The Crank: Will Infiniti ever graduate into the luxury-sport big leagues?

By John LeBlanc You remember Infiniti, don't you? Nissan’s premium brand that’s been chasing Germany’s BMW since 1989? Now, compared to Toyota’s Lexus—which seems happier chasing disgruntled Buick owners—ever since its original Q sedan arrived over 20 years ago, Infiniti has always wanted you to think of it as a Japanese alternative to the usual German luxury-sport brands. Except for a dry spell in the mid-1990s that saw some Infinitis end up as mere chromed-over Nissan (I30 nee Maxima, come on down!), unlike Honda’s Acura or Lexus, Nissan has at the very least made an effort to distinguish Infiniti with rear- and all-wheel-drive platforms. And except for the odd-duck QX full-size SUV, its lineup attempts to faithfully mirror the Bavarian brand. Infiniti’s G plays the role of rear-drive compact sports sedan, just like BMW 3 Series. The EX equals the X3. And the M chases the 5 Series. But one thing Infiniti has never had was its own performance brand like BMW’s M Division. But along with a possible M Coupe, and another model that will “extend Infiniti into an area we haven't been before" set to debut at this August’s Pebble Beach concours (teased above), Infiniti plans on launching a new Infiniti Performance Line. Okay. It’s not an all-out skunk works like BMW’s M, Mercedes-Benz’s AMG or even Audi’s Quattro GmbH. Instead, IPL will initially only offer in-house developed upgrades from air filters to cat-back exhaust systems, and "automotive engine parts, namely turbochargers and superchargers." But hey, it’s a start. But is IPL enough to make you consider an Infiniti over a BMW, Audi or ‘Benz? Or does Infiniti need to go for it and deliver a full-on performance model, like BMW’s M cars? [Source: Autoblog]

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