NISSAN is preparing to re-float its premium Infiniti brand in Australia after it sank without trace just short of 20 years ago.
When the brand first appeared here in 1991, the Soviet Union was still in one piece, MC Hammer was cool and the internet was only just becoming public.
A lot has changed and Nissan is hoping its Infiniti experience will be different this time.
Infiniti is now in a much stronger position globally and especially in the US, where it has grown steadily after a slow start in 1989 along with Honda's premium Acura brand. Neither could catch Toyota's luxury division, Lexus.
Nissan started to roll out Infiniti to Europe and Asia from 2008, sensing the incremental volume and fat profits that come with shifting premium products. To tackle the British market, Infiniti realised it would need to make its cars in right-hand drive and that, in turn, made it possible for Nissan Australia to consider giving the brand another go.
It will relaunch with three models, which should all be relatively affordable compared with the single version of Infiniti launched back in the 1990s.
That car was the Q45, a big sedan built to rival the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and the just introduced Lexus LS400.
The car itself was rated highly thanks to its high-performance V8 engine, refined cabin and comfortable ride. It undercut its rivals on price but the V8 was still $140,610, a hefty amount of money to shell out for a car with no brand heritage or proven resale value.
The car was doing better in the US and subsequently Nissan signed off on other more affordable models that aimed to widen the appeal of the Infiniti range. They weren't made available for Australia and the local division wound up after just two years.
It was one of the shortest attempts to establish a premium brand in Australia, beaten only by GM Holden's operation to bring Cadillac here in early 2009 that was killed off after the first batch of vehicles had arrived but before they went to dealers.
Infiniti will relaunch here with the G coupe and convertible, the M large sedan and FX mid-sized SUV, with the promise of a new small car to take on the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 sometime soon.
All three of its launch models are based on the FM platform that has already spawned the Nissan 370Z sportscar.
The FX is a dramatically styled SUV that looks half sportscar and half all-terrain wagon, much like the segment bending BMW X6. It is all-wheel drive, but has big wheels with low-profile tyres and is designed to live out most of its days in the city.
It is perfectly suited to the US market with a 5.0-litre V8 under the bonnet producing 290kW, while customers can also choose from a less thirsty 3.5-litre V6 with 226kW.
The M sedan is Nissan's competitor for the BMW 5 Series and has a wide range of powerplant options including a V6 hybrid that has just been released in the US. It is not clear which M engines will be available in Australia, but there is a 313kW 5.6-litre V8, a 246kW 3.7-litre V6 and a 3.0-litre 176kW turbo diesel V6 to choose from.
It is a rear-drive vehicle, but an all-wheel drive system is optional. The M cars come loaded with the kind of gear you expect at this end of the market including a system that pushes you back into your lane should you drift out, adaptive cruise control and a blind spot warning feature.
The G coupe, called the G37, is based on the 370Z and is essentially a more elegant and civilised version of that car, with two extra seats and an emphasis on refinement. It has a striking design, which has encouraged some Australians to have the car privately imported from Japan.
Nissan will take the coupe and a convertible version of the G37.
Both vehicles run the same engine as the 370Z, a 3.7-litre V6 generating 246kW which is linked to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
This writer was able to sample a G37 coupe in Los Angeles last month and can report it is an enjoyable drive.
The best way to describe it is as a grown-up 370Z. Those two extra seats are only good for small people or regular-sized folk taking a short trip, as my head touched the roof-lining, but they will still come in handy.
The Zed's rawness has been soothed with the engine quietened somewhat and much of the tyre roar and road noise stifled.
Surprisingly for a car developed with the US in mind, the G37 seems to handle quite sharply thanks to the optional 19-inch wheels and sports suspension fitted to the test car.
The interior is loaded with leather, metal trim sections and plastic surfaces that combine to give the G37 a more distinguished appearance inside than the 370Z.
If the G37 is anything to go by, product will not be an issue for Infiniti. What is crucial is the dealer network. Especially in the early days, Lexus made an impression with stand-alone dealers who went beyond the call of duty to make their customers feel special.
Nissan Australia hasn't announced its Infiniti dealer plan yet but must know the customer experience also has to be premium if Infiniti is to stay afloat this time.
