Pick between Mercedes, BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, the upcoming Daewoo Shiraz...

Here´s a picture just in case you don´t know what I´m talking about. I don´t know yet all the specs, i think it will have a V8 310HP, we´ll see.

Doesn´t it looks like the Mercedes Maybatch by the side?

i think it looks like a jag......but im a lexus guy....so Im voting lexus =)

Here's my question, who wants a damn Daewoo? They have pathetic reliability, poor crash test ratings, and the second highest brand depreciation. Simply said, Daewoo is junk. I'm boycotting Toyota/Lexus so I guess I'll go with the Infiniti Q45.

Why are you boycotting them (my dad is too...our RX300 isnt that great...like there are small things wrong with it) and teh guys that sold us our Tundra are fucking assholes and we areant dealing with them again

Nissan Q45 is a good car, so I will second that....all though some people look at it as a lower class then a mercedes and say paying 50k+ for a nissan is too much

Uuuuh Liubei, I'm sorry to tell you this but a Daewoo is one of the most reliable cars you can buy, a guy at the bank here in Napier, bought a Daewoo Esperso in 1997 with 50,000k's on the clock, now it has 150,000 and nothing has EVER gone wrong, the although Daewoo haven't really done well in Crash tests up until now (Tacuma and Leganza have all scored as high as 70% in Crash tests)

Having said that I like the Daewoo but I am a devoted Peugeot man

First of all I'm boycotting Toyota because they gave Rev. Jesse Jackson over 7 million dollars because he called them racist. Go to a search engine and type in "Jesse Jackson Toyota" for more info. In a nutshell Toyota sold out to him, and I feel this shows major weakness within the company.

Second, I'm sure every company has several cars that last a long time without any problems. And they also have several that are lemons. Just because you know one guy that has not had any problems does't make their cars gold. Do some homework and you will find that I am very justified in my statement.

Anyway I'm a long time Toyota fan and I am absolutely disgusted in their actions with Jesse jackson.

Originally posted by LiuBei
Here's my question, who wants a damn Daewoo? They have pathetic reliability, poor crash test ratings, and the second highest brand depreciation. Simply said, Daewoo is junk. I'm boycotting Toyota/Lexus so I guess I'll go with the Infiniti Q45.

It´s very easy to talk when you don´t know damn about the topic.

Oh and by the way here is the report from J.D. Powers about initial quality in entry compacts, as you can see a Daewoo ranked second just behind the Toyota. Damn I can´t find the german Bimmer magazine where it compares their own 318i sedan with the Leganza SX, that also tops in initial quality and was a finalist for Import Car of the Year 1999 (Motor Trend magazine) between other 11 models; including the Lanos and Nubira all mentioned as ¨significant others¨, where also Infiniti G20, Porsche 911, Mazda Protegé, BMW 3 series, Mazda Miata, VW Jetta and Volvo S80 were mentioned (12 or 13 in total). the winner was the VW new Beetle. Here are some facts about the motor division of Daewoo Co.

Daewoo’s next generation small car the Kalos 5-door hatchback, unveiled at the recent Sydney International Motor Show in Sydney, will redefine small car design when it comes to market next year. Kalos is a fusion of MPV and small car design with cutting edge styling that blends modernity with elegance.

An NRMA survey has revealed the cheapest cars to own and run in Australia wit Daewoo taking the honours for lowest costs in three out of the four categories. The NRMA analysis looked at comparable cars in four different categories including Light Car, Small Car up to 1.5 litres, Small Car up to 2 litres and Medium Car

Daewoo's Lanos and Leganza ranked second and third respectively in their segment, the best result ever obtained by a Korean car in the harsh U.S. market. Furthermore the two Daewoo models have obtained the highest marks in the evaluation of their engine and transmission.

Daewoo’s three new models on display at Sydney Motor Show have been a real hit with visitors to the Daewoo stand

The authoritative UK Magazine Auto Express has placed the Daewoo Tacuma first in its Good Car Guide people carrier survey. The result comes against some serious competition with other contenders including Kia Carens, Ford Galaxy, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Citroen Xsar Picasso.

