InfinitiForums is a forum for Infiniti enthusiasts. This forum is for
discussion of all things Infiniti
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engine swaps, to engine tuning, to forced induction such as turbo kits
and
superchargers, to suspension tuning! If you are an Infiniti enthusiast, stop by, say hello,
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This forum is for all models and trims of
Infiniti, including
the Infiniti G35, Infiniti
FX35, Infiniti FX45, Infiniti FX50, Infiniti
G37, Infiniti G20,Infiniti I30, Infiniti
I35, Infiniti J30, Infiniti M35, Infiniti
M45, and Infiniti QX36.
2010 Nissan Patrol - Click above for high-res image gallery
Nissan has issued a recall for more than a thousand Nissan Patrol models in the Middle East, citing electrical problems that could affect the engine's fuel supply leading to engine stalls. According to Monal Zeidan, the general manager of marketing and communications for Nissan Middle East, there are problems with an integrated circuit inside the vehicle's electronic control module (ECM). Zeidan goes on to say that if the ECM fails the fuel injectors could stop working and the engine may stop. Owners of the 1,250 affected vehicles in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are being asked to visit their dealerships to have a revised ECM installed.
While the all-new 2011 Infiniti QX56 is heavily based on the Nissan Patrol, our sources at Infiniti say the two models run different ECMs. That's a bit of good news for owners of Infiniti's latest flagship SUV, as it means they won't need to worry about the recall.
*UPDATE: Nissan has issued a clarifying statement that notes while U.S. Infiniti QX56 models are unaffected by this action, Middle Eastern market QX56 are indeed being recalled alongside their Patrol cousins.
2010 Nissan Patrol - Click above for high-res image gallery
Nissan has issued a recall for more than a thousand Nissan Patrol models in the Middle East, citing electrical problems that could affect the engine's fuel supply leading to engine stalls. According to Monal Zeidan, the general manager of marketing and communications for Nissan Middle East, there are problems with an integrated circuit inside the vehicle's electronic control module (ECM). Zeidan goes on to say that if the ECM fails the fuel injectors could stop working and the engine may stop. Owners of the 1,250 affected vehicles in Dubai and Abu Dhabi are being asked to visit their dealerships to have a revised ECM installed.
While the all-new 2011 Infiniti QX56 is heavily based on the Nissan Patrol, our sources at Infiniti say the two models run different ECMs. That's a bit of good news for owners of Infiniti's latest flagship SUV, as it means they won't need to worry about the recall.
2011 Infiniti QX56 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Infiniti has released details on its entire model lineup for 2011, and there are a couple of interesting tidbits to glean. Of course, we already know all about the new-for-2011 M and QX, so we'll focus on the other machines in Infiniti's line to see what's new, starting with the G series.
Two new extensions to the G Sedan will debut at the upcoming Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance: a Limited Edition model and a Sport Appearance package. Infiniti promises that both machines will be available in September and will feature "special exterior and interior content features." The G Coupe will gain a Sport Package for all-wheel-drive models, while Infiniti's G Convertible gets a revised fascia with relocated fog lights (no pictures available) and a Limited Edition model. Scratch Resistance Paint becomes standard on all G models.
Moving on, the 2011 EX will get a new seven-speed automatic transmission and 18-inch wheels as standard, while three new exterior paint colors will be offered. The larger FX will get a new standard power liftgate in 2011 and Infiniti also reminds us that it plans to release its M Hybrid along with an electric vehicle later this year.
There are plenty more bits, pieces and package changes that true Infiniti aficionados may want to peruse. Find all the details in the press release after the break.
Up to this point, Nissan has relied on hybrid technology purchased and licensed from the undisputed leader in hybrid vehicles. That would be Toyota, naturally. But the two Japanese automakers will be moving in separate directions in short order as Nissan has developed its own hybrid powertrain technology, and unlike most other automakers, Nissan's system will debut powering a rear-wheel-drive machine wearing the Infiniti badge.
And there's apparently another way Nissan and Infiniti's first in-house hybrid system will differ from Toyota's full hybrid and Honda's mild hybrid architecture. According to Reuters, Koichi Hayasaki, Nissan's chief engineer of its rear-wheel-drive hybrid system maintains that "Typically, carmakers say the fuel economy improvement on their cars using a 'strong' or 'full' hybrid system is roughly 30 percent, while for 'mild' hybrids, it's 15 percent. We're aiming for an improvement of 60 to 90 percent."
Further, Nissan claims its hybrid system will use a single electric motor and twin clutches (instead of two electric motors as used by Toyota), a move that ought to help make the system simpler and lighter than its competitors. It will also use lithium ion batteries instead of cheaper but less energy dense nickel metal hydride cells. If Nissan can manage to hit all of its targets, we may be looking at a new hybrid standard bearer.
