the reasons for this new stand, the media thought that Q may stand for quirky, quality, the queen or Q, the man who provides vehicles for James Bond. De Nysschen, when asked as to which of these was the inspiration behind the nomenclature, replied, “All of these”. Commenting on the logic behind the strategy, de Nysschen 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 emphasizing our performance credentials while harking back to our heritage with the Q45 – Infiniti’s first iconic flagship product in 1989.”
Proof of the need for familiarity can be seen by the fact that Infiniti's M model was regularly confused with the Nissan Maxima. The G-line variety also did not enjoy much popularity, while being linked to a huge variety of different numbers for different vehicles. Dealers often needed to install Japanese gardens and run television ads of Zenlike streams, to explain the significance of Infiniti. However, being launched at almost the same time as the Lexus division of Toyota, Infiniti distinguished itself in terms of Japanese aesthetics.
Sedans and coupes names will start with the letter Q, whereas SUVs and crossovers will have the prefix QX. The G Coupe and convertible will now be known as the Q60. The M models will be called Q70. In the SUV and crossover segment, EX would become QX50, JX will be referred to as the QX60, while the FX will soon be called QX70.The full-sized QX SUV will retain the letters QX, but it would be known as the QX80.
Similar parallels can also be drawn from other luxury brands, where BMW vehicles are known by the names 3 series, 5 series and 7 series. Traditional luxury car makers Lincoln and Cadillac have adopted letters instead of word names.
