Infiniti to de-Americanize lineup, give smaller & more efficient models

Infiniti recently revealed its plans to ‘de-Americanize’ the company’s product lineup.

Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen said in an interview that the company’s strong U.S.-centric focus has driven product strategy, and for Infiniti to be positioned as a strong contender in the premium market, they really need to break the mold of that very strong focus which means that they now want to focus on other markets as well.

In fact he emphasized that America’s love affair with powerful engines has went on to hamper European sales as most entry-level models come fitted with a 3.7-liter V6 petrol engine that produces 328 hp (244 kW). In order to get this problem corrected, Infiniti will rely on Mercedes-Benz to provide smaller and more fuel-efficient engines like the 2.2-liter four-cylinder diesel that would produce 170 HP (125 kW) and 400 Nm (295 lb-ft) of torque in the Euro-spec Q50.

In spite of focus shifting to smaller engines, Infiniti wants to build larger models like a flagship four-door coupe which could be called the Q80. Interestingly, Nissan Executive Vice President Andy Palmer also suggested that the Emerg-e isn’t over yet as he hinted they had done those concepts for a reason and a future sports car does have a strong relationship with a motor and a battery.