Infiniti Changes Naming Scheme For Entire Line-up
In a puzzling move that was described as an effort to 'symbolize new brand direction,' Infiniti announced yesterday that it would be changing the naming scheme for each and every one of its automobiles. Gone are the G sedan, the M sedan, and the FX crossovers, and in their place are two new sets of appellations: Q and QX. Yes, that's right: every single non-SUV in the Infiniti line-up will be named Q, and every crossover will be dubbed the QX. Individual models will be identified by a number starting at 50 and moving all the way up to 80, and the change applies to all 2014 Infinitis and beyond.
This means that anyone who purchased a 2013 Infiniti JX is now in possession of something of a collector's item, as it will be the only model year for that particular vehicle. In 2014, it will be advertised as the QX60, slotting in just above the former EX (now QX50) and below the crossover-previously-known-as-FX (soon-to-be the QX70). The 2013 Infiniti QX - the only current SUV that already sort-of fits in with the brand's future naming scheme - will shift to being called the QX80.
On the non-crossover side, Infiniti has promised a new Q50 four-door that will take the form of a redesigned G sedan when it is unveiled next month in Detroit at the North American International Auto Show. The G coupe and convertible become the Q60, while the 2014 M sedan will be called the Q70.
The most pertinent question about this particular re-branding move has to be 'why?' To be fair, it's not as though the alphabet soup of model designations used by Infiniti up to this point was particularly evocative, but there was genuine equity in almost every one of those names with the luxury car buying public. Infiniti claims that the Q appellation harkens back to the original Q45 that was the first vehicle introduced by the brand to North America in 1989, but to apply it so liberally across the entire line-up risks losing the personality of the vehicles involved. In fact, it closely mimics the naming scheme already used by Volvo, which adopted S, V, and XC monikers for its sedans, wagons, and crossovers, respectively - a strategy that had little effect on how the automaker was perceived by the public.
