Infiniti's goofy new naming scheme

[SVT666]

MB's is still annoying in that the numbering no longer corresponds to anything except "larger number than" = "costs more than". It used to mean engine displacement, and for some reason that was a cool metric for a car to wear on its sleeve. "SL600 means six liters, waawaaweewahh, that is a big V12!!"

I wasn't aware of that.  I thought M-B's nomenclature still meant engine displacement.  Well, they suck too then.

[MrH]

Based purely on my own observation, the G Series appears to be the only Infiniti that sells in any significant number.  I would assume the name "Infiniti G" has at least some brand equity in it.  So now their going to throw that equity away and use a numbering system that seems deliberately designed to confuse any and all potential customers?

May as well add Infiniti to the Deathwatch list, next to Acura and Mitsubishi.

  Acura sells more cars than Audi.  They're number 4 in the luxury car brand when it comes to sales.

[CALL_911]

  Acura sells more cars than Audi.  They're number 4 in the luxury car brand when it comes to sales.

Seriously? I wouldn't have expected that, TBH.

[Payman]

  Acura sells more cars than Audi.  They're number 4 in the luxury car brand when it comes to sales.

Acura is alive because of its SUV's/crossovers. It's practically dead when it comes to cars.

[sportyaccordy]

Acura is alive because of its SUV's/crossovers. It's practically dead when it comes to cars.

Naw the TSX + TL outsold all of Audi's cars in 2011

Audi is not that popular in the US

[MX793]

  Acura sells more cars than Audi.  They're number 4 in the luxury car brand when it comes to sales.

Not in global sales.

[Madman]

  Acura sells more cars than Audi.  They're number 4 in the luxury car brand when it comes to sales.

Really?  You wouldn't know it from looking around where I live.  All the ones I see are at least four to five years old.

[TurboDan]

Audi is not that popular in the US

I could throw a rock from my bedroom window and have a decent chance of hitting about 3-4 neigbors' Audis. 

[Laconian]

None of the Japanese luxury marques sell well outside of NA and Japan.

[TurboDan]

At the end of the day, this Infiniti nomenclature change WILL hurt the brand. We know a 3er is different than a 5er and a 7er. We know a C-Class is different than an E-Class. The problem with Infiniti's new system is that nobody will know which car is the one they might want to buy. Every car starts with the same letter and has a random number after it. No one will be able to reference which one they are talking about, desiring to buy, etc. Brand recognition will go way down. It will sound as if the company just makes one car with 10 versions of it.

Lincoln is equally disastrous. If you threw out a random Lincoln vehicle name, I couldn't tell you in a billion years if it's a car or an SUV at this point. They all sound exactly the same. A jumble of letters, usually with an M or K thrown in.

Bad job by Nissan.

[sportyaccordy]

Autoblopnik's got a letter from Infiniti president about the name change. Fucking brilliant

http://autoblopnik.com/2012/12/19/de-nysschens-message-to-infiniti-fans-the-first-draft/

[hotrodalex]

MB's is still annoying in that the numbering no longer corresponds to anything except "larger number than" = "costs more than". It used to mean engine displacement, and for some reason that was a cool metric for a car to wear on its sleeve. "SL600 means six liters, waawaaweewahh, that is a big V12!!"

Turbo/superchargers and engine downsizing kinda ruined naming based on displacement. BMW has multiple 3 series with the same size engine but different HP ratings and no company wants to go from 335i or E63 back down to 330i and E55.

[Laconian]

Maybe they should do what Microsoft did and name it after years.

BMW Sports Sedan '95. BMW Sports Sedan 2000. BMW Sports Sedan Vista. Errr, wait.

[Morris Minor]

Acura & Infiniti need to give up the "Looks-only-a-mother-could-love" thing.

[Laconian]

I agree that the Infiniti SUVs look like whales, but I think the cars look great. Even after considering that I might be a teeny bit biased.

