[alcatraz]

'Luxury' -- what is in that word? People buying luxury vehicles are looking for beautiful design, exclusivity and quality. For many, many years the German brands have been dominating the luxury market, but has that domination ironically diluted the very value proposition that these luxury brands aim to provide their customers?

Leading the premium C-segment are the German models: the BMW 1/2-series, the Audi A3 and the Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class. Pictures of these three are below. They are great looking vehicles, but they do not really look much different from each other. None of them really stand out from each other.

BMW 2-Series Sedan

Audi A3 Sedan

Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class Sedan

When it comes to design, if you want to stand out from the crowd, the Infiniti Q30 seems a clear winner to me. From a design perspective, it has managed to stand out with beautiful curves and intriguing exterior color choices, while not drifting into a design genre that is too extreme for the masses to be comfortable with. The German brands appear to be making different versions of the same design. Good looking cars, but not distinctive.

Furthermore, the German brands have lost a lot of the exclusivity that luxury car buyers are looking for. These are the sales numbers for each of the models in the US YTD.

BMW 1/2-Series - 9730
Audi A3 - 29,704
Mercedes-Benz CLA-CLass - 23,253

While there are no sales numbers for the Q30 at the moment, as the car isn't even on sale yet, I can guarantee you that the Q30 will sell in less numbers than its German rivals. Funnily enough, this actually makes the Q30 a more attractive choice for buyers looking for exclusivity. People are used to seeing German luxury cars roaming the nicer neighbourhoods now. There is nothing about them that stops people in their tracks, and gets them to take a closer look. Gets them to ask, "Oooo, what is that?" The German luxury brands have become common and in-exclusive -- victims of their own success.

Purchasing an Infiniti Q30 is the choice of a smart luxury shopper. It has superior design, uniqueness and exclusivity when compared to its German rivals. Furthermore, it is in many ways the same as the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class in terms of its bare bones and mechanical components, so it can't really be said that buyers will be missing out on the German craftsmanship.

Why are you interested in the Infiniti Q30 and not its German luxury brand rivals?

 

[John Anthony Taylor]

I couldn't have put it better. I fell in love with the Q30 concept when it was launched at the 2013 Geneva motor show and said to my wife " That's going to be my next car!". 3 years later in March 2016 I expect to be driving around my home town near Manchester UK attracting 'puzzled' glances by observers wondering " wow!, what's that stylish car, not seen one of those before?".


PS ...I should be showing it off even earlier when I get my 48 hour test-drive later this month. Hope to give out Infiniti salesmen's business cards to interested motorists and earn myself some sort of discount off the cost of my purchase!.... wishful thinking?..

 

[Tsunamarama]

I couldn't have put it better. I fell in love with the Q30 concept when it was launched at the 2013 Geneva motor show and said to my wife " That's going to be my next car!". 3 years later in March 2016 I expect to be driving around my home town near Manchester UK attracting 'puzzled' glances by observers wondering " wow!, what's that stylish car, not seen one of those before?".


PS ...I should be showing it off even earlier when I get my 48 hour test-drive later this month. Hope to give out Infiniti salesmen's business cards to interested motorists and earn myself some sort of discount off the cost of my purchase!.... wishful thinking?..

I did not know that a 48-hour test drive is a thing. That sounds great.

I also think that the design of the Q30 is great. It looks more modern and cutting edge than any other vehicle in this range of pricing that I have seen. I'm glad that the concept and the production models are almost identical, which is really cool.

BMWs are nice, but I can't say that they are a rare sight. I don't see many Infinitis around, though I will say that the Q30 is the only model Infiniti has right now that I am really impressed by.

 

[John Anthony Taylor]

Recent Infiniti Concept Cars

The Q60 & Q80 concepts look outstanding for those with deeper pockets !.

 

[infinite]

I think it can at times vary from dealer to dealer, sewell dealers are bound to let you do this, not sure about any others.

 

[John Anthony Taylor]

I think it can at times vary from dealer to dealer, sewell dealers are bound to let you do this, not sure about any others.

48 hour test-drives are an Infiniti UK offer on the full range of models. I think it is because there are only 12 dealerships in the whole of the UK so they need to attract potential customers to travel long distances, take the car home and come back 24 / 48 hours later.

 

[alcatraz]

48 hour test-drives are an Infiniti UK offer on the full range of models. I think it is because there are only 12 dealerships in the whole of the UK so they need to attract potential customers to travel long distances, take the car home and come back 24 / 48 hours later.

