Those of us just getting used to the alphanumeric alphabet soup that is the current Infiniti range nomenclatures will soon find ourselves further bamboozled by the Japanese luxury carmaker’s recent decision to overhaul its naming system.
The move will see 2014 model year vehicles divided up into Q and QX prefixes as a nostalgic nod the firm’s early Q45 model and with the aim of bettering consumer familiarity with its products.
We’re not so sure…while the division of the models into two Q-based lines may seem straightforward; it’s the slew of potentially confusing numeric designations that could prove tricky.
The Q prefix will be applied to saloons, coupés and convertibles, while QX will denote crossovers and SUVs. Within each stable a numeric designation will follow the prefix to determine whereabouts the model sits within the range hierarchy.
Internationally, the G saloon and range-topping QX full-size SUV will change to Q50 and QX80, respectively. Still with us? OK, here’s where it begins to get tricky – both G Coupé and Cabriolet models will wear the Q60 moniker while the M sedan becomes the Q70. The FX will soon wear a QX70 badge and the EX becomes the QX50, which sits below the QX60 that used to be the range-topping JX crossover in certain markets.
The first model to which this new naming scheme will be applied will be the Q50; a compact sports saloon that will slot into the range below the G models…I mean Q60…when it’s unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in January 2013.
