2005 Infiniti Q45 Test Drive

Upping the Q Factor

Infiniti's redesigned flagship is fast, roomy and luxurious. So why isn't it selling better?

Should You Buy This Car?

As we have said, the Q45 hasn't been tempting for a lot of buyers. And because Infiniti is coming out with the excellent-seeming FX45 SUV, and already debuted the M45 for less money, it's almost as if the company has nudged aside what wasn't working and instead is focusing on what likely will. That's probably not as bad as it sounds, though.

See, huge carmakers can afford to pile on incentives on slow sellers, but Nissan's gotten healthy by making cars that people actually want to buy even without incentives. That's allowed them to reinvest profits and accelerate new model rollouts of yet more cars that people want to buy. If people don't want the Q, Infiniti will sell them cars they do want until the carmaker can come out with another, more appropriate luxury sedan.

By the way, this is a plan of action that might suit other luxury marques as well. Audi, for instance, could really use their own FX45 and pronto. Audi has never done well at the top of the luxury game, but they sell gangbusters in the middle. Why bang your head against the wall trying?

Like we said, though, we like the Q45, and think it has an entertaining mien that's almost nearly its very own thing. But character, especially in a very conservative realm of large, expensive luxury cars, can backfire. The gamble on the luscious G35 Coupe works because it's not so expensive and although unique, it's sexy. The Q, unfortunately, looks too clever for its own good. And that's never sexy.