Another in a series of my reviews that appeared in the online version of African Americans On Wheels, a now defunct automotive magazine that was included as an insert in the Sunday newspapers of major cities.
One item I don’t get into due to the 350-word limit is that this isn’t a conservative redesign of the original Q45, but the Q45 badge applied to a different car altogether. The original Q45 was a version of the Nissan President, which was Nissan’s entry into the luxury limousine class that also includes the Toyota Century. This Q45 was based on the smaller Nissan Cima, which competes in Japan’s executive class.
Let’s just say that I was less than impressed with this Q45. I’ve never driven the original (although I wish that I had), but I had driven the Lexus GS400, and these cars do not even play in the same league. My wife and I drove it to visit family in Connecticut, and we took the long way, up I-81 to I-84. Although a lovely drive, the car still didn’t endear itself to me. Anyone that chose this car over pretty much anything else in this price class clearly wasn’t comparison shopping.
Within months of each other a decade ago, Nissan and Toyota launched Infiniti and Lexus, respectively, and each had its own V8 flagship sedan. The Mercedes-esque Lexus LS400 was an immediate hit. The daring Infiniti Q45, however, was not.
Well, the Q45 was redesigned for 1997, and gone was the distinctive shape that was later copied by the Oldsmobile Aurora and Ford Taurus. Its poor sales, compared to the less-adventurous Lexus LS400, forced Infiniti 180 degrees to a far more conservatively styled sedan that may be just a bit TOO conservative for this price class. It’s updated slightly for 1999, with revised tail lamps and Xenon High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights. Combined with the large Infiniti grill and cool alloy wheels, the Q45 does stand out a little more.
Although you’d think that a 4.5-liter engine resides under the hood, the Q45 actually has a 4.1-liter, 32-valve V8 engine (I guess Q41 just doesn’t have the same ring to it) that pumps out 266 horsepower. While it doesn’t have quite the punch of the Lexus V8, it moves the nearly two-ton Infiniti with the requisite authority that you would expect for 50 large. The standard traction control works well, but the four speed automatic shifted a little harshly at times.
The leather and wood-tone interior is downright sumptuous. There are big, cushy driver and passenger seats and such power toys as an electronic tilt/telescoping steering wheel and power rear-window sunshade. Furthermore, the elegant analog clock makes a return. Unfortunately, the redesign failed to solve two major faults of the original – tight rear-seat legroom and an unforgivably small trunk.
Although a few expected items seem to be missing, such as five-speed automatic transmission and dual-zone climate control, it would be worth the extra $1700 to upgrade to the Q45t with its trick driver-controlled electronic suspension system that can be set for relaxed or active driving.
Nearly three years into the redesign, sales are still marginal. Hopefully Renault, which now controls Nissan, will give us a Q that combines Nissan’s solid reliability and technological know how with stylistic French flair. That may just be the recipe for success.
For more information contact 1-800-826-6500
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: Four-door Sedan
Engine: 266-horsepower, 4.1 liter V8
Transmission: Four-speed Automatic
EPA Mileage: 17 city/24 highway
Tested Price: $49,145
Over twenty years later, we’re still waiting for that French flair. However, Renault has at least infused both Nissan and Infiniti with French reliability.
To me, the gen.2 INFINITI Q always seemed like a blatant design rip-off of the W140 S-Class, combined with the XF10/XF20 LS you mention, albeit with a slightly more athletic shape than either.
While successful luxury vehicles have fairly evolutionary styling, you can always tell the ones that struggle the most because they suffer from drastic redesigns. Across generations, their respective automakers stumble between styling strategies, hoping to make a mark. And I can’t think of a better example than the INFINITI Q. The first-gen looked like a Japanese Volkswagen/Audi, with its lack of a front grille, long three-part side window arrangement, and omission of any wood trim inside. When that first part didn’t work, INFINITI quickly grafted a traditional grille onto it. As I said, this second-gen Q looked like a hodgepodge of its competitors, and the third-gen resembled nothing so much as an overgrown Buick.
Is it a CC effect that just yesterday I wondered if you were going to post a comment, as I haven’t seen one from you in awhile?
Aww, I’m touched.
I found the original Q45, after they redesigned it with the grill and added more wood/double paned windows a strikingly handsome car, more attractive than the LS. I don’t know why people carp on it so much, it’s not like the Crown Victoria where the grill awkwardly met with the existing bodywork.
This model leaves me feeling completely emotionless, the interior has nothing noteworthy in its design except for that clock, and has that unforgivable-in-a-flagship double DIN stereo cutout (which makes upgrading easier I suppose). These looked decent by the end, with the relatively massive 17” wheels and blackhouse headlights but it’s not a car I’m hankering for either.
I had a ’93 Q45, which I bought used in ’94. 80’s/90’s green/beige interior. Beautiful and high quality car, with plenty of power for its time. I guess there weren’t enough of us to appreciate it, because these late 90’s models were the furthest thing from the original…they do look like a bland generic car. They sent me (and other early Infiniti buyers) to the Europeans and Lexus, and we never returned.
I’ve always thought of the second-generation Q45 as looking like Nissan set about to design a better Seville and succeeded. In doing so, however, they in effect gave up on trying to be the “Japanese BMW” competition to Lexus’ “Japanese Mercedes”. Trying to be a “Japanese Cadillac” may have seemed as an attractive third way, but consigned Infiniti to permanent second-fiddle status.
A friend of mine had a Q45 of this generation. I found the interior as cramped, but provided great service in the initial years. However, as time passed and the warranty expired, the complexity of the design surfaced in very expensive repairs bills. Plus, the fuel mileage for an Asian design was awful.
He eventually sold it to a kid who needed a set of wheels for his first career job which was subsequently t-boned in an auto accident. The kid made off with more insurance money than what he paid my friend.
I am still driving my 2001 Q45 today. It will still do 160 mph with ice cold air on. It is like new and still admired as the Flagship of its time.
It’s top speed limited to 144 mph. Even without the limiter, I seriously doubt it could hit 160.
Once again CC-in-scale has built the model. This one’s in the Japanese ‘VIP-car’ style; lowered, nice alloys and bodykit.
While I like conservatively styled cars and think 1999 is peak car, this really is dull looking! So generic, like a watered-down Crown Vic.
I’ve never driven one (or any Infiniti) so I’ll take everyone else’s opinion on their boringosity to drive.
I always saw an XJS influence in the rear 3/4 roofline of these.