New QE Sports Sedan

[noelsaw]

According to our source, Infiniti is working on a fire breather of it's own to challenge the Lexus GS400 and BMW 540i.

Apparently Infiniti has given the green light to a large sports sedan code-named "QE." The car is basically an aggressive version of Nissan's well received Japanese market Gloria that will slot just under the new Q45.
The concept shown to our source looks exactly like the Gloria with the exception of the prerequisite Infiniti logos and badges. Powering it will be a 4.5L V-8 with an estimated 330 bhp.

Tell us what you think!

[**DONOTDELETE**]

sounds good to me. should give the GS400 a run for its money with 330 hp. the styling of the gloria ain't bad so it should work out fine

[**DONOTDELETE**]

The Gloria is one fine RWD sedan, It should provide a good platform for the Lexus/BMW challenger.

[This message has been edited by Fairlady Z (edited 04-15-2000).]

[Max Ima]

Any word on whether the "QE" will have a six-cylinder stablemate? Part of the GS-series success -- especially in terms of sales -- was the fact that there were two engine options. Last I heard, Nissan makes one of the "10 best V6 engines in America."

[mcervantes]

I've only heard about the V8 from my sources. I'm guessing that the XVL-to-be will cover the V6 segment.

Or maybe they'd use the 3.5L VQ...

mikecervantes

[tbear]

It's more than that: "10 best engines in the world" for 5 (or is it 6?) years in a row. The article is at http://www.wardsauto.com

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Max Ima:
Any word on whether the "QE" will have a six-cylinder stablemate? Part of the GS-series success -- especially in terms of sales -- was the fact that there were two engine options. Last I heard, Nissan makes one of the "10 best V6 engines in America." <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[**DONOTDELETE**]

http://showroom.nissan.co.jp/WebObjects/Lineup.woa/C99IMAGES/l_gloria-h-40.jpg

i guess we can imagine this car with an infiniti grille and logo http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif i think it should look pretty good, it's kind of like a Q45 with a "new edge" twist to it.

[2HD]

If thats what the "QE" is going to look like I think Nissan is heading for trouble again, here are a few reasons why.

#1 If it's competing against the GS400 and BMW 540i it should have the most interior room and hp too match.

#2 if the GS400 and BMW 540i are it's main competitors thier going to crush it styling wise these two cars (especially the GS 400 although it is a merc E-class knock off) are more distinct and sporty which is a main feature for a sports sedan .

#3 hasn't Nissan learned that exporting a car ment for Japan and dumping it in the US isn't going to work. This is the reason the Q45 sales are so low, it looks more at home in a garage in Japan then on a road in America.

My opinions the Gloria is leaning towards the ugly side, why does it look like the 2000 Avalon and whats up with CLK rear. It doesn't look like it fits well with the rest of the elegant Infiniti line-up.

Sorry, Just had to get that off my chest http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 2HD:
If thats what the "QE" is going to look like I think Nissan is heading for trouble again, here are a few reasons why.

#3 hasn't Nissan learned that exporting a car meant for Japan and dumping it in the US isn't going to work. This is the reason the Q45 sales are so low, it looks more at home in a garage in Japan then on a road in America.

Sorry, Just had to get that off my chest http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well look at the Maximas, they are based off the Japanese market Cefiros and they've done very well here in the states. Also the Pathfinders are based off the Japanese Teranos SUVs. I think Nissan has learned their lessons enough to do it right this time around...

[thearabian]

No, i hope they do not expect that the Gloria-style will succede in North America. Nice for a luxury sedan, a bit volvoish. They need to round off the edges a bit, make it more sleek, add larger fog lamps. But still, this car looks too big and bulky to be a sports luxo sedan. I am sure its capable mechanically but they seriousely need to alter the looks. Don't get me wrong its a really nice car, just not sporty like the 540. Notice i didnt say sporty like the Benzo, oops, GS400 (as if these last 2 are sporty).

[**DONOTDELETE**]

The Benz E class aren't sporty at all....Lexus GS400, that's another story http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif No sedan on earth can touch it other than the E55 and M5.

The QE should have a six and optional 8 just like the Lexus GS.

