Big price cuts for all Infiniti models

UPDATED 15:00 AESTJAPANESE luxury-car newcomer Infiniti has slashed pricing across its entire range twelve months after its Australian re-launch last September.

In a clear bid to shake up modest early sales, the Nissan-owned company has lopped up to $10,000 from its FX soft-roader, as much as $11,500 from the M Series sedan and up to $13,100 from its G37 two-door coupe and convertible line-up.

As an extra incentive, Infiniti will also waive all on-road costs for those who buy one of its cars in September – an additional saving of thousands.

The major re-positioning of the company’s product is part of what it calls an “expansion phase” in its Australian roll-out. The company claims the decision to drop pricing was a recent one.

The price cuts will no doubt drive bigger volumes in tandem with new arrivals such as the Q50 compact sedan late this year and an expansion of its current three-site East Coast dealer network into both South Australia and Western Australia.

Next year will also see the arrival of the Q30 small-car, which shares much of its mechanicals with global joint venture partner Mercedes-Benz. That car will appear for the first time globally at the Frankfurt motor show next week.

Only 170 Infinitis have been registered this year so far, a tiny fraction of what Lexus, Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz have posted.

Infiniti Australia corporate communications manager Peter Fadeyev admits this figure is low, but insists the company remains more concerned about building for the longer-term. We understand the company has plans in place well beyond 2016/17 already.

“We would like to have sold more cars... but our focus is on the long-term in terms of our product and dealer roll-out,” he told us today.

“It’s fair to say (our prices were) too high. Everything we launched was not set in concrete. It’s a recent decision that was taken.

“You can’t expect to join a highly competitive, geographically isolated market with 60-something brands and expect to sell a lot of cars quickly...

ultimately 170 cars is fine for us because we’re set on the long term.”

Infiniti’s top-seller, the FX, now kicks off from $76,400 plus on-road costs ($85,507 drive-away) for the FX37 petrol V6, which is $7500 less than before.

Higher-grade S and S Premium grades with both petrol and diesel engines get $9500 discounts.

The FX50 S petrol V8 range flagship cops the biggest cut of all, a $10,000 drop to $104,900 plus on-roads.

The BMW 5 Series and Lexus GS-rivalling Infiniti M range also gets a revised starting price of $76,400 for the M37, down $9500, therefore undercutting the opening gambit of all premium rivals, bar the less powerful Jaguar XF 2.0 petrol.

The base M30d diesel gets the same price cut, while S Premium versions are $11,500 cheaper than before. The M35h petrol-electric hybrid, for a time the fastest car of its kind in the world, now costs $90,400 - $9500 cheaper than before.

Finally, the G Series two-door range, which hit local showrooms last December, a few months after the FX and M, gets the biggest discount of all. The entry G37 GT coupe is $11,500 cheaper at $64,400, while the S Premium version is a whopping $13,100 less than before at $70,400.

The soft-top versions are both $10,000 cheaper at $77,900 for the S Premium and $79,900 when optioned with a red leather interior.

“Infiniti’s Australian launch in 2012 was characterised by opening the first Infiniti Retail Centres releasing the first four models in our new-vehicle range and delivering a new level of customer service and hospitality,” says general manager Kevin Snell.

“Now we’re moving into the next stage where we fine-tune our offerings to accelerate our growth, introduce additional models such as the all-new Infiniti Q50 premium sports sedan, and expand our retail network.”

It is understood Infiniti has the scope to contact current owners concerned they may paid above the revised pricing.

As title sponsor of current Formula One world champions, Infiniti Red Bull Racing, the company’s international profile has risen dramatically in recent years. This has coincided with the re-location of its head office to Hong Kong, and its move into mature markets such as Australia.

Unlike fellow premium newcomer Opel, which launched in Australia at the same time as Infiniti but has already pulled the pin, Infiniti has pledged it is here for the long haul – fighting it out in Australia’s hugely competitive premium space.

2013 Infiniti pricing*

FX SUV range
FX37	$76,400 (-$7,500)
FX37 S	$83,400 (-$9,500)
FX37 S Premium	$86,400 (-$9,500)
FX30d	$78,400 (-$7,500)
FX30d S	$85,400 (-$9,500)
FX30d S Premium	$88,400 (-$9,500)
FX50S	$104,900 (-$10,000)
M sedan range
M37	$76,400 (-$9,500)
M37 S Premium	$86,400 (-$11,500)
M30d	$78,400 (-$9,500)
M30d S Premium	$88,400 (-$11,500)
M35h HYBRID	$90,400 (-$9,500)
G Coupe range
G37 Coupe GT Premium	$64,400 (-$11,500)
G37 Coupe S Premium	$70,400 (-$13,100)
G Convertible range
G37 Conv. S Premium	$77,900 (-$10,000)
G37 Conv. S Premium (Red Interior)	$79,900 (-$10,000)