Infiniti G25 - Smart idea or neutered wannabe manufacturer cash in?

[TheAdvocate]

http://content.usatoday.com/communi...0/08/nissans-infiniti-debuts-new-g25-sedan-/1

http://www.leftlanenews.com/infiniti-g25-sedan.html

http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2010/08/infiniti-g25-25-liter-v6-218-horsepower-30995.html

"...the Infiniti G25. With a smaller, 2.5-liter V6 making 218 horsepower [178 lb ft torque]... The G25, to be shown in Pebble Beach this weekend, with come standard with leather seating, Shodo aluminum trim, power seats, auto climate control, XM radio, 17-inch wheels and HID Xenon lights.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Will compete with the IS250 for the faux-lux crowd. This will probably be a hit around here for sure.

 

[PricklyPete]

To an enthusiast...makes no sense. To the market...makes a TON of sense. There is a reason Audi is only selling A4's with 2.0T...that's all most of the buyers wanted. The S4 is for enthusiasts and doesn't have near the volume.

As an enthusiast, I have always liked how Infiniti/Nissan always just offered one motor in either the G or the Maxima... but the reality is that they lost sales because of this. A lot of people (especially women) would rather have the same level of luxury with less of a motor.

 

[TheAdvocate]

It smells an awful lot like an overpriced Altima 2.5S to me... though they're trying to say its the Asian Skyline 2.5...

I'm behind trading a little power for better fuel economy. My buddy sold his G37 cause it was overkill and he got tired of feeding it.

But couldnt they have done like a 2.0T? Come to think of it, I'd love to see something like Hyundai's 2.4T in the G...

Has Nissan developed any turbo engines? Seems like a better idea than doing a mini 6...

 

[Chapbass]

Oh I know I'm going to see a ton of these. If it has "G" quality interior (which I like a lot) I'm sure theres a ton of people that will use this for a DD as opposed to the 37. Seems like it will as it might just be an engine swap, not much else? dunno didn't read too much. Either way, gonna sell a bunch imo.

 

[AstroManLuca]

I suppose it's sort of an alternative to the V6 Altima. You get RWD and a nicer badge but less power for about the same cost.

I'd rather have the Altima myself though. The 3.5L V6 gives you 270 hp, so it's about the same as the original G35.

 

[PricklyPete]

Oh I know I'm going to see a ton of these. If it has "G" quality interior (which I like a lot) I'm sure theres a ton of people that will use this for a DD as opposed to the 37. Seems like it will as it might just be an engine swap, not much else? dunno didn't read too much. Either way, gonna sell a bunch imo.

To be honest...if this thing had been around...it may have swayed my wife to the Infiniti over the Audi. The Infiniti interior was plenty nice...and the car drove well...but my wife didn't like the mileage disparity. We both liked the look of the A4 better...but I think the engine she didn't really care about was a bigger factor.

 

[Throckmorton]

This is good. The horsepower wars are getting ridiculous, so it's good when an automaker offers a version with reasonable horsepower.

 

[PricklyPete]

This is good. The horsepower wars are getting ridiculous, so it's good when an automaker offers a version with reasonable horsepower.

Almost all do...just not Infinti....I think hey have been losing out on sales...

Acura TSX comes with a base ~200hp 4 cylinder
BMW 328 has a 215hp engine I believe
Audi A4 comes with a 211HP (and a sweet 258 ft. lbs of TQ)
Mercedes C300 has something close to 200HP

Honestly I think Audi went the right route with the 2.0T (of course I have a bit of bias owning one). It is around the same horsepower as all the other base cars...but the TQ makes it feel much more punch around town. This new Infiniti may feel a bit slow around town with the 178 FT lbs pulling a relatively heavy car.

 

[CrackRabbit]

Nissan has needed this for a LONG time ever since they killed the G20 back in 2003.
Granted the G20 was very long in the tooth and needed replacement. But it left a gaping hole and have had nothing for the entry level since, where all of the other luxury brands do.

Edit: I hadn't looked at the price yet. Price needs to be 3-4k lower before it would grab my attention.
It's a start though.

 

[jinduy]

i like the idea. i'm in the crowd who care more about the looks more so than the power. the power's reasonable at least.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Will compete with the IS250 for the faux-lux crowd. This will probably be a hit around here for sure.

