Infiniti QX80’s Redesign to Lead the Brand’s Makeover

With the upcoming launch of the redesigned QX80 large SUV, Infiniti is preparing a global brand makeover to prepare the Japanese premium automaker for a new era of growth amid the industry’s electrification, said Peyman Kargar, Chairman and President, Infiniti.

From vehicle design and brand image to marketing and sales, Nissan’s premium brand will go through a major transformation, Kargar told Automotive News: "We are going to have a full package of what Infiniti is as a brand. We are going to make this coherent and consistent in all aspects on every touch point with the brand."

Infiniti’s global campaign will kick off in late 2022, aiming to develop a more consistent and sophisticated brand image, including a new look for Infiniti dealerships, a new design language for the vehicles and several details to impress customers, such as “a unique Infiniti scent and signature sound,” added Kargar. The push will center on the launch of the redesigned QX80 SUV, which gets luxury upgrades and will remain Infiniti’s flagship vehicle.

The campaign is part of a three-phase transformation that started in 2020. The initial goal was to make Infiniti a profitable brand in the countries it already operated, said to La Jornada Ricardo Rodríguez Vázquez, Managing Director, Infiniti Mexico and Latin America: “This phase has already concluded, and we can affirm that it has been completed successfully, since the company is lucrative. Now, we begin the second stage of our global growth plan for the next four years that will be focused on turning Infiniti into a 100 percent electric company.”

Infiniti’s global sales have suffered over the past few years due to the company’s goal to increase volumes, said Kargar. Then, the COVID-19 pandemic and following supply chain shortages put the brand in a worse position. Its global sales plunged 55 percent to 84,830 vehicles in 2021 from 188,990 before the pandemic.

Infiniti is close to turning 11 years old in the Mexican market. It has been assembling vehicles in Mexico since 2017, when the Cooperation Manufacturing Plant Aguascalientes (COMPAS) began operations. The plant is a US$1 billion joint venture from Mercedes-Benz and Nissan. The brand’s transformation in Mexico began with the arrival of the QX60 2022, which is the first model that shows the new design line that Infiniti will follow in the upcoming years in terms of technology, connectivity, safety and luxury, reported La Jornada.

The new Infiniti QX60 2022 also became the brand’s first model sold under the complimentary scheduled maintenance model in Mexico. Starting with 2023 models, all Infiniti vehicles will include three years of complimentary service.