Daewoo has been recognized among the cars preferred by the media visiting the North American International Auto Show held in Detroit last month. On a recent report by the authoritative source of automotive information, Polk Auto Trends, Daewoo’s Leganza and Lanos both rank at fifth place for the Mid-size and Small Car categories respectively.

According to the authoritative NRMA study on Vehicle Operating Costs released in June 2000, the Daewoo Nubira offers the best value for money in operating costs in the Small Car class.

Daewoo Matiz Goes for Another World Record
After achieving their first Guinness World Record by driving a Musso from Melbourne to Brisbane in March 1999 on just one tank of fuel, Daewoo is at it again. This time it's an even greater challenge: drive a stock standard Matiz from Melbourne to Darwin on less that $100 of fuel

Leganza Ranked in Top 3 Most Appealing by J.D. Power & Associates
For car manufacturers the results of studies by J.D. Power & Associates are considered as the Oscar Nominations of the automotive business. This is why Daewoo is proud to announce that the Leganza featured as third ranked in the Entry Midsize segment of the recent 1999 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout study (APEAL) just completed by J.D. Power & Associates.

Daewoo has Lowest Accident Repair Costs for Small Cars
A document just released by the NRMA reveals that the Daewoo Lanos 1.5L 3D Manual Hatch is the cheapest small car to repair in the case of a typical urban accident.

Daewoo Matiz an Overseas Sensation!
The Daewoo Matiz has been earning a good reputation in Italy, the home of the mini car. Following the sales launch of Matiz on July 1, 1998, five-thousand vehicles have been delivered to customers, however another 14,000 customers are anxiously awaiting delivery

Dutch journalists have voted the Nubira Wagon 'Family Car of the Year for 1998.' Two leading Dutch consumer magazines, 'Ouders van Nu' (Parents of Today), with a circulation of 130,000 and 'Kinderen' (Children) with a circulation of 126,000 organised the 'Family Car of the Year' award for the first time in cooperation with the 'Automotive', an automotive industry magazine

Daewoo's Nubira Euro Wagon is proving a hit with consumers who voted overwhelmingly with their pockets to purchase one in the month of June. The stylish Nubira Euro Wagon found 314 new homes in June compared to Lantra Wagon sales of 273, Lancer Wagon sales of 197 and the Baleno Wagon with 13 sales. The Nubira Euro Wagon comes in two specification levels SX or CDX

For the second consecutive month in the Korean domestic market, Daewoo has created history by taking the number one sales mantle away from Hyundai. In June Daewoo once again decisively beat Hyundai in passenger car sales recording 19,696 units to Hyundai's 13,612 vehicle sales.

Daewoo Acquires Iso 14001 Certification Daewoo's commercial vehicle plant in Kunsan, Korea was Iso 14001 was certified by SGS-ICS of Switzerland on November 18. This is the first instance of ISO 14001 certification for a Korean commercial vehicle plant.

All this just in case you didn´t know

Oh, you can the details and more info at: http://www.autoweb.com.au/start_60/showall_/id_DAE/news.html
http://www.daewoo.es
http://www.motortrend.com

:confused: :eek2: :eek:

Originally posted by LiuBei
First of all I'm boycotting Toyota because they gave Rev. Jesse Jackson over 7 million dollars because he called them racist. Go to a search engine and type in "Jesse Jackson Toyota" for more info. In a nutshell Toyota sold out to him, and I feel this shows major weakness within the company.

Second, I'm sure every company has several cars that last a long time without any problems. And they also have several that are lemons. Just because you know one guy that has not had any problems does't make their cars gold. Do some homework and you will find that I am very justified in my statement.

Anyway I'm a long time Toyota fan and I am absolutely disgusted in their actions with Jesse jackson.

...I know about a 50 including myself cause Daewoo is one of the best selling vehicles in Spain after Ford, VW, Peugeot, Renault and Citroen, #1 in Australia, between top 10 in South America and Asia of course.