[sportyaccordy]

Yea the current G is still slamming design wise, next one's gonna take on the gangsta walrus design language of the rest of the lineup

[SVT666]

Fuck I hope not.  The current G is the best looking entry-lux on the market...though,  like Laconian,  I am a bit biased.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Autoblopnik's got a letter from Infiniti president about the name change. Fucking brilliant

http://autoblopnik.com/2012/12/19/de-nysschens-message-to-infiniti-fans-the-first-draft/

Hah that's really cool

[MexicoCityM3]

If moronic naming strategies could destroy an automaker, BMW would be on the brink by now. But it isn't.

Having said that, this Infiniti one seems to go even further.

[2o6]

  Acura sells more cars than Audi.  They're number 4 in the luxury car brand when it comes to sales.

If anything should be on a deathwatch, it's our beloved PSA.

[MX793]

If moronic naming strategies could destroy an automaker, BMW would be on the brink by now. But it isn't.

Having said that, this Infiniti one seems to go even further.

BMW hasn't done a wholesale replacement of their nomenclature like this, though.  Yes, they've gone the route of all that stupid XDrive35iWTFBBQ on some newer models, but their long-standing models (the 3, 5, and 7 series) have largely retained the same basic nomenclature structure.  A 3 series is still a 3 series.

What further baffles me is why Infiniti would feel the need to completely redo their nomenclature.  It's not like the brand has a stodgy image and needs to try to inject some trendiness via new model names (which Cadillac did and Lincoln has tried to do).  Excluding some of the brand new models like the JX, cars like the G, M, FX, and QX have some brand recognition with the public and none of them are "damaged" or "tarnished" marques.  Blowing that away seems like a big mistake to me.

[sportyaccordy]

If moronic naming strategies could destroy an automaker, BMW would be on the brink by now. But it isn't.

Having said that, this Infiniti one seems to go even further.

When Acura went alphanumeric their image & sales tanked (partially because they changed names and made their cars shittier simultaneously)

Brand equity is like effing gold, Infiniti is so stupid.

[Raza]

I could throw a rock from my bedroom window and have a decent chance of hitting about 3-4 neigbors' Audis. 

This is a record-breaking year for Audi, but their previous record was set in 2011 at 117,561 cars.  Acura sold 123,299 in 2011 (down 10,000 from 2010, where Audi only had 101,629).  In comparison, Mercedes sold 261,808 and BMW sold 247,907 in 2011. 

[Raza]

At the end of the day, this Infiniti nomenclature change WILL hurt the brand. We know a 3er is different than a 5er and a 7er. We know a C-Class is different than an E-Class. The problem with Infiniti's new system is that nobody will know which car is the one they might want to buy. Every car starts with the same letter and has a random number after it. No one will be able to reference which one they are talking about, desiring to buy, etc. Brand recognition will go way down. It will sound as if the company just makes one car with 10 versions of it.

Lincoln is equally disastrous. If you threw out a random Lincoln vehicle name, I couldn't tell you in a billion years if it's a car or an SUV at this point. They all sound exactly the same. A jumble of letters, usually with an M or K thrown in.

Bad job by Nissan.

Yeah, this is Qwikster all over again.

[Cookie Monster]

This is going to make things confusing for the average person. People are going to get confused by what is now an EX and AWD G since they will be renamed as the QX50 and Q50x, respectively.

I guess it's a good thing the spinners bought their Gs while they did, so they wouldn't have to tell people they drive Q50s.

[93JC]

I look forward to the day when luxury cars have names again.

[Char]

So how long before we have rebadged sentras with Ugly Megamouth styling, and crappy motors?

[cawimmer430]

I look forward to the day when luxury cars have names again.

Like in the good old '70s! 

[MrH]

If anything should be on a deathwatch, it's our beloved PSA.

Beloved?  I say burn baby burn.

But yeah, I agree.  Behind the usual brands that have one foot in the grave already (mostly just Mitsubishi), PSA is probably the closest to falling on their face completely.

[MrH]

Yeah, this is Qwikster all over again.

Very good analogy.