Last week, Auto123.com talked with Larry Dominique, Nissan North America’s vice president of product planning (Canada, US, Mexico) about Infiniti’s future, and we learned some surprising things.
First up, he said that an entry-level model could not be ignored and that Nissan knows full well that this type of vehicle, which creates a link between the consumer and the automaker, is very profitable due to its high sales capacity.
Which means the Lexus CT200h and BMW 1 Series will have a new rival to contend with within a few years. Mr Dominique didn’t go into further detail about the nature of the model or its launch date, but we’re likely looking at a sedan.
Nissan’s third in command also confirmed that an Infiniti electric vehicle is also in the works, but again, he didn’t care to elaborate further.
The experience and expertise gained from the LEAF will obviously be put to good use. Will we see a more luxurious iteration of the LEAF or will this EV feature a modified powertrain that can be used on other platforms? Or will the aforementioned entry-level model actually be electric?
Of course, we probably won’t get any answers in the near future, but one thing is certain: Infiniti has a few tricks up its sleeve.
The next launch scheduled is for the JX crossover, which should be hitting dealerships in the spring of 2012.
First up, he said that an entry-level model could not be ignored and that Nissan knows full well that this type of vehicle, which creates a link between the consumer and the automaker, is very profitable due to its high sales capacity.
Which means the Lexus CT200h and BMW 1 Series will have a new rival to contend with within a few years. Mr Dominique didn’t go into further detail about the nature of the model or its launch date, but we’re likely looking at a sedan.
Nissan’s third in command also confirmed that an Infiniti electric vehicle is also in the works, but again, he didn’t care to elaborate further.
The experience and expertise gained from the LEAF will obviously be put to good use. Will we see a more luxurious iteration of the LEAF or will this EV feature a modified powertrain that can be used on other platforms? Or will the aforementioned entry-level model actually be electric?
Of course, we probably won’t get any answers in the near future, but one thing is certain: Infiniti has a few tricks up its sleeve.
The next launch scheduled is for the JX crossover, which should be hitting dealerships in the spring of 2012.