Guest Article:
It seems that efficiency has become the prevalent factor in today’s motor industry. While many still enjoy the thrill of driving, more and more consumers are looking at fuel consumption as one of the main factors in their purchasing decision.
The consumer conscience has clearly been affected not only by green issues, but also by the rising cost of living and the economic climate. Over the last 5 years we have started to think of the hybrid as a mainstay of the motoring sector. It appears that a balance has finally been struck between affordability and efficiency, and hybrid cars are now flying off the shelves because they consume less fuel and do less damage to the environment.
However, even non-hybrids these days seem to be more in tune with modern environmental issues and green politics. Nissan, for example, has long been an advocate of the hybrid car and appears to be using the same sort of principles in the manufacturing of its latest petrol models. The luxury arm of Nissan, Infiniti, produces high performance cars that better adhere to the ideals of efficiency in motoring.
The latest models off the production line are the Infiniti Sedan and the QX. The Infiniti Sedan looks and feels like a sports car, with its beautiful curves and low centre of gravity. The thinking behind these new models, however, is ‘to provide exhilarating power with every drop of fuel used’. WEL technology is used to continually manage performance and efficiency, and consequently quicker engine responses are offered as well as enhanced fuel consumption.
The Infiniti QX is breaking new ground in terms of design and efficiency; SUVs are some of the biggest cars on the market and they consequently need big engines to power them. The new Infiniti QX has a 5.6 litre V8 engine but follows similar principles of fuel efficiency to the Sedan. So you have all the design features that you would expect from an SUV – a hitch ball mount for towing, stainless steel illuminated kick plates and roof rail crossbars – but, under the bonnet, there is a constant evolution going on to keep Infiniti up to speed with the greenest car manufacturers.
At a time when consumers want to look good in their cars but also want to take more responsibility for the environment, Nissan seems to have embraced this and is continually finding ways to offer both style and prudence in one beautiful motor car.