Hey weren't we talking about big fancy cars? Hell your little survey is about compact economy cars. Don't tell me I don't know what I'm talking about when you are completely off subject. Hell that study is just for initial 90 days. Are you going to buy a new car every 3 months. BTW, I can care less how good cars are in Spain. The American market is far more diverse, with a hell of a lot more competition. You can't compare 9 thousand dollar cars to 90 thousand cars. Its like comparing rotten eggs to the hen that laid them, so where do you get off doing just that.

Bottom line, you can say all you want about Daewoo in Spain or any other foreign {to America} country. Take all that info put it in the BIG American market and Daewoo just plain falls short of all others in their respective classes.

Next time get your stories straight, and keep the info on cars within their own classes.

Hey EURO, here is a little chart for you. This is for all major automakers within the US market. I guess they forgot to put Daewoo in there. They probably would have just been washed out by all the others.

file:///C:/My%20Documents/Kevin/reliable

Originally posted by Euro19


...I know about a 50 including myself cause Daewoo is one of the best selling vehicles in Spain after Ford, VW, Peugeot, Renault and Citroen, #1 in Australia, between top 10 in South America and Asia of course.

Well if you mean Daewoo are #1 for sales in Australia, you are wrong, that honour goes to the Holden brand

Woo Ja! I didn´t know you get brands like Renault, Peugeot, Citroen, Holden, Opel, Ssang Yong, Alfa Romeo, Seat, Skoda, Rover, Lancia, MG, Fiat, Daihatsu, Austin, Maserati, Lotus, Galloper, Bugatti, Jensen, Matra and Vauxhall up in the US!
Anywise USA is the biggest auto market worldwide, you got that one right.
About all those facts about Daewoo in general are here because you talked about reliability in general and I did so to support the Shiraz with the little Daewoo history.
To end up this; if you don´t like it don´t buy it. Or is it just that a Daewoo almost runned over you? That´s all ;)
Can you please resend the chart? I can´t see it. thanx :rolleyes:

I do not like Daewoo Because I feel that it is an inferior product. Although you are intitled to your opinion, thats mine. Hey have you ever been in a Lotus? My uncle owned a 99 Espirit TT. HE let me drive it all the time, the cars pretty cramped, but its bad and good for picking up women.

I gotta quit rambling.

Mercedes or BMW. Lexus is not a car company I like.

I would never call a Toyota crap

We have 3 of them and everyone in our family has one, this are the most reliable cars we have owned.

Our T100 has 150k and still going strong and even pulls a 6000lb boat
Tundra is the nicest, smoothest, quietest truck we have ever driven.
Rx300 is reliable has hell, never one engine problem.

thats only 3 cars but everyone else we know with one loves em'

I mean boycott them all you want....but its not going to prove a point to them. =)

I know is kinda weird comparing all this goodies to a car we don´t even know much. Anywise you can visit the Daewoo forum to fin some of its proyects, concept cars, etc, etc. You´ll be surprised. :confused: ;) :eek: :frog:

or not.....!

ok i assume we're comparing the BMW 740i, the Benz S430, the Lexus LS430, Infiniti Q45 and the Daewoo Shiraz (the wha?).
In the end, I would prob pick the S430. The LS 430 is just all lux and not too fun to drive, its like cloud, completly disconnected from the road. And the stock wheels look like hub caps. And for the money i wouldnt mind something that looks a little better. The BMW is well going to be replaced this year, so it prob shouldnt even be in this comparison. The Q45 would be my second pick, it packs so many goodies at such a cheap price. Voice rec, backin' up camera, 340 horses, good looks, and one AMAZING interior. The benz has the best ride/suspension of them all. It grabs the road, but is also quite smooth. It also is the only one with an Air ride suspension (which the new BMW is going to have as an option) which is performs quite amazingly. Also you get the same looks as some guy rolling around in S600....and i just think its the best lookin of the bunch. And the Daewoo, well.........its a Daewoo. I dont know anything about it, and i dont really think i like what ive seen so far.

