Infiniti has the Cadillac Escalade in its crosshairs. Nissan’s luxury division has introduced its full-sized JX, a 7-passenger crossover SUV that is powered by a 24-valve V-6 engine. This new model was introduced this week at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and will retail from $40,450.

Los Angeles may have been the launching point for the Infiniti JX, but this luxury crossover will likely find a following among middle America households, high net worth people who prize luxury, room and technology. Notably, this model is built in middle America at a Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tenn.

Cabin Features

Luxury and technological features abound in the 2013 Infiniti JX. Amenities include: leather trim seating standard across all three rows; 8-way driver and 6-way front passenger power seats; heated front seats with available heated second seats (outboard positions only); Kasane Washi interior trim, available Maple interior accents; leather wrapped shift knob and steering wheel; a moon roof; 8 cupholders and 6 bottle holders; tri-zone climate control; and power windows and door locks.

Technological features include Bluetooth hands-free communication; a 6-speaker audio system with AM/FM/CD; available Bose 13-speaker audio system with an acoustic wave subwoofer; a USB connection port; a navigation system with back up camera and more.

Engine & Transmission

The Infiniti JX may be big, but Nissan chose to utilize a transverse-mounted V-6 to power this vehicle. Of aluminum construction, this 3.5-liter engine produces 265 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 248 foot-pounds of torque at 4,400 rpm. This engine, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission, utilizes sequential multi-port fuel injection and has a bore of 3.76 inches and a stroke of 3.20 inches, with a 10.3-to-1 compression ratio. Infiniti estimates that FWD and AWD models will achieve 17 mpg city, 23 mpg highway. With its 19.5 fuel tank cruising range approaches 450 miles. The Infiniti JX runs best when fueld with premium grade gasoline.

JX Dimensions

The JX is of unibody construction and sits on a 114.2-inch wheelbase. This model is 196.4 inches long, 77.2 inches wide and 67.8 inches tall. It offers 6.5 inches of ground clearance and has a 0.34 coefficient of drag, the latter among the lowest for big SUVs.

Inside, the Infiniti JX has 149.8 cubic feet of passenger room and 15.8 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row seat.

Headroom dimensions across first, second and third row seats are 40.7, 38.3 and 36.5 inches respectively. Shoulder room is 60.3, 60.4 and 57.1 inches. Hip room is 56.8, 55.8 and 42.0 inches. Leg room is 42.3, 41.7 and 30.8 inches.

Safety Touches

The Infiniti JX employs a full suite of safety features including an advanced airbag system with side curtain airbags; stability and traction control; a tire pressure monitoring system; and front and rear crumble zones. Available with the JX are blind spot warning, blind spot intervention, and backup collision, the latter providing automatic braking when the transmission is engaged in reverse and the crossover nears an object. Lane departure warning, forward collision warning and brake assist are also available.

Will the JX succeed? With its low standard price, cabin features and large interior room, the 2013 Infiniti JX is certainly appealing. Not mentioned was towing capacity, if any, an important attribute for many Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator and other full-bodied SUV owners.

Source: Nissan

More challenging for Nissan is coming up with an answer to Lexus, Toyota’s luxury brand which has four lines of hybrid vehicles including the fully dedicated HS, while Infiniti, Nissan’s luxury brand, has none.

All New M Line

Well, that’s all slated to change beginning next year when the next generation M line is released in the spring. Within twelve months, the M35 hybrid will make its debut as a 2012 model. The all new M line takes its styling cues from the Essence concept, a recent automobile show attraction.

Unlike the Nissan Altima, the Infiniti hybrid system is being developed entirely by Nissan and is a single electric motor/twin clutch arrangement. Of note, the first clutch is put in between the standard gas powered 3.5-liter V6 and the electric motor. As a result of this arrangement, where all component parts work with a single prop shaft to the rear differential, is what Infiniti says is,”a consistent driving feel under all conditions with linear performance and the “direct responses” that the engineers sought.”

Laminated Li-ion Battery Pack

While most hybrid models today which run on nickel-cadmium batteries, the M35 Hybrid will incorporate a “laminated” lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack. This arrangement is the same size as conventional batteries but offers twice the power. By using lamination, this method enhances the pack’s cooling performance, while temperature stability is further improved by the use of manganese positive electrodes. As a result, exceptional battery reliability can be expected.

Nissan says that the M35 Hybrid maintains a high performance luxury sedan profile, overlaying it with the fuel economy and CO2 emissions of a smaller car, while delivering driving flair to please any enthusiast – complete with charismatic V6 and rear-wheel drive handling. Okay, whatever that means, at least we know it won’t be the same old same old as far as Infiniti is concerned.

New Diesel For Europe

When the all new M line makes its debut the model will offer conventional gas engines as standard equipment, but introduce a new high performance diesel V6 engine for select European markets.

Now available in 33 markets worldwide, Infiniti continues to challenge Lexus, BMW, Mercedes and Audi, offering a variety of coupes, sedans, crossovers, convertibles and sport/utility vehicles in its prime North American market.

Nissan has been working diligently to expand their light commercial duty sales and is promising to start building the first of three vehicles vehicles at its Canton, MS plant in 2010. Currently, the Nissan Quest and Infiniti QX56 are built in Canton, but Nissan will be moving production of these larger vehicles elsewhere to begin building its first commercial trucks.

From 2002 to 2007, Nissan has more than tripled the sales of its light commercial vehicles, selling 518,000 units in 2007. Nissan LCVs are sold in 73% of the world’s markets, including Japan, China, Mexico, Europe and the Middle East.

“LCVs will become a major contributor to the future success of Nissan in North America,” said Bill Krueger, Senior Vice President, Manufacturing, Purchasing & Supply Chain Management and Total Customer Satisfaction, Nissan North America. “It is a tribute to our employees in Canton that it will be the manufacturing hub for these important new products, key to our sustainable growth in the U.S.”

Earlier this year, Ford announced that it would begin importing the Transit Connect from its factory in Turkey, to provide a smaller and more economical option for its commercial customers.

(Source: Nissan Media)