G35 concept

[IALuder]

Story Filed:1/8/2006 3:00 PM
New Concept Vehicle From Infiniti

Fresh off a record sales year in the U.S. in 2005, Infiniti unveiled a concept car that shows a sleek, modern design theme for the next-generation G35 coupe.
At a world premiere at the NAIAS, the two-door concept car glistened under the spotlights at the Infiniti display as Mark Igo, vice president and general manager of Infiniti, said the company has made its mark with consumers because of styling and design.
“We are building the foundation on dynamic design,” Igo told the news media.
The concept car retains the basic shape of the current rear-wheel-drive G35 coupe, but projector headlamps are more eye-catching and the concept car, overall, sits lower to the ground.
There are subtly hidden outer door handles on the concept. The concept’s body side metal is more roundly shaped than in the current car, and there are prominent wheel bulges for the 20-inch, low-profile tires. The current G35 coupe rides on maximum 19-inch tires.
But perhaps most memorable on the outside is the sheen of the silver-colored body metal. While it looks like bare metal, it’s actually created from a “bare metal” paint.
The concept’s roof is full-length glass that provides a spacious feel inside. The car’s center console has two “waves” of textured aluminum trim, and instrumentation has a unique purple lighting. There’s also a sizable, 7-inch, color information display.
Igo said the current-generation G35 coupe remains in the lineup for at least a year, while the G35 sedan will be replaced after this model year. Infiniti plans to preview the new G35 sedan in April at the New York Auto Show, he added.
Besides the success with record sales, Infiniti also has a new, lower average age of its buyers – 46. Igo said this is the lowest of all luxury brands. It’s also 6 years younger than the average age of Infiniti buyers a few years earlier.
Indeed, the G35 coupe outsold the BMW 3-Series coupe in 2005, Igo said.
Igo reminded reporters that this year marks the start of a renovation of Infiniti dealerships, which have maintained their look since Infiniti was launched more than 15 years ago. The first fully renovated dealership will be completed this summer in Phoenix, he said.
He projected Infiniti’s U.S. sales to be about flat in calendar 2006 with the 136,401 sales of calendar 2005. Some of this will be due to the changeout of the 2006 G35 sedan with the new, 2007 model. The G35 sedan is Infiniti’s top-selling car. The G35 coupe is the second best-selling car.