And now the QX60 and the latest offering from a young brand that is growing like bamboo. A ‘crossover’To the un-initiated – that would be non Petrol Heads – the Infiniti range of um…er… Nissans (hush my mouth now!) are a bit of a curiosity. Well cake and biscuit journalists (as such and using the term very loosely and who are supposed to feel the vibes), should be getting the impression; ‘What’s it all about Alfie’? For a start, ‘Infiniti’ is a luxury brand at that and dare anyone suggest
that it is blood related to um…er… ugh.. that very popular and respected Japanese car company whose name we just can’t mention any more when anywhere near an Infiniti. The Petrol Heads are now cringing at such blasphemy towards this giant of poshness which is obviously aimed dead-centre bull’s eye at the ‘Lexus’… (Don’t dare mention the word Toyota when near a Lexus either).
It might come as a surprise to some to know that unlike its opposition, Infiniti seems to be becoming an industry on its own, with nothing short of mini factories sprouting up all over the world (ok… where they can afford it like…um Saudi Arabia and Dubai say), with dedicated teams speaking of and selling only Infiniti out of warehouses and glitzy unique showrooms without as much as allowing an old personal picture stuffed in an employee’s wallet of days gone by showing another car. Who said they search employees on the way in and out? Having said that, the Infiniti bouquet, car for car, is priced well below other non-Japanese competitors.
Whodoeswhat.tv can only go by visual attributes, since disappointingly so, we don’t as yet test the cars and indeed don’t have the time, nor have unbiased Petrol Head associates to carry such activities out. Not that we are not invited to do so. We have an open invitation from all the good people whose launches we attend and would love to, but someone has to film it, someone has to edit it and someone has to write it up and the likes of say Nissan (oops) or Toyota only provide the opportunity. It would sort of be morally wrong to finance a review because there would be the obvious newspaper or magazine self censorship to keep their advertisers happy. No names mentioned. What do you mean journalistic integrity and impartiality? Crawl out from under your rock.
No seriously, the Infiniti QX60 looks good by comparison to the smaller QX50 we highlighted a few weeks ago. It has quite a bit of room inside for a squat and this is very pleasantly surprising. Again, the shape and design is personal and one might assume a desperate attempt to be different and might not be everyone’s choice. Under the hood though, by reputation alone, these are good cars with very little missing.
What we are trying to say here is that the Infiniti range doesn’t look remotely Korean, Chinese or indeed European. If anything there is a tiny bit of Volvo XC90 n the QX60 but you have to be smoking something to imagine it. It is respectable, it is quality and it is damn popular but to a very niche market and the attraction is more psychology and buyers are ‘infinitely’ less ignorant and one assume better mannered than the highly arrogant, intimidating, shove other drivers off the road Lexus drivers. FACT!!!!!!!! There is nothing wrong with Lexus at all, but we think there is something embedded in the leather which changes personalities across the Middle East. So many drivers become pigs on the road, intimidating others to the extent that it is often like ‘Transformers‘ with these SUVs bearing down on you on highways at very high speeds. Yes, it was an arrogant ill mannered, unsophisticated Lexus driver who was caught on film beating an Indian in Dubai after a small altercation. Yet surprise surprise, the totally innocent and gentlemanly Indian victim went to jail while the Lexus owner (government employee) went on to intimate other road users with impunity. No accounting for that Mr. Wasta. If your first time in Bahrain, on arrival from the airport to your place of residence, you WILL be bullied by a Lexus driver on the way. We’ve yet to noticeably witness that with an Infinity driver, but it might happen who knows?
So back to Infiniti, yes it is a car and a very well put together jobby at that. It IS deceptive to look at as it does appear to the naked eye to be small when it is anything but. This is obviously due to the curve design and as mentioned squat look that is so evident compared to again, the high riding, sometimes awkward looking, but nonetheless brilliant crossovers and SUVs offered by the enemy. The larger (enormous in fact), QX56 does look a lot bigger but small at the same time, more like its obvious competitors but again that is so deceptive and one must assume designed within the design.
Now then, back to Nissan? Who knows what the actual difference is between a high-end Infiniti and say a big, full featured Nissan Patrol which costs and arm and a leg. Looks probably!