I also dont like Lexus very much as a whole....mostly because of there prices. They make a good product, but i mean when you get to the higher price ranges (like the SC430 and the LS430) they just become huge rip off's of the Germans. And on top of that they're the same prices as the germans.....huh? To me they're just worse clones as BMW, and Benz....but they're charging as much. I mean i do like alot of they're cars.....the IS300, and the GS 430. But in the end when you sit in a lexus, it still feels too much like a Toyota.

Also I really don't like Daewoo. The used to make small T.V.s and stereos, and shitty ones at that. It was like when Panasonic made bikes they were shitty too. I don't feel that Daewoo is a good quality car.

Yeah, maybe the Lexus still feels like a Toyota anywise, but people buy them more than BMW, Mercedes and Audi all together in the States!

About the Daewoo, it´s not really like Samsung did for example; cause they made and still make artefacts like microwaves, TV etc etc and some day they occured to them to launch only one car called the SQ5 that was nothing more than a 199(7) Nissan Maxima with a different front-end and some thousands less. Anywise the company failled in the car market. Well I don´t know what else Samsung does but Daewoo Motor is just a tiny part of what the company really is;
Corporate Restructuring
Finance
International Finance and
Overseas Management
Office of Auditing
ice of Legal Affairs Steel
Metal
Chemical
Automotive and Component
Machinery and Plant
Media and Electronics
Textiles
Commodity and Energy

My toyota drives EXACTLY like my lexus and I love my toyota, its got more power then any mercedes SUV and its WAY SMOOOOTHER...so if my Lexus is driving like a Toyota, I have 0 Flippin complaints =)

Im not talkin about the whole Lexus line.....just the the SC 430 and LS430..... I like the the IS300, its a good car, but the edge it has over the BMW is its price. Same with the GS's...THATS why i like those two.
But when you get to the SC's and the LS....to me, its a waste of cash. LS = Rip of last generation S Class Mercedes....
SC = Rip of current (4th) generation SL Mercedes

Originally posted by JBL85
My toyota drives EXACTLY like my lexus and I love my toyota, its got more power then any mercedes SUV and its WAY SMOOOOTHER...so if my Lexus is driving like a Toyota, I have 0 Flippin complaints =)

Well that´s because actually Lexus is Toyota :) Is just that in America they sell them in separate brands, as you would know in Japan all Lexus have the Toyota badge, so there shouldn´t be surprises about similarities, duh, just that Lexus should be better because is more luxury oriented, but Toyota is allready exellent so it seems there´s not need to improve it in that aspect, right?
And by the way I like too the Lexus GS and Jaguar S-type better than their rivals at BMW, MB, Lincoln LS, or anything. Anywise this comparo, is between the top top from the the mentioned brands, like someone assumed.

LOL thats the point I was trying to get out, they are such good damn cars, plenty of power and comfort. The RX300 can beat the 5.9 Liter v8 dodge durango. I havent really had any mercedes racing or anyting, but my Nissan Maxima has beat 328I's, E320's and plenty of other 6 cylinder's =). Only bad thing is the lexus gs300 is slow and doesnt compete with the high end 3 series very well.

Originally posted by JBL85
LOL thats the point I was trying to get out, they are such good damn cars, plenty of power and comfort. The RX300 can beat the 5.9 Liter v8 dodge durango. I havent really had any mercedes racing or anyting, but my Nissan Maxima has beat 328I's, E320's and plenty of other 6 cylinder's =). Only bad thing is the lexus gs300 is slow and doesnt compete with the high end 3 series very well.

That´s because the V6 of the Maxima is considered one of the ten best engines, well I don´t know now, this was from around 1997-

best engine is from like 94-2001 i dont know about the new engine

Daewoo is cr@p

its all about the infiniti q45 this year there will be a new option available for the q45, its a new 400 hp engine.

