QX-Gone: Infiniti Brass Suggests QX30 Headed to the Bin
The littlest member of the Infiniti crossover family appears ready to turn in its badge at the end of its product cycle.
Infiniti’s bite-sized crossover, called the QX40 QX20 QX30 (thanks, Johann), and the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class are a set of twins resulting from a tawdry relationship between Mercedes-Benz and the Japanese brand. Based on remarks made by Infiniti reps at the Detroit Auto Show, it doesn’t appear there will be a redux.
In a conversation with Motor Authority, Infiniti president Christian Meunier told that site’s Managing Ed and TTAC alum Aaron Cole that the QX30 is unlikely to mirror the GLA going forward. From the exchange:
“(The QX30 is) not a very successful product. We’ll keep selling it for now…but this is not a product that has a future beyond its current life. It will be replaced in the future by an all-Infiniti platform”.
It is a damning assessment of a product when the man in charge of the company point-blank calls the thing “not a very successful product.”
Regardless of its current fortunes, it took approximately three eons and one ice age for Infiniti to realize much fruit from the tie-up with Benz, as the QX30 appeared for the 2017 model year despite showing up in concept form in Geneva all the way back in 2015. Even though it shares a large list of parts bin items, the Japanese unit was priced about $5,000 south of ze German twin at introduction.
What’s next? Our man Chris Tonn reported on the Infiniti QX Inspiration Concept car that kinda-sorta debuted at the Detroit show this week. Whatever production vehicle emerges from this concept will surely not be endowed with suicide doors and Lite Brite interior; however, it does point the way to an electrified future for the brand.
Infiniti has stated its entire range will be electrified in some manner in the next few years, a tall order for a company that offers exactly zero hybrids at the current – pun intended – moment. The QX60 Hybrid crossover and Q50 Hybrid sedan have both vanished from showrooms, as has the big Q70 Hybrid. Perhaps the company intends ramp up its presence in the electrified market all at once. They do have Leaf engineers nearby, after all.
[Image: Infiniti]
Matthew buys, sells, fixes, & races cars. As a human index of auto & auction knowledge, he is fond of making money and offering loud opinions.
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"They do have Leaf engineers nearby, after all." Because the Leaf is so successful after all.
I'm not surprised it'll die, but for two reasons nobody seems to realize. Number 1 is the engine, the M270 which Mercedes no longer uses. It's the newer M260 in the new A and updated C Class. Mercedes sweet-talked Nissan back in 2013 to put in an engine plant at Decherd TN to make the M270 for use in the Alabama-built C Class. Infiniti use the CLA 208 hp tune in the QX30. And now, what are they supposed to do? Retool the plant after only four years of actual production to supply the M260? I can imagine Nissan is just delighted at being stuck with a dinosaur engine so quickly. The Japanese don't throw four year old engine designs away like the Germans seem prone to do. BMW pulled off the exact same maneuver with the N20 to B48. The Japanese spend the time to get it right first time, not to change their mind after the proverbial five minutes. Investment decisions reflect the long life they expect, The second thing is that the electrical system of the QX30 is a lash-up of the CLA donor platform and Nissan standards to get their own accessory stuff to work. Enough articles at QX30 introduction time detailing that snafu which had to be worked through in development. Wasn't that first CLA a great vehicle or what? The QX30 is a CLA/GLA first gen underneath. I'd say Infiniti/Nissan's terse statement about scrapping the QX30 reflects the going over semi-scam Mercedes subjected them to, which just burns them up with annoyance. A waste of money, and only themselves to blame in the end.