Infiniti luxury brand coming to SA

Published Apr 13, 2012

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Are South Africans just too hooked on the big three German premium car brands or is there actually enough space for another alternative?

Nissan South Africa is soon to find out. Yes folks, the Japanese carmaker is bringing its Infinity luxury car brand to South Africa from June this year and they'll be going all out with a full range of sedans, coupes and crossovers.

Nissan SA's managing director Mike Whitfield is confident that Infiniti will be as successful here as it is abroad and also promises a very hospitable dealer experience through its 'Infiniti Centres' in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape.

Before we get too tangled up in the business aspect, let's take a quick look at the products we'll be getting:

Infiniti G Coupe & Cabriolet

The Infiniti G37 is a mid-sized rear-wheel drive range that fits between the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series in terms of size. Although a sedan is offered overseas, only the Coupe and Cabriolet will be offered locally.

Both cars are powered by a 3.7-litre V6 engine that's mated to a seven-speed automatic gearbox and puts out 235kW at 7000rpm and 360Nm at 5200rpm. According to Infiniti, the Coupe version will screech from 0-100km/h in just 5.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 250km/h.

Infiniti M

Infiniti's M sedan was purpose-designed to challenge the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class in the executive game.

That means it'll have to offer a rewarding drive and it certainly has the goods to do so with its rear-wheel drive, four-wheel Active Steering and near-perfect weight distribution.

While the South African engine line-up has yet to be confirmed, the European market gets to choose between the same 235kW V6 offered in the G37 and a 3-litre V6 diesel with 175kW and 550Nm on command. A hybrid option is available too, this one mating a 3.5-litre engine to an electric motor for a combined output of 268kW. All engines are mated to a seven speed automatic gearbox and the petrol model is said to run to 100km/h in 6.2 seconds.

Infiniti EX

This compact crossover sports a coupe-inspired design and is likely to take on BMW's X3.

It's powered by the G37's 235kW V6 engine but in line with its more versatile application, power is sent to all four wheels. Quite a sprinter by crossover standards, Infiniti claims a 6.4-second 0-100km/h run and 240km/h top speed.

Infiniti FX

The elaborately-styled FX will play the game in the large crossover market.

While we're not sure what engines will be offered locally, overseas markets have quite a wide choice, with a 290kW 5-litre V8 topping the bill.

Lower down the range, Infiniti also offers the aforementioned 175kW diesel and 235kW petrol V6 options.

Drive, of course, is through a permanent all-wheel drive system, via Infiniti's seven-speed automatic gearbox. Other highlights include Rear Active Steer and Continuous Damping Control.

THREE BRAND PILLARS

According to Mike Whitfield, the Infiniti brand delivers a combination of peace of mind, hospitality and driving pleasure.

He also speaks of unwavering commitment to customers: “we want our guests to feel comfortable and this is always presented in a luxurious and inviting environment.

“We believe that every customer should enjoy outstanding service throughout their ownership of an Infiniti and be able to count on knowledgeable people who are committed to ensuring their satisfaction.”

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