Infiniti · 1989–2006

Infiniti Q45

The Infiniti Q45 is a full-size luxury sedan (F-segment in Europe) that was marketed by the Infiniti division of Nissan from the 1990 to 2006 model years. The inaugural product line and flagship sedan of the brand, the Q45 competed directly against the Acura Legend and Lexus LS 400, as multiple Japanese automobile manufacturers began to establish dedicated luxury-vehicle brands in North America during the late 1980s. As with the Lexus LS, the Q45 also competed against the BMW 7-Series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class, matching them closely in size. Three generations of the model line were produced. The first generation (G50; 1990–1996) was developed specifically for Infiniti; a long-wheelbase version with Nissan President was developed from it. The second generation (Y33; 1997–2000) became a rebranded version of the Nissan Cima (a longer-wheelbase version of the Nissan Cedric/Gloria). The third and final generation (F50; 2002–2006) was again derived from the Cima, again sharing a platform with the President. After the 2006 model year, Infiniti discontinued the Q45 as it shifted its strategy towards higher-performance vehicles, with the Nissan Fuga-based Infiniti M becoming its new flagship sedan. In 2013, Infiniti revised its branding, with all of its cars adopting the Q from the Q45 (SUVs, becoming QX), with engine-displacement nomenclature replaced by a two-digit number relative to its place in the Infiniti model range. From 1989 to 2006, Nissan produced the Infiniti Q45 in its Kaminokawa, Tochigi facility.

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First generation (G50; 1989)

The first generation Q45 came to market in August 1989 as a 1990 model with a high-output 4.5-liter VH45DE DOHC 32V V8 engine rated at 278 hp (207 kW) and 292 lb⋅ft (396 N⋅m) in North American trim. All Q45s included a viscous limited-slip differential and a multi-link suspension at the front and rear. Nissan chose to position it as a luxurious performance sedan, installing technology that would achieve this purpose, and used the letter "Q" from the western tradition of the Q-car meant to imply that its unassuming appearance hid its performance capabilities. At launch, the US$38,000 (equivalent to $99,000 in 2025) sedan had a single option, the Touring Package, which added Nissan's Super HICAS four-wheel steering system, a decklid spoiler, and alloy wheels. In Japan, it was sold as the Nissan Infiniti Q45 beginning in November 1989. The model was exclusive to Nissan Prince Store locations, as its later platform twin the President was exclusive to Nissan Store locations. The G50 chassis continued in production in Japan until 2002 as the President in both regular and extended wheelbase versions. The Japanese version had many options that never appeared on the North American G50. The Infiniti Q45 was positioned above the Y31 Cima, but below the President. The contemporary upstart luxury marque Lexus (Toyota) had managed to challenge the established dominance of European full-size luxury cars with the LS 400, so the Q45 seemed poised for similar success with comparable specifications and price to the LS 400 while featuring more emphasis upon handling. However, the Q45 did not achieve similar sales volumes, which was attributed to the car's unconventional styling, particularly the grille and lack of interior woodgrain or chrome trim. There was also an unusual advertising cam

Second generation (Y33; 1997)

The second generation Q45 was a lightly revised variant of the Nissan Cima for the Japanese domestic market, which shared a common platform with the Cedric / Gloria (Y33 generation). For most of its vehicles, Infiniti uses a naming convention that combined a letter indicating the series or market position, followed by a two-digit number for engine displacement; for instance, the first generation Q45 (G50) name designates the flagship (Q-series) followed by 45 for its 4.5-liter V8; the second-generation Q45 was an exception (as was the QX4, derived from the contemporary Nissan Pathfinder), as it used a smaller 252 cu in (4.1 L) VH41DE engine. Design. Styling featured an inverse curve C-pillar, and a pronounced full-length horizontal character beltline. Despite the shorter wheelbase in the Y33 compared to the G50, rear legroom increased by 3.9 in (99 mm); however, the trunk was faulted by owners as being small, with a volume of 12.6 ft3 (360 L). Standard features for the second-generation Q45 included traction control, leather interior with faux wood trim, single (later dual) zone climate control, Bose audio system with eight speakers and in-dash single disc CD player, auto dimming rear view mirror, automatic light on and delay off timer, steering wheel-mounted cruise control and head unit controls. Also standard was a memory system for the driver's seat and steering wheel. Available options included an integrated satellite navigation system, 6-disc CD autochanger and heated seats. The touring package, again badged as the Q45t, featured 17-inch wheels and tires, electronically modulated performance-tuned suspension, blackout grille, blackout headlight treatment, and performance style steering wheel. The front suspension was changed to a MacPherson strut; rear suspension w

