FX45 Test cars are roaming the street of Phoenix..

['97 S14 SE Turbo]

3 of them, all different color. The copper looking one, the one that's on the 2nd FX45 concept car, and the silver.

Didn't realize that they are running 265 width tires on the 20" wheels. Simply massive... Too bad I forgot to look at the profile series.

For those that are fussing over the interior, don't worry.... The leather seats are beautiful... and so is the dash...!!!

The Bi-Xenon headlight is pretty interesting too. It's the same HID light source for both the low and high beam.

Hopefully, soon I'll get the few pictures that I took sometime during the week. Tooks some interesting profile pictures. The headlights are definetly sculpted...

The day after I spotted them in a parking lot, I see them roaming the streets in Tempe at night conducting durability study. I'm just waiting to see one pull the Uhaul.

When the Muranos were out testing, some of them were roaming about pulling a U-haul trailer to conduct durability towing study. Pretty neat.

[fx45HiTech]

They are 265/50s ... which makes for almost 10.5" wide tires... hehe... get some pictures when they are out car crushing http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

[mossballs]

Are the vehicles you saw, the production models? What was the interior like?Is it like the interior on frreshalloy, with the all black dash etc. Did you find out anything on theHSP?

['97 S14 SE Turbo]

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00063.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00064.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00065.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00066.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00067.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00068.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00069.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00070.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00071.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00072.JPG
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/Team-NISMO-AZ/files/tyyap/FX45/DSC00073.JPG

[**DONOTDELETE**]

the car looks sexy from the outside.. but too bad they kept the ugly interior. thnx nissan adict for the pix http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/cool.gif

['97 S14 SE Turbo]

Ugly? You really, really need to see it in person... or that you prefer a flashy dash. I personally think anything with more flash than that belongs in a clown car. It's perfect. Understated luxuary, vs, LOOK, EVERYONE LOOK...

just my $4.02 worth.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

There's certainly nothing understanded about the exterior. Maybe there should be, considering who the likely buyers are.

[Jason B]

Great pictures! That beast has some beauty! http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/wink.gif

Is that "tape" on the car?

[GroovinGTR]

Thanks alot dude! Those pics look amazing from the outside - very "Audiish." Let's just say the roofrack is a very necessary feature. Stillunsure about the interior, but if the nxterior is that hot, they will still sell like hotcakes (the Altima theory.)

[mossballs]

Thanks for the pics! I am glad that I cancelled my order a few weeks ago. Has anyone seen the VW Touareg? That is going to be one nice vehicle.It is in the latest Car and Driver. It cme in first over the X5,mdx,land Rover,xc90 etc.has 310hsp, beautiful interior(looks like the Audi interior)Will be coming out this summer.This is what the FX should have been.

[fx45HiTech]

Excellent quality pics! nice job!

Man it sure looks wide! What the heck are they hiding under the tape besides the badging? Is there some crazy secret trim under there?

I still like the interior. I thought they'd use the same steering wheel as on the Muranos...

Damn I can't wait to tool around in mine! aaaigh... only six more long long weeks to wait. http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/frown.gif

[idontmeanit]

Great work on getting the up-close look and the pictures. Are you sure those are 20" wheels. I noticed there seems to be wheel-well liner/inserts on thses cars--perhaps necessary to make the 18" fx35 stock wheels look okay in an otherwise big wheel tub. None of the othe pics so far seem to have these grey inserts???

['97 S14 SE Turbo]

They are all FX45s... and yes, those are the 20" wheels... and yes, they look damn tiny on the car... If you are unsure of it's size, just look at the pictures where you can see the whole vehicle, and the Ford Expedition infront of it. Just think about it that way. You can also compare to the Mercedes SL to the left.

...and yes, they look puny...

[FriscoMgM]

Nice pix TY. Damn those 20's look small...and the exhaust looks very...um...Z'ish. http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/laugh.gif

[Geniusjustin]

In the photo of the front with a close up of the grille: are those LED lights within the horizontal bars??????

[GroovinGTR]

</font><blockquote><font class="small[/img]In reply to:</font><hr />
Has anyone seen the VW Touareg?

[/QUOTE]
Yep, I've seen it. Looks like a raised Toyota Sienna. IMO its too soft looking and non-aggressive and suffers from the ML syndrome of looking like a minivan. And way too expensive, for 310 HP you will be paying over $5,000 more than an FX45 for a much less reliable vehicle...plus I will not support VW's attempt to shove Audi out of the market. The Toureg should have been an Audi for that price.

[Infiniti]

VW is turning into a luxury company. THis is why it is a VW. Also, the SUV concept from Detroit last year, called the VW Magellen, will be an Audi.


Toureg is great vehicle. It won a C/d comparo, deservingly so.

[mossballs]

Don't know where you get your info but the FX is going to cost around 52k and the VW is 46K the VW just took first place over the X5/MDX/XC90/Lexus/Aviator in the Car and driver mag. You must pe talking aabout the FX35 which will still cost you 45K the VW has great interior front end and off road with a 400hsp coming only downfall is the rear end.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

don't like the clock placement. http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/mad.gif

[GroovinGTR]

Just like the FX the Toureg will come with more than 1 engine. The base engine does not produce 310 hp unless they recently changed something. The base Toureg will cost a couple of grand more than the base FX, wait and see.

As for VW turning into a luxury company, why? VAG already has a very good luxury company which if it did not face internal competition from VW, would probably do a lot better.

