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While Nissan sales are off 6.7% so far this year, that likely has more to do with a glitch in production schedules than a lack of interest. The new Maxima is just arriving at dealers now; a new full-sized pickup, the Titan, is coming, as is a seven-passenger SUV, the Pathfinder Armada. And if Nissan is about to boom, Infiniti already has, with its G35 sedan and coupe a huge hit, and its $34,200 FX35 and $44,245 FX45 crossovers doubling total SUV sales for the marque so far in 2003.
A seven-passenger SUV is coming to Infiniti as well, and you can expect Infiniti to bolster its wan lineup of larger sedans (M45, Q45) in the next few years. Infiniti's slow-selling I35 is most certain to get a boost when it is based on the new Maxima platform.
Still, for Infiniti and Nissan to sustain their powerful rebound, it's going to take knowing the market and staying a half-step ahead of conservative Lexus and, until now (but don't bet on it staying this way), even more conservative Acura. Infiniti has managed this so far by understanding that BMW's perennial great 3 series is a sports car with four or two doors disguised as a sedan. It copied this formula with the four-door Infiniti G35, which is actually larger than the BMW 5 series inside but still competes with (and bests) the 3 series on price. The G35 Coupe also competes with the 3 series and delivers blistering performance.
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