[LI E90]

http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl.../OEM/100529899

NASHVILLE -- Nissan North America Inc. has taken legal steps to create a performance segment for its Infiniti Division product line, similar to its larger luxury rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Nissan has filed for trademark protection for the names “IPL” and “Infiniti Performance Line,” according to documents on file with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

According to the applications, the IPL trademark would cover the brand's use of “high-performance motor vehicle parts,” including turbochargers and superchargers for engines, cat-back exhaust and muffler systems, shifter knobs, suspension parts, brakes, sports seats and off-road headlights.

A spokesman at Infiniti's North American headquarters in Franklin, Tenn., declined to discuss the trademark filings or the brand's product plans.

This month in Louisville, Ky., the vice president of the Infiniti Business Unit, Ben Poore, told reporters that he intends to reveal a new performance-oriented offering this summer. He did not elaborate.

At the same time, Nissan confirmed that it is considering more use of high-output, small-displacement turbocharged engines for Infiniti.

Infiniti has been at a product disadvantage among luxury brands for years. Older competitors such as Mercedes, BMW and even Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus brand offer a much broader model line than Infiniti. Additionally, Mercedes markets variations of its models under the AMG performance subbrand, while BMW produces performance-level M versions of some models.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl...#ixzz0p8eJat9w

[Boost Gomez]

3.8L twin turbo G sedan and coupe?

[ragingclue]

Originally Posted by Boost Gomez

3.8L twin turbo G sedan and coupe?

That would pique my interest for sure. It wasn't the lack of refinement that pushed me away from the G (albeit when I was shopping, it was the G35), it was the wheezy, weak-feeling engine in comparison to the N54.

[blue2fire]

Couldn't they have picked a better name?

[b0bab0i]

Originally Posted by shift@red

if they can make a G37 coupe with GTR performance and the quality and luxury inifniti have...we may very well have a car that like the GTR, will hand the m3 and rs audis its ass for around the same price.

And comes with a traditional manual transmission with 3 pedals, unlike the GTR

[Sylon]

Originally Posted by blue2fire

Couldn't they have picked a better name?

I know right? Nissan already has a performance line name, they could have just played off that. IPL is just a lame combination of letters. It doesnt scream "Performance" to me.

[mtla4]

Nothing special there...it's just performance parts...just like Audi S-Line and Bmw Performance....it's no AMG, no ///M, No RS. They will probably just be rebranded NISMO parts.

[b0bab0i]

Originally Posted by mtla4

Nothing special there...it's just performance parts...just like Audi S-Line and Bmw Performance....it's no AMG, no ///M, No RS. They will probably just be rebranded NISMO parts.

they said it will include turbocharger and superchargers, it's pretty big

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by benmoooon

they said it will include turbocharger and superchargers, it's pretty big

So does TRD....you can buy a supercharger for the Tundra, corolla etc
It's not like they build a car from scratch. You can buy all the IPL products slap them on to a G37 and it will remain a G37 while the C63 and C350 don't even share the same front end...nor the regular 3 series vs M3....you get my drift.

[b0bab0i]

Originally Posted by mtla4

So does TRD....you can buy a supercharger for the Tundra, corolla etc
It's not like they build a car from scratch. You can buy all the IPL products slap them on to a G37 and it will remain a G37 while the C63 and C350 don't even share the same front end...nor the regular 3 series vs M3....you get my drift.

Even more reason to worry, stock looking g37s that can outrun m3s.

[mtla4]

Originally Posted by benmoooon

Even more reason to worry, stock looking g37s that can outrun m3s.

Maybe but honestly I'm more of an N/A guy. I don't really care if the VQ37HR produces 600 hp I would buy an M3 anyday of the week over that. Also suspension will not be on par with the m3 and let's not forget about resale value mods are worth nothing when selling or trading in a car. A stang can outrun an m3 my old 135 could outrun an m3 but I sold it to buy a slower(in straight-line)M3

[scollins]

Heh, it should be NISMO-Infiniti Performance Line, or NIPL for short!

[blue2fire]

Originally Posted by scollins

Heh, it should be NISMO-Infiniti Performance Line, or NIPL for short!

or INFMO.

[ptack]

Obviously they think they can sell a $200k version of the GT-R if they rebadge it.