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Chris Shunk rejoins Sam, Alex and Dan for Episode #184 of the Autoblog Podcast. Topics we mull are Tesla's actual IPO and General Motors' apparently impending public offering. Gordon Murray's T.25 city car makes the cut before we do a 180 and talk about the possibility of a 480-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT8 and a manlier minivan. It ends with your feedback, a tidy hour and ten minutes. See you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #184 - IPOs, Manly Minivans, City Cars and Hemi Horsepower
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Infiniti Performance Line teaser - Click above for high-res image
Hot on the heels of the recent revelation that Infiniti is working on a duo of new G-based vehicles slated to debut at this year's Pebble Beach extravaganza, we've come across a trademark filing by Nissan North America for "IPL." What's IPL you ask? Infiniti Performance Line, a new catalog of in-house developed upgrades which - according to the filing - will include everything from air filters to cat-back exhaust systems, and - more intriguingly - "automotive engine parts, namely turbochargers and superchargers."
The approach is likely to be similar to how NISMO develops and markets parts for Nissan or, more accurately, Lexus' launch of its F-Sport performance line.
This new line of performance parts will likely be unveiled this August in Pebble Beach and be fitted to the G37 coupe. How extensive the modifications are remains to be seen, but as previously reported, one of the models set to debut will be "performance oriented," and if forced induction is part of the package, we're anxiously awaiting our rendezvous with the modded coupe this summer.
2011 Infiniti QX56 - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ask any braniac elementary school student what happened to the dinosaurs, and they'll tell you they turned into birds. While the mechanics are a bit more complicated than a momma T-Rex hatching a brood of yellow finches, modern science would seem to agree with the concept. When we were in school, the common perception was that those massive lizards parted ways with terra firma courtesy of a jumbo-sized meteor smack. Our Earth Science books called it a mass extinction, and they accompanied the definition with helpful illustrations that depicted contemplative Brontosaurus and Triceratops herds looking off into the distance as a chunk of orange sky plummeted toward the horizon.
So you can't really blame us for thinking that the SUV would follow a similar natural path. When fuel prices shot up, many rejoiced at the thought of global body-on-frame extinction. This was the event some had been patiently waiting for since the high-riding people movers first supplanted the minivan as the family cruiser of choice. And while we've certainly seen weaker species succumb to the heat of pressure from more efficient breeds, the strong continue to soldier on, slowly adapting to a world grown hostile to anything big and thirsty. If you believe Infiniti, that's exactly what the 2011 QX56 has done - evolved.
The Associated Press is reporting that Nissan will recall 48,700 trucks and SUVs for a suspension problem that could lead to an unforgiving ride. The recall, which could officially begin as early as this week, involves the 2010 Nissan Titan, Pathfinder, Armada and Xterra, along with the Infiniti QX56. The recall is related to a suspension control link that may not have been welded properly. If the weld is insufficient, the bushing collar could crack, leading to the kind of ride that bruises kidneys and rattles fillings.
Nissan spokesman Colin Price reported to the AP that the company is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to get the recall processed as quickly as possible. Once a recall is officially announced, Nissan will provide a fix at no cost to the customer. No accidents have been reported as a result of this potential issue.
Infiniti G Coupe Sketches - Click above for high-res image
For the past two years, Infiniti has been growing its presence in Pebble Beach. The week-long auto extravaganza in August plays host to a number of automaker events, but recently, Infiniti has been taking center stage. For 2010, Nissan's premium channel isn't letting up, bringing two M-based models to the party in Pebble, both of which are slated for production.
We don't have specifics on either model, but in addition to the image above, our sources within Infiniti tell us that the new coupe variants will be extensions of its current lineup, lending credence to recent rumors of an M coupe likely to be based off Infiniti's current line of G vehicles.
More interestingly, we've been told that both models will "extend Infiniti into an area we haven't been before" and that one of those models will be more "performance oriented." If that means we can expect some kind of powertrain similar to the Essence Concept that debuted at the Geneva Motor Show last year - a twin-turbo, direct injected V6 putting out over 450 horsepower - consider our interest incredibly piqued.
Both models are set to go on sale in October or November of this year, with the M35 Hybrid arriving sometime toward the end of 2011.
These kind of conversations go on all the time. An automaker will consider variations on the theme of a particular model, and the rabid media will occasionally pick up a snippet of that chatter and blow it way out of proportion. We can't say whether rumors of a two-door M coupe are reality or just spitballing, though many would argue that such a model is a necessity for success.
A two-door M could be offered in both V6 M37 form, and with a V8 as the M56. InsideLine has a rendering that shows a pretty spiffy premium coupe with a unique roof pillar treatment. It's a nice rendering, but we can posit that the production version won't be wearing a piece of C-pillar finery to make a '61 Valiant jealous.
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