zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
Infiniti Has A New Logo, Showrooms, And Lots Of Disgruntled Dealers
Infiniti Has A New Logo, Showrooms, And Lots Of Disgruntled Dealers-March 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:09:15

Image for article titled Infiniti Has A New Logo, Showrooms, And Lots Of Disgruntled Dealers

Infiniti, which is the luxury division of Nissan, which is a Japanese automaker perhaps best known in the States for the Sentra, Altima, or Rogue, unveiled a new logo on Thursday, their fourth in over three decades of existence. You’ll be forgiven for not detecting major differences, because in the center is still the “infinite road,” surrounded by the horizon. Infiniti also said that they want their showrooms to look like Apple stores now, or something, though dealers that , instead demanding better product first.

Here are Infiniti’s four logos through history, via Infiniti. The latest is on the right.

Image for article titled Infiniti Has A New Logo, Showrooms, And Lots Of Disgruntled Dealers

If anything, the newest seems to be a reincarnation of the first (and still best), though it’s probably illegal for anyone to say that, given how much money, meetings, and manpower that likely went into it. It will materially affect absolutely nothing in any case, though the updated dealer showrooms have a slightly better chance. Infiniti describes the new showroom design as minimalist, though not Western minimalist, which might be a contradiction of terms. :

The overarching design embodies the Japanese concept of “Ma,” a philosophy that considers the space between things. Unlike the Western construct of minimalism, Ma embraces empty space in an additive capacity — to ensure balance between all elements.

The exterior façade features a distinctive deep eave along the roofline that purposefully creates shadow and controls direct sunlight into the showroom. Inside, the showroom has been reimagined to enhance the feeling of spaciousness and support a seamless journey for the customer.

“We tasked our talented design team with creating a refreshed retail environment that reflects a new era for INFINITI,” said Sam Xin, global divisional general manager, INFINITI Brand. “The result is a bright, welcoming space where customers can experience thoughtful hospitality when engaging and interacting with our brand”

If pictures are more your speed:

Image for article titled Infiniti Has A New Logo, Showrooms, And Lots Of Disgruntled Dealers

Image for article titled Infiniti Has A New Logo, Showrooms, And Lots Of Disgruntled Dealers

Image for article titled Infiniti Has A New Logo, Showrooms, And Lots Of Disgruntled Dealers

That is certainly a good-looking dealership, you have to say, even if the cars inside of it remain Infinitis. These are also all sensible updates in the world of Tesla, Lucid, Volvo, and other brands that seek to dispense with the idea of dealerships altogether in favor of “studios,” or some such, which are rooms where they tempt you into buying a car, not dissimilar to the old rooms.

Regardless, the core problem remains that these are Infinitis that the dealers are trying to sell, and there hasn’t been an Infiniti worth thinking about since the second Bush administration. Auto News talked to Auto News’s core constituency, which are dealers, who are disgruntled:

“Without a solid product plan for the next five years to provide the proper return on investment, I wouldn’t even consider investing,” said one dealer who requested not to be identified.

The lack of fresh product has put Infiniti into a multiyear slump. Last year, the brand reported 46,619 U.S. sales, its lowest since 1992, according to Automotive News Research & Data Center.

Another retailer also said he’s unlikely to pull the trigger on a store upgrade until he sees a “product cadence that is true and believable — not just promises.”

And yet it gets darker:

Anticipating the pushback, Infiniti is pitching the redesign to its dealers as optional.

“It’s not a requirement or an expectation,” [Infiniti Americas Group Vice President Craig Keeys] emphasized. “We’ll move forward organically based on market need.”

Keeys said about 10 percent of the brand’s 204 U.S. retailers had expressed early interest in updating to the new design. In the U.S., the new design debuts in Los Angeles and Georgetown, Texas, this month.

“I have not tasked my team with any numerical objectives” around a networkwide rollout, Keeys said. “I want to allow the retailers the flexibility to make that decision.”

And so just 10 percent of Infiniti dealers have merely expressed interest in adopting this new showroom design, not even committed to doing it, probably because they know that it won’t change much in terms of sales, because it is quite literally window dressing.

As with everything Infiniti, it’s best not to think about it for too long, lest you have to remember that there are 204 stores in the U.S. trying to sell Infinitis. God bless them.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
For $55,000, It’s a Clearance Table Ferrari!
For $55,000, It’s a Clearance Table Ferrari!
Elvis Costello once sang that Accidents will happen, we only hit and run, I don't wanna' hear it, ‘cause I know what I've done. For today's Ferrari, an unknown accident may mean it's done. The minions of neither the Samba nor the Vortex made an appearance yesterday, and hence the...
Mar 19, 2026
For $7,500, This E30 is One Strange Bedfellow
For $7,500, This E30 is One Strange Bedfellow
They don't sell mini-trucks in the U.S. any more, and that is a shame. As today's BMW 3-Series proves, sometimes you just have to take matters into your own hands. Sadly, an overwhelming 63% of you took matters into your own hands yesterday and decided that the price of the...
Mar 19, 2026
Bentley Mulsanne: First Drive
Bentley Mulsanne: First Drive
The Bentley Mulsanne is one of the costliest Bentleys you can buy, a fast, refined car offering heritage and breeding in spades. Ordinary people are not supposed to be able to relate. We are ordinary. Is this worth $285,000? Full Disclosure: Bentley flew us to Scotland and put us up...
Mar 19, 2026
For $4,500, Your Space Wart Awaits
For $4,500, Your Space Wart Awaits
Chrysler's minivans caught the competition off guard, even usually unflappable Toyota. The Japanese countered with a JDM forward-control offering, and as today's contender attests, while it may have been slow, its freak flag sure flies. With Ferrari, we all know that the most expensive cars are usually those with the...
Mar 19, 2026
For $3,600, This GTI Pickup is The Real Sport Utility
For $3,600, This GTI Pickup is The Real Sport Utility
In some markets VW called their Golf/Rabbit-based pickup the Caddy. Today, tees up a GTI-infused version of the little trucklet, but will its price prove a hole in one for you? Fragile, presumptively ricerific, and possibly suffering from the notorious ‘crank walk' issue, yesterday's ended up doing the perp walk...
Mar 19, 2026
For $25,500 Canadian, This Franken-STI is All Aboot the Back
For $25,500 Canadian, This Franken-STI is All Aboot the Back
The Canadian TV show, How It's Made, details the manufacturing process of just about anything. Today's franken-Subaru could have been on that show, but its price may send it back to the drawing board. The Subaru Impreza STI (Subaru Tecnica International), and competing Mistubishi EVO, re-wrote the book on performance...
Mar 19, 2026
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved