03 Infiniti G35 1-owner on 2040-cars

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2016 Infiniti QX50 First Drive [w/video]

One crucial change to the 2016 Infiniti QX50 (formerly known as the EX35) may have just made the company's smallest crossover suddenly relevant. So how does one add appeal to an eight-year-old model, without any significant cosmetic or powertrain updates? By addressing its biggest flaw head-on: size. For the 2016 model year, Infiniti has stretched the QX50's wheelbase by 3.2 inches, and the crossover is now 4.5 inches longer overall. In addition to a roomier cabin – 8.3 cubic feet more to be exact – there's one number that sticks out above all else: four more inches of knee- and leg-room in the back seats. Like scoring an exit-row seat on your flight, the extra space may be just enough to change the experience. So how can the upmarket Japanese automaker justify costly changes to the platform when it's only moving 250 of these vehicles in the US per month? Americans can thank the Chinese for that. As in the US, sales of small crossovers are quickly rising in China – a country where being chauffeured is more common for those of means – and rear-seat passengers who can pay for a driver don't want to feel like they're sitting in the penalty box. The platform-sharing economics work, and in this case, everyone stands to benefit. Pricing is reduced by $500 from last year, with the rear-wheel-drive 2016 QX50 now starting at $35,445 after delivery. Infiniti says it considers the Acura RDX and Lexus NX as the QX50's direct competition, but it's worth noting that both of those competing models sell more in just one month than Infiniti's smallest crossover sold all of last year. The QX50 isn't likely to reach its competitor's levels anytime soon, but Infiniti hopes the roomier iteration will pique shopper interest. To help that cause, the 2016 model gets a few light cosmetic touches too. Up front it receives a new grille that's more in line with the brand's current design language, new LED fog and daytime running lights, new door mirrors with LED turn signals, revised side sills, and a new rear bumper. Beyond aesthetics, pricing is reduced by $500 from last year, with the rear-wheel-drive 2016 QX50 now starting at $35,445 after delivery. The all-wheel-drive version adds another $1,400 to that price. All models get more standard equipment, including a power moonroof, heated front seats, and the new LED accents. Inside the cabin, things look much as they did when the crossover first debuted as the EX35, back in 2007.

Japan sends official to Lebanon over fugitive Carlos Ghosn

BEIRUT — Japan's deputy justice minister met top officials in Lebanon on Monday over the case of NissanÂ’s fugitive ex-boss, Carlos Ghosn, who fled to his home country late last year while on bail in Japan and awaiting trial. Ghosn was arrested in late 2018 and is facing charges of under-reporting income and breach of trust. He says he is innocent. He led Nissan for nearly 20 years. State Minister of Justice Hiroyuki Yoshiie (pictured above with Lebanese Justice Minister Marie Claude Najm) met President Michel Aoun as well as the Lebanese minister of foreign affairs. Yoshiie did not speak to reporters after the meetings and is scheduled to hold a news conference later in the day. Aoun's office said in a tweet after the meeting that they discussed mutual relations and ways of developing them "in addition to matters that are of interest for both countries." The tweet did not mention Ghosn, who made his first public appearance in Lebanon in early January saying he fled a “nightmare” that would not end and vowed to defend his name wherever he can get a fair trial. On Friday, Japan's Justice Minister Masako Mori said she was dispatching the official to Beirut to explain the Japanese justice system and improve cooperation. She said Japan hoped Lebanon would gain “a proper understanding of the Japanese criminal justice system.” Japan and Lebanon do not have an extradition treaty, and it's unlikely Lebanon would agree to send Ghosn, considered a Lebanese national hero, back to Japan to face trial. Mori acknowledged that there were “various environments” and laws that underpin each country's stance. Nissan, maker of the Leaf electric car and Z sports car, said in a statement regarding the justice officialÂ’s trip that it hoped Ghosn would return to Japan to stand trial, “so that all the facts can be properly established under JapanÂ’s judicial system.” Having spent months in detention and struggling to gain his release on bail under stringent conditions, Ghosn said he fled in the belief he could not get a fair trial in Japan. Japan has requested GhosnÂ’s return through Interpol and issued an arrest warrant after his escape. Lebanese prosecutors issued a travel ban for Ghosn in January and asked him to hand in his French passport following the Interpol-issued notice against him. NissanÂ’s sales have plunged recently, and it sank into losses for the last fiscal quarter. The brand is widely considered to have been tarnished by the controversy around Ghosn.

2023 Infiniti QX80 gets higher base price and Amazon Alexa compatibility

Infiniti has released pricing information for the 2023 QX80, its biggest and most expensive SUV. The body-on-frame family hauler costs more than during the previous model year, but it gains a handful of additional tech features and the Infiniti Premium Care maintenance plan. Offered in three trim levels, the 2023 QX80 carries a base price of $74,395 including a $1,695 destination charge. That figure corresponds to the rear-wheel-drive Luxe model, but "entry-level" is a relative term: it comes standard with 20-inch wheels, a 13-speaker Bose sound system, leather upholstery and wood interior trim. For context, the 2022 QX80 Luxe cost $71,995 including a $1,395 destination charge. Pricing for the full range is as follows: QX80 Luxe rear-wheel-drive: $74,395 ($2,400 more than in 2022) QX80 Luxe four-wheel-drive: $77,495 ($2,400 more than in 2022) QX80 Premium Select rear-wheel-drive: $78,995 ($2,215 more than in 2022) QX80 Premium Select four-wheel-drive: $82,095 ($2,215 more than in 2022) QX80 Sensory rear-wheel-drive: $86,045 ($2,415 more than in 2022) QX80 Sensory four-wheel-drive: $89,145 ($2,415 more than in 2022) While prices are up across the board, which is par for the course, Infiniti expanded the QX80's list of standard features with Amazon Alexa compatibility and a haptic feedback function in the steering wheel for the lane departure warning system. And, like every member of the 2023 range, the QX80 comes with the Infiniti Premium Care plan that includes up to three years of inspections, oil changes, and tire rotations. Built in Japan, the 2023 Infiniti QX80 will reach dealers across the nation in the coming weeks. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.