Heres some info i have found about infiniti and the q45

On location in Miami, Florida

So we get off the plane in Miami feeling like Batman must've felt before test-driving his Batmobile. We knew we were on a special mission when we "had" to go down there to test drive Infiniti's new 2002 Q45.

Not only was Miami's air humid, but redemption was in it. You see, back in 1991 Infiniti's flagship Q45 was ahead of its time. A DOHC alloy V-8 breathing through 32 valves and displacing 4.5 liters with 278 bhp on tap, the car was about serious performance. When you threw in amazing build quality and a plethora of features, there were a few out there who knew how special this car was ...yet the mainstream luxury market for perhaps hundreds of reasons chose the Lexus LS400.

As the 90s progressed, Infiniti made the Q45 into a softer and gentler car by adding wood trim, a more conservative front grille, and lots of exterior chrome trim. By then, Infiniti had lost itself and, on top of everything, sales didn't touch the LS400.

Still without any collective insight, Infiniti decided throw away the sporty image of the Q45 and released a redesigned 1997 Q45. It was more conservative in nature and resembled more American luxury car than any foreign prestige brand. Besides that, it now had a weaker 4.1 liter engine, less brand equity, and the door handles, radio, and buttons were sourced from the Nissan parts bin. For enthusiasts, there were no reasons left to drive a Q, except that no one else had one.

To keep up with luxury car trends, Infiniti eventually added some features to the 99-01 Qs -- Xenon HID lights, the analog clock made it's way back, and electronically controlled suspension. Minimalists offerings but nothing breakthrough.

We can only imagine everyone who was responsible must've been a little peeved and embarrassed. Not only did Infiniti sell its soul with the Q45, but all it got in exchange were lessons that came with a price tag that didn't make any sense. It wasn't anyone's fault in particular, but that was part of the problem. In the end, everyone sort of just scratched their heads at the lackluster results, went home for dinner and came to work the next day.

But the reality was Infiniti was bleeding at the gut. From an entrepreneurial standpoint there was no reason to even stay in business. The Xterra alone was many times more profitable than the entire Infiniti line.

Desperation eventually ushered in new voices, thus a new breath of life at Infiniti. Baby boomer managers had to juice up their ambition and imaginations to grasp new and developing trends in the automotive luxury market. There would be no more attempting to follow the perceived industry leader, Lexus. Infiniti needed to pave it’s own road to success.

In the end, there are two main Unique Selling Points of the new Q45:

The 2002 Q45 may very well be the beginning of that departure. With 340 horses underneath the hood, Infiniti raises the bar on power in the premium luxury market. The LS430 has 290, which is 50 less horses in the stable. Ouch.

Then there's the gorgeous interior with the 6-inch LCD monitor (7-inches for those who opt for the navigation system) For the first time, the interior of an Infiniti surpasses Lexus. Highlighting the list is standard speech recognition - allowing hands free control of the audio, climate control, and navigation systems. Then add an array of amenities with some of the finest leather seats we've sat on. All this make the cabin quite the cocoon for any who needs time to think. Powerful stuff, indeed. We'll take it personally if Infiniti doesn't show off this interior in their TV ad spots.
Performance
As we mentioned earlier, the first gen Q45s were performance oriented -- though both the first and second gen sported the V-8 VH series engines. The first generation enjoyed the benefits of a muscular 4.5 liter VH45DE engine. The second generation was demoted to a 4.1 liter VH41DE. Mind you regardless of year, the VH engines were smooth and torquey. But for a totally new car, you need a totally new engine.

Witness Nissan's new 4.5 liter V-8 VK45DE. Similar in design to Nissan's much vaulted V-6 VQ series engines, the VK45DE is all aluminum alloy with DOHC and 32 valves. This engine allows features variable length air induction system, continuously variable valve timing control system, titanium valves, modular cylinder heads, microfinished crankshaft, lightweight pistons, super-silent single stage cam drive chain and a hydraulically driven cooling fan (powered by the steering system - allowing for low noise and power loss). All of this technology and craftsmanship is good for a velvety smooth 340 bhp @ 6,400 rpm and 333 ft-lbs of torque @ 4,000 rpm.

