Analysis
If you forgot Infiniti was still making cars, you’re not alone. Turns out, the brand itself might not even realize it.
In a candid TikTok video, car expert Chris Pearce broke down just how dire things have gotten for Infiniti—and why Nissan’s upcoming merger with Honda might be its saving grace. Pearce shared with his 71,000 followers that the company is so deep in the trenches that Infiniti dealerships “won’t notice” two discontinued models for six months because they already have that much unsold inventory sitting on their lots.
“Listen to how cooked this company is,” Pearce begins. My ears are peeled—let’s get into it.
Honda is bailing Nissan
For those unfamiliar, car brand mergers often happen when a struggling automaker needs help to survive. Sometimes, they lead to innovation (think Volkswagen-Porsche); other times, they signal an impending corporate funeral. (Think DaimlerChrysler—wait, who? Exactly. Now look up Mercedes-Benz.) Nissan is currently in the hot seat financially, and Honda is likely swooping in.
Infiniti, Nissan’s so-called “luxury” brand, has been struggling for years, mostly because it’s been selling the “exact same car for like 15 years and calling it luxury,” Pearce says. Sales are down, and the brand’s entire identity has been on life support. Now, with Nissan coming in, Infiniti is scrambling to make some changes—starting with axing the Q50 and QX50.
According to Nissan America’s leadership, Infiniti’s big plan is to “go upmarket,” meaning they want to compete with Tier 1 car brands like Mercedes-Benz. But as one commenter pointed out, “If a Mercedes-Benz and an Infiniti cost the same I’m going to choose a Mercedes-Benz.”
To Infiniti and beyond?
Infiniti’s problems aren’t just on paper. A commenter claiming to work in accounting for two separate Infiniti dealerships dropped some brutal numbers: “One of our store[s] has sold 5 new cars this month, the other 7. Infiniti dealerships have become glorified used car dealers.”
That lines up with Pearce’s claim that Infiniti’s unsold inventory is so bad that dealerships won’t even notice discontinued models for six months—no exaggeration. Imagine being so far behind that your car lineup changes, and you don’t even realize it.
Some Infiniti dealerships are even merging with Nissan amid sales declines.
Some commenters have called for the only logical solution: “LOWER PRICES.” But instead of making their cars more accessible, Infiniti wants to move up into a luxury segment where they’ll be competing with brands that already dominate.
Honda to the rescue
Infiniti’s controversial strategy comes at a time when consumers have more options than ever. “Mazda ate them up,” claimed one user, and with brands like Mazda stepping up their game, the gap between “luxury” and everything else keeps getting smaller. If Infiniti’s plan is just to slap a higher price tag on the same uninspired designs, it’s hard to see how this will end well.
Pearce summed it up best: “This merger can’t come soon enough.” Infiniti’s long history of playing it safe has landed them in this mess, and without serious innovation (or at least a reality check on pricing), Honda coming in on the assist couldn’t be more clutch.
Pearce did not respond to the Daily Dot for comment. We’ve reached out to Infiniti.
@thechristopherpearce No one is more cooked than Infiniti #carnews ♬ original sound – Chris Pearce
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