[jberger]

Only the top of the line VW will have the 310HP Engine and it looks to be priced around 52K according to the VW Sales folks I've spoken to.
The VW looks to be far more the off road vehicle than the FX, which is fine by me cause the most off road mine would see is the boat ramp, and the trail to the gun range, which I've done in my Q45 before (but not regularly).

If infiniti can nail down the handling of the chassis in the FX config (which should not be an issue given the time they've had with the FM platform) then the car should be a real winner in the twisty bits. Which, BTW, leads me to believe the FX35 will out perform the FX45 with the same wheel/tire combo. The 35 should be lighter (even in the FM that should matter) but the engineers will have tons more time testing the V-6 config over the v-8 given the number of platforms available.

BTW: Thanks for posting those pics, did you manage to talk them into a ride along? A nice 6 pack or bottle might just do the trick!

[222Max]

That the Toureg won out over BMW, Volvo, Lexus and the like is a major coup for VW. Still, it remains to be seen if people will start to spend Audi prices for a VW. The most expensive VW currently sold here is the Passat W8. At near 40 large it is a sales failure. There's no disputing VW dedication and thier products but with upper crust cars like Toureg and Pheaton coming down the pike one has to wonder what Volkswagen is thinking.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Evidently VW is thinking that there is more money to be made selling expensive cars than selling low price cars.

[222Max]

Yea, but show me a low price VW anywhere.

[_Eric_]

</font><blockquote><font class="small[/img]In reply to:</font><hr />
In the photo of the front with a close up of the grille: are those LED lights within the horizontal bars??????

[/QUOTE]

No those are not LED's in the grill. They are just bumps in the slats, very much the same as in the G35 Coupe.

[NissLover]

What are the vertical bars in the headlights. I can't figure it out. This thing is beautiful. I love the interior. Especially in all black. I took the brochure that was sent to me to school and everybody loved it. But the funny thing is that thought it was a car and not an SUV. I was like ok is there something I dont seee yall see.

[_Eric_]

</font><blockquote><font class="small[/img]In reply to:</font><hr />
What are the vertical bars in the headlights. I can't figure it out.

[/QUOTE]

They are the shutter in the bi-xenon system. Here's a quote from the Infiniti sight:

</font><blockquote><font class="small[/img]In reply to:</font><hr />
Bi-Xenon headlights use xenon gas for a brighter beam that consumes less power. Driver-adjustable for height, these headlights employ a shutter to provide both low and high xenon beams.

[/QUOTE]

['97 S14 SE Turbo]

Supposetly the shutter moves over the projector lense to provide high beam... The only HID system of it's type on the market.

[fx45HiTech]

Ok all you smart fellas ... what the heck is "Brake Preview" ... it's the one mystery feature on the FX that I can't even guess at.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

does anyone else think the rear is very mazda-esque ... kinda reminds me of the mazda 6's tailights

[mossballs]

The rar is taken from the Ford Taurus wagon and the grill is taken from the Crown Vic. I just test drove the Murano and was impressed with the vehicle.The dealer said there is only about one or two inch difference between the Murano and the FX in lenght/width/and height. The loaded Murano was 34,000. I don't see where Infiniti can come up with 18,000 xtra for improvements on the FX.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

from what I know, the FX is just a different vehicle from the Murano. It is a different world. At least, that is what I have been explained from Nissan and Infiniti representatives.

[jberger]

The FX is a completely different car built on a totally different platform. So it will be a different experiance both visually and when driven. Can't really compare the 2 since they are apples and oranges.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

THESE PHOTOS ARE AWESOME and really capture the car in person. I spotted the birds in Scottsdale, AZ on Wednesday. They were travelling with a few Muranos (without tape over the badges finally) and the NEW FULL-SIZE SUV! They stopped for a break at a gas station. I got out and looked, but was rebuked by a mean driver when I started looking at the dashboard of the only one that the had the dash uncovered.

I had just enough time to grab a disposable camera and I posted up behind some bushes across the street to get some shots. The pix were really bad, (especially compared to those posted here!) but the Kodak Photo Disc REALLY stinks. I'll try to get them up ASAP anyway. The BigBoy is pretty well camoflaged, but maybe somebody can make something of them.

http://www.geocities.com/bakerlaw67/fx.html

[fatddyslam69]

that is awesome how they travel in packs! HAHA. Anyways, that is the new NISSAN PATHFINDER (or full size SUV [whatever they are calling it]) because it is very much like the spy photo at www.thecarconnection.com (http://www.thecarconnection.com) . Anyways, the FX looks relatively big-as big as the LEXUS in the background of the third pic? Was it small for an SUV? ...im excited. Look at that woman driving the FULL SIZE-damn i wish i was her! haha http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

Here are clear spy pics of the upcoming NISSAN FULL SIZE-exact same spy car as the one captured in your photos-see the wheels?
http://www.thecarconnection.com/images/gallery/6416_image.jpg

IS THIS THAT SAME LADY DRIVING? (im not talkin bout the QUEST, but the lady reachin to the roof of the full-size in the background?)... http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

http://www.thecarconnection.com/images/gallery/6415_image.jpg

OK, THERE WE GO......GOTCHA NISSAN! haha http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

[dempa]

</font><blockquote><font class="small[/img]In reply to:</font><hr />
Ok all you smart fellas ... what the heck is "Brake Preview" ... it's the one mystery feature on the FX that I can't even guess at.

[/QUOTE]


maybe its like the new BMW 7 series.. when you break hard, additional break lights come on.. kinda like a 2 stage break lights.. i dunno im just guessing

[340HP]

Nice photos. I'd love to see 24" dubs on the FX. The 20's look small.