Our editors have driven the likes of the Lexus GS400, BMW 540i, and Mercedes E430 Sport. The Merc and even the GS400 doesn't hold a dime to the new Q. The new Q excels in back country roads, especially in sport trim with 18" wheels/tires and active damping suspension. The 540i only when optioned with the Sport Suspension fares well against the Q. However then the 540’s ride tends to suffer on bad roads whereas Infiniti has done a great job of balancing ride comfort and handling.

The smooth shifting 5 speed automatic (another first for Infiniti) works in tandem with the V-8 to produce seamless and quiet acceleration so that you forget how fast you're going until you look at the speedometer. Our editors enjoyed the flexibility of the manual-shifting mode but missed the instantaneous action offered by a true manual transmission. Still the manumatic mode held gears until near red line and could shave off a few seconds on a road course track.

True to its flagship high tech totem pole status, the Q gets vehicle dynamics control (a sophisticated form of traction control) paired up with limited slip differential so you can toss it around corners. Even then the Q’s suspension is amazingly supple and soaks up bumps and ruts in the highways.

Braking performance is on par with it's competitors boasting large four wheel vented discs, ABS (of course), electronic brake distribution (EBD), and mechanical/electronic braking assist. The latter senses when the driver is attempting to brake quickly and helps to apply more braking force.

Design
When we first saw the new Q introduced last year, we were pleasantly surprised. The new Q had an aggressive stance especially with it's prominent Infiniti logo on the front grille. We admire the lines of its beefy beltline. We notice a hint of the new S class in the profile.

The rear also grew on us and we came to appreciate it when driving behind another 2002 Q45 on the highway.

Exterior
It has been hinted by some Infiniti insiders that a certain famous European design studio had an early role in the design of the new Q, but those rumors have not been substantiated and remain just that. No one can deny, however, that the new Q isn't a knockout. Officially, the lead designer was Mamoru Aoki who designed the last generation 300ZX, a timeless classic. Kudos we say to whoever dreamt up the machine-gun xenon HID headlights - which we must say, are pretty damn cool.
Interior
The car has a large center pod where the air conditioning, radio, and (in certain trims) the navigation system are integrated with a large LCD display. The buttons look of high quality plastic and have a nice tactile feel. The system operates with a cursor based buttons (like a the cursor buttons on a DVD player), thus it's not touch screen based - which we think is great considering all the oily finger prints normally associated with one. It may need a bit of time to adjust to - but we think it has an acceptable level of intuitiveness that we were able operate all the features within a few hours.

As soon as we sat in the driver's seat, we realized how gorgeous the electro-illuminescent gauges were. Sharp and clear with very little wash out even in the bright Florida sun. The rest of the interior is attractive with high quality leather, soft touch plastics and cloth-covered pillars lending a European touch. We preferred the lighter interiors to the black interior.

The Q comes with standard features such as dual zone climate control, wood trim (especially gorgeous in the bird's eye maple), one touch automatic windows (up and down), one touch sunroof, two position memory seats, retained power to close windows after taking the key out, tilting and telescoping power steering column, electronic key with remote entry, and auto dimming rear view mirror. Forgive us if we've left anything out as the Q enjoys a full list of gadgetry making it tough for mere mortals to keep track of.

The standard voice recognition system worked well when asked to turn off the climate control, to raise or lower the temperature, and to change radio stations. We’d like to spend a bit more time with the system to see how often we normally use it after the “neat feature” phase passes.

Optional are the DVD navigation system and active damping sport suspension
(not quite as sophisticated or costly to fix as the first gen Q45a). There's also a premium package, which includes reclining rear seats with audio and heating controls, power rear sun shade, plus the navigation and sport suspension thrown in. And the coolest feature of this package is the tail-mounted camera, which automatically activates when the transmission is shifted in reverse.