I see a shit ton of IS250s on the road around here.

Not sure how Infiniti dealerships are like as far as service goes but Lexus is excellent. Acura blows.

 

[StageLeft]

It may make sense to the market. To me I'd not be seen dead in it. Would take a maxima FOR SURE. Same price or less and would pound the fvck out of this wannabe Infiniti.

 

[Throckmorton]

It may make sense to the market. To me I'd not be seen dead in it. Would take a maxima FOR SURE. Same price or less and would pound the fvck out of this wannabe Infiniti.

I'm guessing you have this opinion because you've never owned a RWD car.

 

[exdeath]

I can see this being popular with ricers and wannabes if it's cheap enough...

 

[exdeath]

I'm guessing you have this opinion because you've never owned a RWD car.

RWD is moot when you have the power of a Kia.

 

[senseamp]

2.5 is a smart idea, but not with standard auto and not for over 30K.
I would be checking it out if it had a 6MT around 28K.

 

[StageLeft]

I'm guessing you have this opinion because you've never owned a RWD car.

Either that or the fact the Maxima would pound the fvck out of it.

RWD is moot when you have the power of a Kia.

Pretty much what I was thinking.

$30k is too rich for this. Much better pick would be a G37 for same cost a year old.

 

[Vette73]

Will compete with the IS250 for the faux-lux crowd. This will probably be a hit around here for sure.

Yeas I guess they are just trying to compete with Lexus in a race to the bottom. :awe:

 

[TheAdvocate]

RWD is moot when you have the power of a Kia.

Gonna date myself here, but my buddy bought a 1990 Mustang 5.0 GT at dealer closeout (yes, I'm old), and instantly had the fastest car on campus.

225 HP @ 4,000 rpm

And that was a mauler of a car 20 years ago. It would smoke tires and could run 0-60 in about 6.5 secs, and the 1/4 mile in just under 15 secs, and that was considered almost exotic performance.

@ 218 hp, I don't have that much of a problem with the power, it's the 178 lb ft of torque, and probably not on a wide band, that potentially bugs me. That '90 GT had 300 lb/ft, which is what made it so fast.

The specs for this G25 put it about in line witha Ford Fusion V6 (200/175) if I remember the Ford stats correctly. That's not anemic, but its probably in the 7.5 second range for a car that heavy.

Compare that with an Audi A4 2.0T (211/258) that does 0-60 in about 6.0-6.2 secs. A full second and a half faster, and gets better mileage.

Yep, I really wish Infiniti would put about a 2.5L Turbo in the G body and see what it could do.

[edit] - Looks like Insideline at one time thought they were gonna do a 2.5T... http://blogs.insideline.com/straigh...o-25-liter-at-the-2010-detroit-auto-show.html

 

[Throckmorton]

Either that or the fact the Maxima would pound the fvck out of it.Pretty much what I was thinking.

$30k is too rich for this. Much better pick would be a G37 for same cost a year old.

Why do you care of a Maxima would "pound the fvck out of it"? I don't see Maximas street racing.

If you understood how great RWD feels, you wouldn't even consider a 270HP FWD car

 

[PhoKingGuy]

Yeas I guess they are just trying to compete with Lexus in a race to the bottom. :awe:

No joke, this one guy was bragging about his "new lexus" to me during one of my classes thats "faster than the 3 series or my shitty VW"

He had an auto lowered IS250 with 20 inch wheels....sigh.

But that's the market they are aiming for so gluck to them.

 

[StageLeft]

Why do you care of a Maxima would "pound the fvck out of it"? I don't see Maximas street racing.

If you understood how great RWD feels, you wouldn't even consider a 270HP FWD car

The thing is just overpriced for what it does I think. There are many family haulers that would humiliate it in a straight line.

 

[PhoKingGuy]

The thing is just overpriced for what it does I think. There are many family haulers that would humiliate it in a straight line.

A V6 camry embarrasses a quite a few things in a straight line unfortunately.

 

[Throckmorton]

The thing is just overpriced for what it does I think. There are many family haulers that would humiliate it in a straight line.

BTW, not only is it RWD, but the platform is much better. Weight distribution is like a sports car, and the suspension is wishbones not struts!