Interesting... Even more so outside of America this whole argument for Infiniti being more unique than the Germans is true. There are few dealerships in Europe, and few Infinitis as well. The long test drive is a good idea to remedy this. Wish we had it here, I'll have to take a look and see.

 

[infinite]

Unique was what I think the last thing Infinti needed since they have just about everything else a buyer in the luxury vehicle segment could want, this time around they should be seeing sales that reflect how positively they've changed over the years leading up to what they're able to offer now.

 

[John Anthony Taylor]

Infiniti on TV

:nerd: Here in the UK I have just finished viewing the American ABC Studios TV series 'Secrets & Lies'. The principal family have a Q50 sedan which featured throughout. Does such 'product placement' of automobiles encourage sales?. I always thought 'wow' whenever I saw those stylish LED front & tail lights as well as the Infiniti grill.

 

[Indiana Jones]

Not sure if product placement is enough to increase your sales numbers by itself but it will draw your attention to it and give you an idea on what it was designed for. Maybe they wanted the Q50 sedan to be associated with families.
Was watching a show called Suits and the lawyers all had luxury cars. Makes me associate success and luxury with those cars.

 

[infinite]

Not sure if product placement is enough to increase your sales numbers by itself but it will draw your attention to it and give you an idea on what it was designed for. Maybe they wanted the Q50 sedan to be associated with families.
Was watching a show called Suits and the lawyers all had luxury cars. Makes me associate success and luxury with those cars.

It's part of a whole ecosystem of promotion and conditioning, it's sort of the reason why Coke promotes it's product even while they're still massively successful and won't see that decline any time soon.

 

[Answer42]

I like the color and design more than the other German brands. They look kind of similar and boring to me so why not go with something else but I'll have to test drive it first before deciding.
What infiniti needs to do for brand awareness is plaster their brand all over a movie like Mercedes and Jurassic World.

 

[infinite]

I like the color and design more than the other German brands. They look kind of similar and boring to me so why not go with something else but I'll have to test drive it first before deciding.
What infiniti needs to do for brand awareness is plaster their brand all over a movie like Mercedes and Jurassic World.

I agree.

This design is different, it's unique to Infiniti and not something you typically see, and these days it seems car makers are finding it hard to stand out while coming out with a fresh design.

Infiniti is off to the right start with this revamp.

 

[John Anthony Taylor]

Several new 'concept' cars at the Tokyo motor show were dramatically stylish but on so many occasions in the past, the 'production' versions are toned down and loose the very features that attracted admiring glances.


Q30 has managed to keep most of the stylish features of the concept version so I think it will be very successful.


Digressing, the Maserati Ghibli is stylishly different from the mainstream large sedans.

 

[infinite]

Several new 'concept' cars at the Tokyo motor show were dramatically stylish but on so many occasions in the past, the 'production' versions are toned down and loose the very features that attracted admiring glances.


Q30 has managed to keep most of the stylish features of the concept version so I think it will be very successful.


Digressing, the Maserati Ghibli is stylishly different from the mainstream large sedans.

That has to do with the nature of Infiniti concepts, they keep concepts close to reality, so the end result is just that, reality.

 

[Indiana Jones]

Is anyone going to go for the QX30 instead? Just wondering.

 

[John Anthony Taylor]

My Q30 on order. Member Locations

Is anyone going to go for the QX30 instead? Just wondering.

Having ordered my Q30 for 1st March 2016 delivery, I am too excited to wait, possibly 4 to 6 months, for the QX 30. Pricing will likely be too high for me anyway.


Being, possibly the only UK member of this forum, I would love to see other forum members 'Location ' under user profiles such as your's Indiana Jones and that of infinite, Tsunamarama, Mona & Alcatraz etc Do any of you have an Infiniti showroom nearby?.

 

[infinite]

I might be, but the default decision will be the QX30 just for the improved capability, but ultimately once i'm ready to buy i'll have to drive the both of them and see both in person.

 

[Indiana Jones]

Nothing in Canada yet. The Q30 isn't even on the Canadian website.

 

[alcatraz]

:nerd: Here in the UK I have just finished viewing the American ABC Studios TV series 'Secrets & Lies'. The principal family have a Q50 sedan which featured throughout. Does such 'product placement' of automobiles encourage sales?. I always thought 'wow' whenever I saw those stylish LED front & tail lights as well as the Infiniti grill.

I think that product placement could be pretty useful for Infiniti. if they are able to place the car into a show that emphasizes that it is the choice of a person or family who appreciates luxury, it adds to the brand that way. Also, many people may have never seen or considered Infiniti, but when they see it on the show they say, "That's a nice car, what is that?"