November 8, 1989 – Infiniti is founded
First generation Infiniti Q45
Nissan's luxury car division Infiniti launched on this day in 1989, the same year that Toyota launched its upscale Lexus brand. The original lineup debuted under founding general manager Bill Bruce who introduced two cars in November of 1989, the Infiniti Q45 and M30. Both of these had previously been sold under Nissan in Japan. The Japanese domestic market (JDM) Nissan President acted as the base for the Q45, although The Q45 had a wheel base about two inches shorter in its first few years of production. The Q45 featured a 278 hp, four wheel steering, and an active suspension system. It's primary compeition at the time would have included the Mercedes S-Class, BMW 7 Series, Jaguar XJ and Cadillac Fleetwood.
1990 Infiniti M30
The two-door M30 was bas...