Annoyances
Power window buttons are buried below the door handles. The sunglass holder looks down market with hard plastic and unfinished edges

The ceiling grab handles are the old-school carrying case style and not the smooth auto-adjusting style. Nitpicking some might say, but VW even has silicon dampened grab handles. The trunk has gooseneck hinges. Should have been struts we say but at least they covered up the metal hinges with some nice plastic.

Audio System
The new Q boasts a 300-watt Bose system with 8 speakers and digital signal processing. Just hype? While it may not be the best factory system, the Bose system is certainly in the top percentile with good definition and clean sound at loud levels. Three 2.5" midrange speakers sit on top of the dash. Two 6.5" woofers are located on the front doors with 5.25" full range speakers in the rear door. A 12" woofer (wow!) and a digital amplifier sit inside the rear shelf. Bose touts it's Audio Pilot system, which samples the sound within the cabin and adjusts the amplifier to compensate for road and wind noise.

We were yearning for an in dash CD player instead of the 6 disc glove compartment changer but you could overlook that once you spend a bit of time appreciating the system.

Overall
The new Q is quite impressive. The car has an enviable list of performance and luxury features for it's $50,500 base price tag, undercutting the competition by a few thousand dollars. The car takes risks in styling but pays off big time in communicating a distinctive message to those who see the car and, more importantly, those who get a chance to drive it. Enough justification, we think, to earn the car a hard-to-earn superhero vehicle status. After all, anyone who pays 50k for personal transportation should be able to experience these sort of manic feelings about themselves when driving. Otherwise, what's the point?

End

Infiniti and nissan are coming up with a new car lineup
check it out at

infinitihelp.com

who the HELL IS GONNA READ ALL THAT......well that might just be me cuz its 4 am

Lol, cant help but want to drive a Q45 now.....:D

I found this also. Its an interview. it might help you understand what infiniti is now going for...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Infiniti's new tag line, Accelerating the Future, marks a new direction and velocity for Nissan's luxury brand. Infiniti has just released a radically new Q45 and stylishly souped I35. Also two new SUVs, a full size SUV and a smaller crossover based on the FX45 were announced at the New York Auto Show. Don't forget the XVL concept based sports sedan and possibly another even sportier rear wheel drive sedan.

All these new additions to the family require a rethinking of values. Speeding towards a new path and future requires a new leader. Recently appointed to the position of Infiniti Vice President and General Manager is Mark McNabb. He is a long time veteran of Nissan since 1986; his most recent job was Director of Operations for the Nissan Division. Catch a glimpse of the inside track at Inifniti...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We're genuinely curious. What's does your typical day look like? What's it like to work at Infiniti?

I don't believe the first few weeks are typical days. My whole objective for the time being is to immerse myself in the Infiniti business. This means that I need to meet with dealers, regions and division people quickly to assess where the division is going. It is also an unusual time at the division as we launch the Q45. Much of my time for the next several weeks is getting the message out to the dealerbody and press on this important new car.

According to your official bio, we noticed that you haven't be involved with the Infiniti dealer network but more with the Nissan channel. Is that an advantage or disadvantage?

I have never worked directly for Infiniti in the states, but have had some exposure to the brand when I was working in Japan. I like the fact that I have not had significant experience with the brand. To me that is an advantage. I truly like the fact that I have a fresh set of eyes looking at the division. No preconceived notions, no bias, just a fresh perspective on the business. This allows me to blend the best of Infiniti with some of the strengths of Nissan.

Infiniti is undergoing some drastic changes. They have some pretty dramatic products coming out, including the new FX45, the new Q, the XVL and the new full size Infiniti SUV. These are all exciting cars, but we're a little curious about the managing of the Infiniti Brand. Someone would say it lacks the prestige of Mercedes, Lexus, and BMW. What's Infiniti going to do about this deficiency in their vehicles social status?

