Beshoff Infiniti

A G hatchback By Any Other Name...

In the past, many of us have been guilty of approaching the crossover segment with the same zeal a toddler typically reserves for mashed peas. Equal parts revulsion, befuddlement and betrayal have danced across our faces as we've struggled to comprehend why anyone would willingly put their hard-earned money towards a vehicle saddled with inherently poorer driving dynamics and fuel economy. As lovers of curve-conquering wagons and hatchbacks everywhere, throwing a couple of extra inches of ride height into the recipe has rarely done us any favors. Not surprisingly, we find ourselves in familiar territory once again: far removed from even the outskirts of popular opinion.

Last year, Honda sold a dizzying 218,373 CR-V crossovers, and despite fuel prices determined to bend us over and give us something to cry about, other automakers have fleshed out their lines with a wide array of high-riding vehicles. Ford boasts a total of five crossovers and SUVs in its stable, and it isn't alone. With vehicles like the Juke, Rogue and Murano, Nissan offers buyers a total of seven different models that fit into the segment. The news doesn't bode well for those of us who prefer a vehicle with superior handling mixed with the ability to haul people and cargo.

And there's virtually no refuge in the suede-lined halls of our favorite luxury manufacturers, either. Brands from every corner of the globe are cashing in on the CUV/SUV craze with unabashed ferocity. So when the 2012 Infiniti EX35 showed up in the driveway, we braced ourselves for a week of eating our vegetables, now fortified with doctor-recommended understeer and an extra helping of body roll. But this isn't your typical CUV. With a 3.5-liter V6 pumping nearly 300 horsepower to the rear wheels and a lower-than-it-looks stance, this is a sport hatch masquerading in crossover clothing.

Continue reading 2012 Infiniti EX35

Now is as good a time as ever to start searching for a summer ride, as the warmer months have arrived, or are fast approaching. Here at Beshoff Infiniti , we think drivers in the greater San Jose area and beyond needn't look any further than the luxurious ride of the Infiniti G37 convertible.

Infiniti, along with many other automakers around the world, look to key in on emerging markets, where you'll find the rate of consumers looking to buy cars increasing at a rapid rate. It shouldn't come as any surprise that China is one of those emerging markets, and Infiniti is looking to grow in the most populous nation in the world. At the upcoming Beijing Auto Show, the Japanese automaker will unveil a modified M37 sedan to be exclusively sold in China.

Infiniti drivers in the greater San Jose area need no reminder about the luxury car's performance and superior driving experience, but in case they do, Cars.com has given them a reason to remember. In its annual list of "Best Bets" for a wide array of vehicles and makes, new Infiniti models racked up accolades in the luxury category of the "Best Bets for 2012 Models."

But what platform would be that be? You'll be happy to know it's none other than that of the turbocharged GT-R. Now we don't know about you, but we here at Beshoff Infiniti are thrilled to see our favorite luxury automaker taking an interested in such a heavily performance-driven model. In fact, Infiniti head of planning Francois Bancon has even been quoted as saying that the GT-R is simply "too good a…

When we here at Beshoff Infiniti reported to you about the Infiniti M35h being the fasted hybrid in the world, we weren't kidding. And to prove that fact, the Japanese luxury automaker recently pitted its performance-driven hybrid against the admittedly-impressive Porsche Panamera S hybrid.

Of course, when we say admittedly-impressive, we're merely setting the stage for what many would normally think to be a neck and neck race... It wasn't. The 2012…

There are a wide range of vehicles in the new Infiniti lineup that we here at Beshoff Infiniti simply cannot get enough of. After all, our favorite luxury automaker caters to a wide range of tastes, which is only one of the things that makes them a top choice for drivers in the greater San Jose area and beyond.

And if you need any proof of this notion, then simply take one look at the…

We might be hot off the heels of the 2012 North American International Auto Show, but that isn't stopping Infiniti from looking ahead to what's next. The luxury automaker is taking no time for quick breath. Instead, they're charging right ahead to the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, and we here at Beshoff Infiniti have the inside scoop just for you!

More specifically, Infiniti is planning to up the ante in the world…

As part of its ongoing corporate partnership with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the NCAA® and ESPN, Infiniti has announced an expanded ?Infiniti Coaches? Charity Challenge? with a $100,000 donation to the winning coach?s designated charity.

Infiniti is hard at work engineering a luxury hatchback for 2014, and it appears that the Japanese automaker is close to picking a final design. Dutch site Autoweek.nl reports that there are three designs on the table, and one will be chosen in January. That likely means that we won't see the production hatch any time soon, but a fall showing in Paris or Los Angeles is a possibility.

The January time frame doesn't leave a lot of time for engineering Etherea-based hatch, but keep in mind that the compact Infiniti will be based on the front-drive Mercedes-Benz A-Class platform. This engineering partnership will enable Infiniti to focus its collective energy on creating a unique design inside and out.

Information about the powertrains of the Infiniti hatch are scarce, but reports that a hybrid could be part of the equation. We're guessing that a diesel is out of the question for the U.S., but a turbo-four or maybe even the 2.5-liter V6 from the G25 could be in the works.