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Infiniti sees a bright future for the luxury sedan

One of the four new models that Infiniti will release in the coming years is an electric sedan previewed by the Vision Qe concept. Investing in a body style that many of the brand's peers and rivals are pivoting away from might sound odd, but executives at Infiniti still see a demand for sedans. "For the U.S. market, the sedan segment is still a very relevant segment. We have a ton of history, and heritage, and hugely passionate fans. So with that kind of passion, we're always getting asks for that kind of piece," Bob Welby, Infiniti's senior director of operations, told Motor1. The publication cited older, Nissan Z-derived sedans like the G35 and the G37 as models that could inspire Infiniti as it brings its first electric sedan to the market. These cars were aimed squarely at European sport sedans like the BMW 3 Series, and they put a much bigger focus on performance than on comfort while remaining pegged on the luxury side of the spectrum. They enjoy a relatively loyal following in 2023. Later known as the Q40, the G37 retired at the end of the 2015 model year and passed the torch to the Q50, which remains in production today but has nearly reached the end of its life cycle. When it retires, it will leave the Nissan-owned brand without a sedan in its range for the first time since its inception: The bigger Q70 retired at the end of the 2019 model year and the full-size Q45 was axed after 2006. In contrast, the current Infiniti lineup includes four SUVs. This focus on high-riding models won't change, even if the sedan sticks around. "SUVs have become another emerging strength of ours over the past decade," Welby said. "That's absolutely going to be part of our story." The next-generation QX80 is notably around the corner. Infiniti previewed it with a close-to-production concept called QX Monograph.   Green Infiniti Electric Sedan

Nissan recalling 909k vehicles globally over accelerator issue

Nissan is issuing a massive recall that will see the Japanese automaker repair 908,900 vehicles worldwide, with nearly 100,000 of the affected models in the United States. While an official recall notice from Nissan or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is not yet available, Reuters has been able to confirm the recall with Nissan.
Nissan's recall is kind of the opposite of the Toyota unintended acceleration, in that it covers a lack of acceleration. According to the report, a sensor in the gas pedal can develop faults, leading to a sluggish acceleration or an outright stall regardless of how much throttle the driver dials in. The huge recall covers mostly Japanese domestic models like the Serena, X-Trail, Lafesta and Fuga, which make up for 764,800 of the 908,900 faulty vehicles. However, 98,300 Infiniti M sedans are being recalled in the US, although it's unclear at this time which model years and trims are affected. The remaining vehicles are found in Europe and Oceania, according to Nissan spokesman Chris Keefe.
No injuries or accidents have been reported due to the faults. The 90-minute repair will see techs replace the accelerator pedal and tweak the engine control programs. We'll update this story as soon as Nissan or NHTSA makes an official statement.

Hyundai, Genesis, Subaru warn their dealers about markups

Six weeks ago, word got out that Ford's VP of sales for the U.S. and Canada wrote one of those "It has come to our attention..." e-mails to the automaker's dealer body. The VP's problem was dealers trying to get reservation deposits for the Ford F-150 Lightning well above the official $100 fee. The tomfoolery resulted in interactions "with customers in a manner that is negatively impacting customer satisfaction and damaging to the Ford Motor Company brand and Dealer Body reputation." Two weeks later, GM told its dealers to cut out the reservation gaming and the markups on the 2023 Chevrolet Corvette Z06, banditry that's been going on for two years. Two weeks ago, Ford was back at it, this time about markups on the Bronco. Last week, Asian automakers swept into the melee, with Hyundai and Genesis, Subaru, and Infiniti writing letters to their dealers to deliver some variant of, "Stop pissing off the customers." Automotive News reported an SVP at Hyundai Motor America and the COO at Genesis Motor North America sent letters to their dealers expressing disappointment at "certain pricing practices which, if left unchecked, will have a negative impact on the health of our brand." One of the practices mentioned was dealer markups, another was the bait-and-switch, with dealers advertising one price then charging a higher price once the customer showed up at the lot. The letters acknowledged that dealers are separate companies to the automakers and have the right to set their own prices. The automakers cannot interfere with that; their leverage is distributing allocations and perks such as advertising support and financial incentives. So, like a movie boss letting the protagonist go on a technicality, the brands wrote, "we cannot stand idly by watching the actions of the aforementioned dealers undo all the efforts we collectively have put into making these brands what they are today." Jalopnik got tipped to a letter Subaru of America CEO Thomas Doll sent to that brand's dealers. Doll's polite yet insistent tone was the result of a letter a loyal Subaru owner sent to the automaker's VP of Customer Advocacy. In the market for a third brand-new Forester, the owner said they encountered a "tax" labeled a "Low Inventory Surcharge" of as much as $6,000, putting the Forester out of reach.