Another Infiniti Model Fades to Black

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

Infiniti’s largest passenger car is making like the brand’s presence in Western Europe and biting the dust. As the brand’s sales falter, the slow-selling Q70 sedan positioned at the top of the lineup has been discontinued, further reducing Infiniti’s product offerings.

The cancellation was heralded by last year’s axing of the seldom-seen hybrid model.

Confirmed by Motor Authority, the Q70 will not stage a reappearance for the 2020 model year. Brand spokesman Kyle Bazemore responded in an email to the publication that Infiniti plans to “continue to focus on consumer demand with a line of sport utility vehicles, while also remaining committed to the passenger car market with the Q60 sports sedan and Q60 sports coupe.”

The Q70 was the flagship you rarely saw, unlike the model’s German, Japanese, and yes, even American rivals (Lincoln Continental not included). Starting life as the Infiniti M, the current-generation model bowed in 2011 and adopted the brand’s new naming strategy for the 2014 model year. Two engines were on offer: a 3.7-liter V6 and 5.6-liter V8, mated to a seven-speed automatic and either rear- or all-wheel drive. A long-wheelbase model also appeared, as did a hybrid.

Infiniti ditched the hybrid for the 2019 model year, foretelling the Q70’s fate.

Despite the brand’s U.S. volume declining over the past two years, most notably so in recent months (September’s year-over-year sales loss was an alarming 43.9 percent), the loss of the Q70 won’t have much of an impact on the brand. Infiniti sold 149 of them in September. Year to date, the Q70 has shed 36.8 percent of the volume it enjoyed a year earlier.

With just 2,198 sales through September, the Q70 is the slowest-selling model in Infiniti’s lineup, beating out even the discontinued QX30 subcompact crossover, which kicked the bucket earlier this year. Overall, the brand has seen its volume decline 16.5 percent since the start of the year.

No replacement has been announced. While past concept cars, such as the Q80 Inspiration and follow-up Q Inspiration, have hinted at a new flagship, nothing has materialized in the production realm. Given that the brand still has trouble selling the quite new QX50 crossover, a flagship sedan might not be the best use of resources during this troubled time.

[Image: Infiniti]

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Chocolatedeath Chocolatedeath on Oct 27, 2019

    I am the lone person that loves this car but even when it was time to buy a car this past summer I ended up getting a K900 v8. The v8 LWB versions are still rather expensive but I love driving them. When you can get a VIP package K900 2016 for 26k and only 20k miles it makes it difficult to spend 40k plus on the Q70.

    • See 2 previous
    • Cbrworm Cbrworm on Oct 28, 2019

      I liked them too. I test drove the newest iteration in V6 and V8 form. I realized the V6 and its transmission is too harsh for that car - it doesn't bother me in others. The V8 is great - almost goofy, but it appears they don't make, or can't get the S model. The V8 I drove was the long wheelbase model, and it drove like a boat. It seriously would have been the best traditional American sedan 15 years ago. I was dismayed, I wanted to like it... I wanted to buy one, but the lack of the S package combined with the handling and interior of a Buick Park Avenue, and only being able to see white and beige interiors really turned me off. It's possible that it would have been a great car, but I couldn't do it. Ended up leasing another BMW 540i instead - will revisit in 3 years.

  • Flipper35 Flipper35 on Oct 28, 2019

    A shame as it is one of the more handsome models they sell.

    • Ermel Ermel on Oct 28, 2019

      *cough* What? That bulbous, nothing-quite-fits-together ... thing in the picture is one of the more handsome models? Man, am I glad that Infiniti either doesn't exist or doesn't sell enough cars to be noticeable here in Germany.

  • Master Baiter I'm skeptical of any project with government strings attached. I've read that the new CHIPS act which is supposed to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. is so loaded with DEI requirements that companies would rather not even bother trying to set up shop here. Cheaper to keep buying from TSMC.
  • CanadaCraig VOTE NO VW!
  • Joe This is called a man in the middle attack and has been around for years. You can fall for this in a Starbucks as easily as when you’re charging your car. Nothing new here…
  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
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