Nissan launched Infiniti back in 1989. This was the same year Lexus and Acura burst onto the scene, so it was a full-on luxury automaker throwdown. Japan was basically saying, “We can make fancy cars, too, America!” And they were absolutely right.
The first car was the Infiniti Q45, a big, bold sedan that looked like a stealth fighter had a baby with a living room. It was powerful, but it didn’t scream “rich guy” like some German cars did. Instead, it whispered, “I have great taste and I don’t need to prove it.”
The Name Game: What’s in a Letter?
Here’s where it gets a little silly. Infiniti has a weird love affair with letters and numbers. Their sedans are Q50, Q70, and their SUVs are QX50, QX80. It’s like a secret code, but once you crack it, you feel like a genius. The “Q” stands for “performance,” and the “X” means it’s an SUV. Simple, right?
They used to have names like “G35” and “M45,” which were cooler but confused everyone. So they streamlined it. Now, if you see an Infiniti, just nod knowingly and say, “Ah, the QX80. Nice choice.” You’ll sound like an expert. I do it all the time, and nobody has called my bluff yet.