When the brand first appeared here in 1991, the Soviet Union was still in one piece, MC Hammer was cool and the internet was only just becoming public.
A lot has changed and Nissan is hoping its Infiniti experience will be different this time.
Infiniti is now in a much stronger position globally and especially in the US, where it has grown steadily after a slow start in 1989 along with Honda's premium Acura brand. Neither could catch Toyota's luxury division, Lexus.
Nissan started to roll out Infiniti to Europe and Asia from 2008, sensing the incremental volume and fat profits that come with shifting premium products. To tackle the British market, Infiniti realised it would need to make its cars in right-hand drive and that, in turn, made it possible for Nissan Australia to consider giving the brand another go.
It will relaunch with three models, which should all be relatively affordable compared with the single version of Infiniti launched back in the 1990s.
That car was the Q45, a big sedan built to rival the Mercedes-Benz S-Class, BMW 7 Series and the just introduced Lexus LS400.
The car itself was rated highly thanks to its high-performance V8 engine, refined cabin and comfortable ride. It undercut its rivals on price but the V8 was still $140,610, a hefty amount of money to shell out for a car with no brand heritage or proven resale value.
The car was doing better in the US and subsequently Nissan signed off on other more affordable models that aimed to widen the appeal of the Infiniti range. They weren't made available for Australia and the local division wound up after just two years.
It was one of the shortest attempts to establish a premium brand in Australia, beaten only by GM Holden's operation to bring Cadillac here in early 2009 that was killed off after the first batch of vehicles had arrived but before they went to dealers.
Infiniti will relaunch here with the G coupe and convertible, the M large sedan and FX mid-sized SUV, with the promise of a new small car to take on the BMW 1 Series and Audi A3 sometime soon.
All three of its launch models are based on the FM platform that has already spawned the Nissan 370Z sportscar.
The FX is a dramatically styled SUV that looks half sportscar and half all-terrain wagon, much like the segment bending BMW X6. It is all-wheel drive, but has big wheels with low-profile tyres and is designed to live out most of its days in the city.
It is perfectly suited to the US market with a 5.0-litre V8 under the bonnet producing 290kW, while customers can also choose from a less thirsty 3.5-litre V6 with 226kW.
The M sedan is Nissan's competitor for the BMW 5 Series and has a wide range of powerplant options including a V6 hybrid that has just been released in the US. It is not clear which M engines will be available in Australia, but there is a 313kW 5.6-litre V8, a 246kW 3.7-litre V6 and a 3.0-litre 176kW turbo diesel V6 to choose from.
It is a rear-drive vehicle, but an all-wheel drive system is optional. The M cars come loaded with the kind of gear you expect at this end of the market including a system that pushes you back into your lane should you drift out, adaptive cruise control and a blind spot warning feature.
The G coupe, called the G37, is based on the 370Z and is essentially a more elegant and civilised version of that car, with two extra seats and an emphasis on refinement. It has a striking design, which has encouraged some Australians to have the car privately imported from Japan.
Nissan will take the coupe and a convertible version of the G37.
Both vehicles run the same engine as the 370Z, a 3.7-litre V6 generating 246kW which is linked to a seven-speed automatic transmission.
This writer was able to sample a G37 coupe in Los Angeles last month and can report it is an enjoyable drive.
The best way to describe it is as a grown-up 370Z. Those two extra seats are only good for small people or regular-sized folk taking a short trip, as my head touched the roof-lining, but they will still come in handy.
Surprisingly for a car developed with the US in mind, the G37 seems to handle quite sharply thanks to the optional 19-inch wheels and sports suspension fitted to the test car.
The interior is loaded with leather, metal trim sections and plastic surfaces that combine to give the G37 a more distinguished appearance inside than the 370Z.
If the G37 is anything to go by, product will not be an issue for Infiniti. What is crucial is the dealer network. Especially in the early days, Lexus made an impression with stand-alone dealers who went beyond the call of duty to make their customers feel special.
Nissan Australia hasn't announced its Infiniti dealer plan yet but must know the customer experience also has to be premium if Infiniti is to stay afloat this time.
