There is going to be a new M45 coming out for 2005 so the current one is more of a place holder in the lineup than anything else. The car has been sold in the Japanese market with different equipment and powertrains as both the Nissan Cedric and Nissan Gloria since the 2000 model year. If it can be modestly profitable in the US market for a couple of years then it's done its job.
For 2005 I expect something designed more along the lines of the new FM-platform cars that have been coming out of Nissan lately. The FX uses a modified version of the FM platform so I'm sure a mid-sized sedan could be created out of it too. Give it the same engine options as the FX, maybe even an awd option and I'm sure it would sell as long as it looks good and seems like enough of a step up from the G35. Pricing would hopefully undercut the Lexus GS by a few thousand dollars.
I think the earliest the Q45 will be replaced is the 2006 model year. It would probably not be able to be built on the FM platform since it is too large, so perhaps instead of building an FM-based M45 replacement Nissan may share the platform with the new Q as it does now. I would expect a nice big car with the same level of gizmos it has now but with more elegant styling.
Also there is still the possibility that the next GT-R will be sold here as an Infiniti. If that does happen, perhaps the turbo system could be adapted to the V8 to create a high-performance version of the Q45 to go up against the likes of the S55 AMG. That's maybe a bit overambitious but it would certainly generate attention for Infiniti at the high end of the price spectrum all the way down.
Originally posted by ben1233
I cannot speak on sales of the G35 sedan, but the original post said the DC area had a large inventory....and they weren't moving very fast.
The inventories are big because there are only 3 Infiniti dealers in the area. There are 5 Lexus dealers and 8 Acura dealers in the same area. From what I could gather after talking to my parents both the G35S and FX are moving fast, but they're being sold out of dealer stock rather than by pre-orders which is the case with the G35C.
Originally posted by mayonaise
it hadn't occurred to me that the G35 might draw sales from the I35. i really love the I35. does anyone know if they're going to keep it around, and/or redesign it with the new maxima?
The I35 is gone after the 2003 model year. There probably isn't going to be a rebadged Infiniti version of the new Maxima because Nissan is setting up for all of its cars in the US market to be fwd while Infiniti sells the rwd or awd ones.