[TitaniusMaximus]

The Lexus GS is a nice vehicle... but I looked at the Consumer Reports reliability rating... and it had the worst rating of all Luxury cars... bad Toyota... bad... even worse than Lincoln... worse than Cadillac...

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I found that hard to believe http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif

CR don't know jack about cars...bunch of jokesters.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Personally i think the gloria pictured above looks great. It is aggressive and sleek and it has more than enough looks and horsepower to compete with lexus and bmw.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

http://showroom.nissan.co.jp/WebObjects/Lineup.woa/C99IMAGES/l_cedric-h.jpg

looks best in black http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/cool.gif

the cedric's grille looks a little better than the gloria's, in my opinion

[This message has been edited by nsuguy (edited 04-20-2000).]

[**DONOTDELETE**]

If infiniti thinks that the gloria or Cedric would do good in the U.S. as it looks now there wrong. They do need more cars desperatly but not one that looks like that. They should make the XVL a little shorter and make the QE similar to the XVL but longer and with more of a sporty appearance by adding creases to the body.

[dfw_alan]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Fairlady Z:
I found that hard to believe http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif

CR don't know jack about cars...bunch of jokesters.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

The GS initial quality is subpar for a Lexus.

The GS400 had a whole slew of electrical nags the first year.

Many (almost all) GS300's needed ECU replacements because of hesitation problems.

ALL white GS cars paint on polyurethane parts (mirrors bumpers) started bubling up and discoloring after a few months to a year and needed to be repainted because factory paint just plain sucked.

Despite that its still a great car... Better than what Nissan has now... Which is nothing http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif

The XVL is going to be smaller than the supposedly proposed QE. They should have a base V6 for the QE for those that want a car larger than the XVL but don't need the power of the V8... They will be turning away alot of potential customers should Nissan chose not to offer a V6.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dacman:
... They should have a base V6 for the QE for those that want a car larger than the XVL but don't need the power of the V8... They will be turning away alot of potential customers should Nissan chose not to offer a V6.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

i agree. the VQ35DE or even the VQ30DE should be adequate to move around that car pretty smartly. a fairly affordable base model could help increase infiniti's sales quite a bit http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/grin.gif

the Q's new 340 hp engine should make the "QE" very competitive with the Lexus GS, being that the Q45 has performance that's already pretty close (acceleration, at least). an optional 6 speed manual would be very cool (probably won't happen, manumatic type deal most likely)

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by thearabian:
[B]No, i hope they do not expect that the Gloria-style will succede in North America. Nice for a luxury sedan, a bit volvoish. B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

the QE looks more like a Mercedes than a Volvo, at least to me. The grille looks very Mercedes-inspired, but I like. http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/grin.gif

[**DONOTDELETE**]

An optional V8 engine would be nice, there used to be a V8 J30 called J40 in Japan http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Need they repeat the same mistakes they made with the current Q45?? COME ON GUYS quit kidding around the gloria looks like a rendition of the current Q45, which is not a big seller. How do you expect a car that looks like a big Q with an extra crease down the side to compete with the likes of GS400 or 5 series BMW, when the current Q time and time again keeps loosing ground to them in terms of sales and brand imagery?? That cannot be the next sport luxo car from Infiniti, if it is they can kiss their jobs and future goodbye.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Why should the Gloria do any better? Whatever they decide on it needs to be done quick. The syling shouldnt be so elongated, it should scream "I WANT TO BE DRIVEN IN THE TWISTIES!!" Not "I like to hang around the old peoples home and play shuffle board" for pete's sake, a rebaged gloria to me would be the end of all things Infiniti. Possibly Nissan as well. IT IS NOT THE ANSWER

[**DONOTDELETE**]

the GS400 looks like something out of a Japanese cartoon. i can't see what's so great about its styling. there's nothing flashy about the BMW 5 series either. the gloria isn't much worse or better in my opinion. i feel that luxury cars should look stately. not extreme like a Viper. the gloria looks pretty stately to me, kinda like the old Mercedes S-class

[**DONOTDELETE**]

You've got to understand who they're competing against. If you like stately then go buy a caddy, or lincoln for that matter. The 5 series and GS400 are both stately and yet conservative in their own rights. But who am I to say anything just look at the sales figures.

[2HD]

Does anyone have any new info on the QE it doesn't seem like it's going to look anything like the Gloria or the Cedric (thank goodness) since Carlos Ghosn thinks most Nissans are ugly. Is there any confirmation on a least the specs cause this thing should be here about a year away?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

My idea is why Nissan do not put a little but not to much agresive J30 http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/cool.giffront end in this car I think the J30 looks very sporty and cool too and I think that the J30 are doing the sales better than ever,I think NISSAN can do that. http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/tongue.gif

[**DONOTDELETE**]

... but not a J30 rear, please! http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/wink.gif It was butt ugly besides being non-practical (reduced trunk capacity and smallish rear lights).

[xlr8r]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by dacman:
The GS initial quality is subpar for a Lexus.

The GS400 had a whole slew of electrical nags the first year.

Many (almost all) GS300's needed ECU replacements because of hesitation problems.

ALL white GS cars paint on polyurethane parts (mirrors bumpers) started bubling up and discoloring after a few months to a year and needed to be repainted because factory paint just plain sucked.

Despite that its still a great car... Better than what Nissan has now... Which is nothing http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum//images/icons/smile.gif

The XVL is going to be smaller than the supposedly proposed QE. They should have a base V6 for the QE for those that want a car larger than the XVL but don't need the power of the V8... They will be turning away alot of potential customers should Nissan chose not to offer a V6.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

from everything i've read in car mags, the gs400 has been fine. road and track had no real problems with it. but that ain't really much

[xlr8r]

i think for an infiniti sports sedan to be a killer it needs power, say 330 like someone else said, which would give it the advantage against the bmw and lexus.it would be nice to have a six speed like the 5-series, though it would not be likley. as for looks, why not go to a third party like pininfirina, who usually design ferrari's or italdesign which is headed by giogetto guigiaro, who helped design the first gs300. theres nothing wrong with having a sports car designed by italians

[**DONOTDELETE**]

since the new Q45 has 340hp, i'm guessing the sportier QE would have more like 350 to 360hp

about styling, i think the gloria looks pretty good, just the front end is a little flat. the body is very crisp and the rear looks pretty good. all it needs is an I30-like front fascia to make it look like an infiniti

[**DONOTDELETE**]

The new up and coming sports sedan from Infiniti will be the XVL. Whether or not they plan on selling it here in the United States under that same name is really anybody's guess. But I agree with some of you here, it definately needs a manual tranny as some sort of option package, not to mention a bunch of horsepower.

[Infiniti]

What the hell is the QE http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/confused.gif I have never heard of it before, but isnt the XVL supossed to be a high performance sedan? Since it is then where did the QE come from? The QE has to be the XVL, it doesnt make sense that it would be a totally different car. http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/wink.gif Does anyone of pictures of it, not the Gloria though, or pics of the QZ-which is the mid four? And what is the QZ? http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/confused.gif

[mcervantes]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Infiniti:
What the hell is the QE http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/confused.gif I have never heard of it before, but isnt the XVL supossed to be a high performance sedan? Since it is then where did the QE come from? The QE has to be the XVL, it doesnt make sense that it would be a totally different car. http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/wink.gif Does anyone of pictures of it, not the Gloria though, or pics of the QZ-which is the mid four? And what is the QZ? http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/confused.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Okay, the QE is supposed to be a larger sports sedan to face off with the GS400. Rumor is that it is basically a re-badged Cedric/Gloria with the new ZH45DE dropped in.

The QZ mid-four was an late 80's/early 90's [not sure when] Nissan concept. Somebody here suggested Infiniti should try to draw inspiration off of that for a new sports car. In other words, there is no QZ in Infiniti's future...well at least nothing we've heard of yet. Although, there may be a sports coupe on the horizon that could be based on the new Z/XVL platform.... http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/wink.gif

mikecervantes

[Infiniti]

Muchas Grasias Senor http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/grin.gif

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Is got to be like I said more agressive J30 front end ,320 to 360 (380 sorry I'm dreaming http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/smile.gif )horsepower,V6 offering,5-6 manumatic transmission,good overall design ,38 to 45,000$(can be 48,000$) sticker price and Infiniti made of course!
http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/grin.gif

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by HonduhToyoKiller!:
Is got to be like I said more agressive J30 front end ,320 to 360 (380 sorry I'm dreaming http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/smile.gif )horsepower,V6 offering,5-6 manumatic transmission,good overall design ,38 to 45,000$(can be 48,000$) sticker price and Infiniti made of course!
http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/grin.gif <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

any moderator nothing new about this one?. http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/rolleyes.gif

[mcervantes]

I sure haven't heard anything new. Well, except the rumor that there may be 3 new sedans.