There are dramatic changes going on with the Infiniti Division, and obviously product plays a key role. I would, however, be remiss if I didn't mention that the FX45 is currently a show car. In addition, there has been no announcement on a full size SUV for the Infiniti division. (Editor's Note: This interview was conducted a few weeks before the New York Auto Show - where the FX45 and full size SUV were officially announced for production.)

We are currently redefining our brand from top to bottom. Every dealer, every dealership employee and every Infiniti employee will be trained on the new brand position. Obviously product will lead the charge, but just as important will be the way we go to market.

I think our distance from the other marquees may not be as great as you infer. Lexus is a young brand like us and together we redefined customer handling. We have an excellent dealer body and outstanding customer relationship. Once we add all the new exciting product, I think our marquee value will rise quickly.

There seems to be an opportunity initially pricing vehicles lower. Of course, much like Lexus did in the beginning it is possible to put great cars in the market at a significant lower price and capture more market share initially. At this point in Infiniti's history a great deal is at stake. With these new and exciting products, what's Infiniti's short and long term pricing strategy?

While it is true that Lexus initially priced its vehicles lower to capture market share, it should also be noted that Lexus' big jump in terms of sales volume came from the addition of vehicles in new segments. If you look at Lexus over the past several years, its largest sales increase came as a result of the RX300. That model added over 100,000 units annually. Also, we intend to make it clear that Infiniti will deliver outstanding vehicles at a fair market price. We are pricing the vehicles to sell as suggested. Product that the driving enthusiast desires does not need discounts or incentives to sell. It sells on its merits.

Infiniti's pricing strategy has not changed. We simply price to market.

When it comes to product line-up, the G20 seems to be a product with some potential. However, it seems to be a weak link in the Infiniti brand.

The G20 is an excellent value and a very attractive product. We are currently introducing the new 2002 version. This product has done well for us. Admittedly we would like more horsepower in it and this will be considered as we determine what to do next.

There are rumors about a 400 hp q45. What can you tell us about that?

That sounds like an exciting vehicle. Not sure where you heard this rumor. At this time, there is not a 400hp Q45 for me to announce or sell. But I certainly like the idea.

Is it true that the Porsche studio in Europe did some of the early design development for the Q45?

No.

When it comes to technology, Infiniti has announced plans that it wants to be the leader in innovation. How long before we see Infiniti vehicles with satellite radios, MP3 players, internet and e-mail capabilities? Will Infiniti be first?

Infiniti certainly looks to the future. Our new tag line - Accelerating the Future - makes it clear that is our direction. No one can predict or would disclose what they intend to put in the vehicle. Yet, technology and innovation are consistent with our direction for Infiniti.

What's your take on European luxury car makers offering free scheduled maintenance? What are the chances of a Japanese maker like Infiniti offering a comparable incentive?

All of us keep an eye on the competition and what works. Infiniti, for example, has the best service loan car program in the industry. Others have tried free maintenance. That is not a new approach. It has been tried before but it never seems to take hold. Of course we will look at it again, but the key is not the program, it is delivering to the customer real value and convenience.

-Noel Saw

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here is a link if any one wants to see the Concept Sketches (http://www.freshalloy.com/cars/infiniti/q45/main_sketches.html) of the infiniti q45

http://www.freshalloy.com/cars/infiniti/q45/main_sketches.html

This is a thread full of people who have never driven a Ssangyong Chairman, the predessor to the Shiraz, it is so smooth and refined, plus in this NZ$90,100 (US$45,000) car you get more equipment than an LS430, as well as a bloody quick V6 engine.
I can only perdict the Shiraz is going to be even better

this daewoo is quite good possibly , but you don't get one think.... IT doesn't provide prestige , it makes cheap and small cars for averege pepole , and if you want a good , expensive car you gotta remember about prestige... Like you chat about cars with someone , and you say you drive a daewoo , and he says he drives a MB... I hate MB , but guess who'll look better in pepole's eyes... even if his benz is a 96 C class diesel...

Hmmm I strongly believe than ´confusious´ is a nissan-infiniti dealer,or something