And just like that, it’s almost two years since Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand, called it quits in Europe, faced with infeasible costs for securing continued regulatory compliance in a market on which it had never truly left its mark.
It wasn’t the first brand to shuffle quietly away from Europe to seek its fortune in the US or Asia – and with Mitsubishi teetering on the brink of a similar fate, it looks certain not to be the last. It’s a shame, in any case, because it was one of very few brands that might be considered by a prospective buyer in the premium segment who was determined to own something that didn’t hail from Stuttgart, Munich or Ingolstadt.
We’ll take the QX70 (née FX) as an example. Here was a not-unattractive compact SUV in the vein of the Porsche Cayenne, which may have fallen short of its competitors in terms of space, frugality and drivability but surely deserves a look-in for at least attempting to stand out.
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We always saw the 3.0-litre V6 diesel engine as the pick of the bunch when it came to engine options, which is why we’ve sought out an oil-burner over the thirstier 3.7-litre petrol or the eyebrow-raising 5.0-litre V8. That leaves us with only 235bhp to play with, compared with 315bhp or 384bhp, but we will sacrifice a bit of grunt for the welcome boost in economy, and the 406lb ft of torque is plenty sufficient for overtaking.
The near-£20,000 asking price is steep for a used car with a relatively unknown badge on its grille but, being an ex-demonstrator, it’s specified to the nines with the desirable Bose sound system, intelligent cruise control, electric glass sunroof and 14-way-adjustable seats all present and correct.
You will also note it rides on jazzy 21in wheels, which will earn their fair share of admiring glances, no doubt, but could secure you a spot on your chiropractor’s Christmas card list.
One bonus of Infiniti’s absence from the British market – and its relative obscurity even when it was here – is that residual values for its models are among the strongest in their respective segments, so the depreciation hit is likely to be minimal for the next couple of years. There’s no need to worry about aftersales support, either, because many Nissan centres have stepped up to support owners of Infiniti cars for the foreseeable future.
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I dont think any one in the premium sector took The Infiniti seriously Felix, thats why it didnt so much wither and die...more stillborn!
I dont know a single Premium SUV owner who has bought one, or even (probably) knew of its existance, it just never reached their radar.
Ill proportioned with a weird long nose, (similar to the equally ignored Maserati Levante), bland looks and a tiny boot, I am not surprised they make a good secondhand buy..... although I wouldnt value this example at any more than £10k.
Still, Old Jake seems to like his - hope he bought it secondhand!
I think Autocar, if you are going to run these articles on used cars, you should add caveates to purchase..... the first gen Discoverey are usually rotten as a pear, particularly the rear chassis ( the front is usually coated in oil - so survives), and the rear floor pan. A mint 3 door first gen is a collectable classic now fetching far more that £5k. At that price level beware!
As the owner of one of the "eyebrow-raising" 5.0; V8 Infinitis (an FX50), I can honestly say that it's one of the best cars I've driven. Out of the 32 cars I've owned in 35 years of driving, this is the only one that makes me cry at the thought of having to give it up. The only one where I haven't started planning my next car after a month or 2 of ownership. Leave it to do the work and the acceleration is "Wow!". Stick it in sport mode and use the paddles and it's "I think I just wet myself". By some standards, 5.8s to 60 isn't stunningly quick but it's not bad for a big ol' SUV and holds its own against or outguns a lot of mainstream performance cars - often to their surprise when they tailgate you and you floor it when the car in front of you moves over. I've done a trip round Yorshire and another round the Highlands. Chucking it round small roads is a breeze. Sure footed and flat. It eats motorway miles and is incredibly comfortable.
Cons: