Infiniti Concepts presented at the 2024 Toronto Auto Show | Car news

• Toronto Auto Show 2024: What do Infiniti concepts teach us?

Toronto, Ontario – In recent months, Infiniti has presented two concepts worldwide, the QX Monograph SUV, at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August 2023, as well as the Vision Q electric sedan, this time in Tokyo, in November.

These two models were in Toronto and were the stars of the booth hosted by Infiniti.

Since last summer, everything has been said about these cars – including from us:

See: Infiniti Unveils QX Monograph Concept

Watch: Toronto 2024: Infiniti Vision Qe Concept to debut at Auto Show

In Toronto, at the invitation of Infiniti, we went to see this creation more closely, but above all, to meet Alfonso Albaisa, head of design within the Nissan/Infiniti group.

By talking to him, and analyzing the essence of his speeches, it gave us a perspective on what these two cars represent. Other discussions with some managers also allowed us to have an updated picture of the company’s goals, while the change in electricity is visible throughout the industry, despite a slight decrease in recent months on the global planet.

d’Infiniti Vision Qe Concept | Photo : D. Rufiange

Context
With all due respect to the luxury brand Nissan, it must be admitted that some doubts exist in all environments (media and customer side), when it comes to the brand, and its future.

But how did we get there? Not so long ago, Infiniti made many people dream.

Since its launch in 1989, when Infiniti sold 1,072 vehicles in the United States, the division continued impressively until 2012. There were ups and downs during this period, but in short, we saw growth, as evidenced by the following statistics: 50,000 sales per year the first in 1993, the milestone of 70,000 in 2003, then the dedication in 2005 with a total of 207,129 transactions.

Infiniti QX Monograph Concept Unveiled | Photo: D. Rufiange

It stayed strong after that. In addition to a drop of 128,000 vehicles during the 2009 crisis, we added more than 200,000 units in the following three years, with a record 235,788 sales in 2012.

Infiniti then had the wind in its sails and the variety that seduced them; G37 and M56 sedans, FX45 and EX35 SUVs are, in short, easily recognizable models that carry a strong identity.

In 2014, the company changed the naming structure of its models which all adopted the letter Q (QX for SUVs). In the United States, sales increased from 183,228 units in 2013 to 133,498 in 2014 (remaining more stable in Canada). They sent themselves later (153,000 in 2017), but we were 117,708 before the epidemic (2019) while since 2020, it has been a free fall; 79,503, 58,555 and 46,616 from 2019 to 2022. An optimistic outlook in 2023 with a return of 40%, to 65,316 units, mainly due to the update of the QX60 in 2022.

The all-new Infiniti QX Monograph Concept | Photo: D. Rufiange

And that brings us to the heart of the matter. Most Infiniti models take time to update. The Q50 sedan has been unchanged since 2014. The current QX50 SUV debuted in January 2018. The QX80 on sale now was designed for 2011, with a major facelift in 2017.

In such a competitive world, it is difficult to stay on top without constant updates.

The problem is not the quality of the product, which should be emphasized, but the speed at which things move.

Infiniti QX Monograph gray | Photo : D. Rufiange

Announcements and delays
The second thing that has damaged public confidence a little is the unfulfilled promises.

For example, in January 2018, the company announced that starting in 2021, it will release its first electric model. It also announced that all its new cars will be electrified (partially or fully) and that from 2025 (that’s coming soon), 50% of its global sales would be made up of electrified products in one way or another.

We are still waiting for the first one.

Also, at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show, it unveiled the Q Inspiration concept (petrol engine), a car with ultra-high-end lines that hinted at good things for the future of the brand in terms of design.

Plans changed as the strategy within the company was adjusted. Then disaster struck and disrupted everyone’s plans.

The idea is not to throw stones at Infiniti here, on the contrary, but to put things in context so that we understand the ins and outs.

And that brings us to the two concepts that stand out in Toronto, because if there’s one thing brands don’t do, it’s give up. His plans have changed and changed, but they are still very much there.

The Infiniti QX Monograph was unveiled at the Toronto auto show | Photo: D. Rufiange

The concept of the QX Monograph

What Infiniti needs most right now is a new model. It comes with the new QX80, which is shown here in a concept model, but 95% closer to reality. We should see this car in production version by the end of this year.

And this is where it gets interesting, because the signature that the concept produces will be for the next models of the brand. And we can see, the lines are very modern and refined. Will this be enough to revive the business? It will be something to see, but not for the QX80 that will happen, but for the new QX50, for example, or other new products that offer this kind of eye-catching design.

Alfonso Albaisa was very proud to present his creation to us which shows, among other things, the “signature” grille that we will see again, as well as a new three-dimensional logo with a very successful effect. The details on this car are interesting, like the purple flares that you can see through the rim design, depending on where you look at them. And when we talk about modernity, a simple light signature is used to convince, with the headlights moving down to the bumper, while at the height of the hood, we find daytime running lights that represent piano keys.

It will be interesting to see how much is saved (and what is released) by the production version.

Infiniti Vision Qe Concept at Toronto Auto Show | Photo: D. Rufiange

Le concept Vision Qe

Regarding the Vision Q concept, it is obvious, we are in front of a style study that will inspire the style of the brand’s future cars. When creating this prototype, Alfonso Albaisa challenged his team to stick to a continuous symbol (pencil) when creating the profile, adding only the important elements later.

That’s why it feels like this car is ready to rip through the air.

When asked if his lines represent the type of product we will be able to look at in the next decade, Alfonso Albaisa told us: “We are not looking too far ahead, even if the car looks futuristic. What we include in the design are things that can be achieved in the short term with future models, in a maximum of three, four or five years. »

Infiniti Vision Qe, black | Photo: D. Rufiange

And it is filled with the brain of a designer who agrees to always think about design, whether at breakfast, during daily activities, when sleeping at night, etc. The imagination of a fashion designer can be compared to that of a musician whose brain is full of details and arrangements for his next pieces.

“The process is constant and we allow ourselves to be inspired by everything that surrounds us, such as natural objects, everyday life, etc. », adds the designer.

What it gives us is a sedan with lines that do not go unnoticed. How much will they influence the models they draw inspiration from? Of course we’ll have to be patient to find out, but it’s hopeful, at least.

And it also shows that Infiniti has not abandoned the car segment in the electric age. And as one executive told us about the revision of plans regarding electrification, when the company will release its first model, it will be at the edge of technology and in front of its rivals, which may not be the case with the previous projects that the company was relying on.

As if postponing projects could ultimately be beneficial for Infiniti. This is a way of seeing the glass half full.

New model of Infiniti Vision Qe | Photo: D. Rufiange

All we can hope for Infiniti is that this time, it’s right. May what it presented last year and that we could see in Toronto be translated into something real, in a new series that will attract fans.

Sometimes we can be critical of one brand or another, that’s our job, but ultimately, we want the success of each of them. At the end of the day, there are tons of jobs behind all of this and the more choices a consumer has, the more they benefit.

The future looks bright for Infiniti, but things will have to move quickly.

Infiniti, logo | Photo : D. Rufiange