2012 Infiniti on 2040-cars

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Major automakers post mixed US June sales figures

General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV posted declines in US new vehicle sales for June on Monday, while major Japanese automakers reported stronger figures. Once again, demand for pickup trucks and crossovers offset a decline in sedan sales. Automakers' shares rose as overall industry sales still came in above Wall Street expectations. The US auto industry is bracing for a downturn after hitting a record 17.55 million new vehicles sold in 2016. Analysts had predicted that overall, US vehicle sales would fall in June for the fourth consecutive month. As the market has shown signs of cooling, automakers have hiked discounts and loosened lending terms. Car shopping website Edmunds said on Monday the average length of a car loan reached an all-time high of 69.3 months in June. "It's financially risky, leaving borrowers exposed to being upside down on their vehicles for a large chunk of their loans," said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds' executive director of industry analysis. GM said its sales fell about 5 percent versus June 2016, but that the industry would see stronger sales in the second half of 2017 versus the first half. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." GM shares were up 2.4 percent in morning trading, while Ford rose 3.3 percent and FCA shares jumped 6 percent. "US total sales are moderating due to an industry-wide pullback in daily rental sales, but key US economic fundamentals clearly remain positive," said GM chief economist Mustafa Mohatarem. "Under the current economic conditions, we anticipate US retail vehicle sales will remain strong for the foreseeable future." Ford said its sales for June were hit by lower fleet sales to rental agencies, businesses, and government entities, which fell 13.9 percent, while sales to consumers were flat. But it sold a record 406,464 SUVs in the first half of the year, with Explorer sales increasing 23 percent in June. And sales of the F-150 had their strongest June since 2001. On a media call, Ford executives said an initial read of automakers' sales figures indicated a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of around 17 million new vehicles for the month, which would be better than 16.6 million units analysts had predicted. FCA said June sales decreased 7 percent versus the same month a year earlier.

Infiniti teases G-replacing Q50 ahead of Detroit debut

Preparing for the introduction of its new naming system and redesigned entry-level sedan, Infiniti has released a brief teaser video for the 2014 Q50. As a refresher, the Q50 is the replacement for the G37 sedan, and while we've seen spy shots of this car before, this video is our first detailed look at the production car.
All we get to see in the video is a shot of the headlight, but we get to see key elements like the stylish daytime running lights, crescent-shaped parking lights and adaptive low beams. The overall shape of the headlight is very close to what we saw earlier this year on the LE Concept. We have to wait until the Detroit Auto Show kicks off in a couple weeks to see the Q50's full design (although we're sure there will be some leaks before that point), but until then, check out the short video posted after the jump.

2022 Infiniti QX80 gets an interior update with new, big touchscreen

The 2022 Infiniti QX80 is getting a light interior update in the form of a new touchscreen infotainment system and center stack. If you’ve seen the 2021 Nissan ArmadaÂ’s refreshed interior, then youÂ’ve seen the new QX80Â’s, because they share the same center stack and touchscreen now. This new infotainment system runs on a 12.3-inch high-res screen that sits perched at the top. ItÂ’s capable of wireless Apple CarPlay, but only wired Android Auto. Infiniti says navigation comes standard, too. We liked the new touchscreen in the Armada far more than its outgoing unit, which was ancient technology by the time it was replaced. This new screen is vibrant, features much quicker responses to inputs and is all around a massive step up in tech. YouÂ’ll see the new QX80 also has all the updated controls below the touchscreen, too. We get new dials and buttons (far fewer than before) for the radio and climate controls. Plus, the new layout necessitated a new air vent design. Say goodbye to the dual-screen layout, too, as thereÂ’s no second touchscreen in the lower part of the stack — thatÂ’s a very good thing. Taking up some of that space is a new storage cubby that can be hidden via a piece of wood trim. Flip it open, and youÂ’ll reveal a wireless phone charger and access to a 12-volt outlet.  Besides this interior change, the rest of the 2022 QX80 is carryover. It looks the same from the exterior, and itÂ’s still rocking the 5.6-liter V8 that makes 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque. Neither pricing nor availability for the updated QX80 were made available today, but donÂ’t expect it to be too much more than the $70,545 base price it enjoys now. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.