Third generation (F50; 2001)

Introduced at the 2000 New York Auto Show, the third generation Q45 (F50) was, like the preceding Q45 (Y33), based on the JDM Cima and was powered by a new twin-cam 4.5 L VK45DE V8 engine using a 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive. Marketing began in April 2001, for the 2002 model year, at a starting MSRP of US$50,500 (equivalent to $91,800 in 2025). The Q45 was noted for its distinctive "gatling gun" style HID headlights with 11 bulbs on each side, including seven for the HID low-beam xenon headlights. At its introduction, Brock Yates, writing for Car and Driver, compared the third generation Q45 against close market competitors (in terms of price, which are in the mid-luxury or executive car category with V8 engines, such as the Audi A6 and Lexus GS), calling it a "superbly refined, comfortable, and distinctive machine." Design and features. Development began in 1996, with exterior designs by Mamori Aoki frozen in 1998 and patented in March 2000. Aoki said the styling was meant to evoke "a driver's car, not a chauffeur-driven limousine." Assembled In Tochigi, Japan, the third generation Q45 (F50) was wider, with a longer wheelbase and a 5 ft3 (0.14 m3) larger interior volume than its prior generation (Y33). Torsional rigidity was improved by 40%. The suspension used front struts and multi-link rear, with anti-roll bars front and rear. The third generation Q45 was the first Infiniti with a laser-based autonomous cruise control system. Standard equipment included a leather interior, power sunroof, 8-way power front seats, remote keyless entry, rain-detecting wipers, tire pressure monitoring system and side curtain airbags. The center console features two sizes of concealed cup holders and a hatch under the armrest and a second, deeper compartment. Standard el

Replacement

Infiniti discontinued marketing the Q45 in the USA after model year 2006, its flagship position assumed by a newly redesigned Infiniti M35/45, an mid-luxury (executive) car shorter in length than the Q45, though with greater interior room and performance, as well as featuring a rear multilink suspension and front double wishbone. A new Infiniti flagship was anticipated by the end of the 2000s decade. According to Mark Igo, the general manager of Infiniti North America, "the new Q will make the brand better, but it is questionable whether it will be very profitable". Infiniti introduced the next iteration of its flagship, the Y51 series Infiniti M37/56/Nissan Fuga in November 2009. Continuing as a mid-luxury car, the new Infiniti M is only 50 mm (2.0 in) shorter than the final generation Q45, with the same width dimensions of 1,845 mm (6.1 ft) and height of 1,515 mm (5.0 ft) compared to the F50 series Cima of 1,490 mm (4.9 ft) height. By August 2010 the Nissan Cima, on which the final generation Q45 essentially was based, had been discontinued in Japan, along with its Nissan President sibling. This made the second generation Nissan Fuga the marque's top-of-the-line flagship sedan. When the Fuga assumed the role as flagship sedan of Nissan Japan August 2010, it became the first time that Nissan didn't sell a premium luxury V8 sedan in Japan, although the Fuga's North American cousin, the Infiniti M56, is offered with a V8 shared with the Infiniti QX56. In May 2012, Nissan released a new version of the Cima in Japan, based on the Fuga Hybrid (Infiniti M35h). On 17 December 2012, Infiniti announced that all of its future sedan offerings will use the Q prefix, starting from the Q50 as a G37 replacement, Q70 for its M35/45/56 replacement, and a rumored Q80 for the new flagshi

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Specifications

name: Infiniti Q45
Manufacturer: Nissan
Production: August 1989 – 2006
Assembly: Japan: Kaminokawa, Tochigi
Class: Full-size luxury car (F)
Body style: 4-door sedan
Layout: Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Related: Nissan President
Successor: Infiniti Q70L
Model years: 1990-2006

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1662409CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infiniti_Q45CC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1361712709 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:InfQ45.jpgPublic domain · Photo: see file page · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.