1.) XVL [duh!]
2.) GS400 fighter
3.) High-luxury sedan to slot above the 2002 Q45 in size, price, luxury, etc.

That ultra-Infiniti could actually be the one codenamed "QE." That doesn't by any means write-off the GS fighter. When the GS fighter was tested in consumer clinics back in the spring, it was basically a re-badged Cedric/Gloria with the new Q's engine. I haven't heard anymore since then.

To inject a little of my own opinion, I don't think we'll see the GS fighter based off the Cedric/Gloria any time soon. It doesn't bear the new Infiniti "look" seen in the 2002 Q45 and XVL.

This is highly, I repeat, highly speculative. A lot of what was predicted less than a year ago about future products is now seen as incorrect. Ghosn and the new management are changing everything and making it very hard for the media to predict what will happen next year, let alone 3-4 years down the road.

mikecervantes

[This message has been edited by mcervantes (edited 08-03-2000).]

[**DONOTDELETE**]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mcervantes:
I sure haven't heard anything new. Well, except the rumor that there may be 3 new sedans.

1.) XVL [duh!]
2.) GS400 fighter
3.) High-luxury sedan to slot above the 2002 Q45 in size, price, luxury, etc.

That ultra-Infiniti could actually be the one codenamed "QE." That doesn't by any means write-off the GS fighter. When the GS fighter was tested in consumer clinics back in the spring, it was basically a re-badged Cedric/Gloria with the new Q's engine. I haven't heard anymore since then.

To inject a little of my own opinion, I don't think we'll see the GS fighter based off the Cedric/Gloria any time soon. It doesn't bear the new Infiniti "look" seen in the 2002 Q45 and XVL.

This is highly, I repeat, highly speculative. A lot of what was predicted less than a year ago about future products is now seen as incorrect. Ghosn and the new management are changing everything and making it very hard for the media to predict what will happen next year, let alone 3-4 years down the road.

mikecervantes

[This message has been edited by mcervantes (edited 08-03-2000).]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


Thanks again Mikeyou always help http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/wink.gif,let's http://forums.freshalloy.com/forum/images/icons/confused.gif the time talk!

[thearabian]

In my opinion, i would ask, for what reason would Infiniti want to build a sedan placed higher than the Q45...
i mean they don't even sell the Q's that much, so a car 20000$ more would sell even less, much less... when is the last time you saw a 750IL Protection, an S600 or an A8-L???

[mcervantes]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial[/img]quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by thearabian:
[B]for what reason would Infiniti want to build a sedan placed higher than the Q45...
B]<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Prestige, I guess. It would show the Germans [and Lexus] that Infiniti and Nissan can make a super luxury car. I also am guessing that it would be the replacement for the long-in-the-tooth Nissan President.

[Deadpool]

I personally think Infiniti should also introduce a stretched version of the new Q45 namely Q45 L for the ppl who want more room inside and also to shut the mouth of the media who whines about how Q45 doesnt have enough room in the backseat and how the trunk is so small and crap.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Does anyone know if Nissan will offer any of the turbo variants of the Gloria VQ30DET or RB25DET ? or will it just be the V8 ?

[Infiniti]

I dont know about the turbo, probably not because its expensive. But about the stretched version, Neil (infinitofnashvilledotcom) said that will be a higher-output, stretched Q45. So there isn't 2 models, one a high hp and one a stretched, they are both the same Q. But you said the media says that the Q is too small, but this Q has more cubic volume than the LS430 and the S-Class. More attention was paid to the rear seats giving them extra knee room. So I think that the new Q and the high hp/stretched Q will have plenty off room inside and plenty of power.