Thirty-Five Years of INFINITI

The door was open for new luxury brands to compete with traditional brands from the USA and Europe. Japan knew it had the technology and engineering to create vehicles that directly contended with the industry’s flagships. This was how INFINITI came to be.  

The idea began in 1985, when Nissan began developing a performance luxury brand. Nissan’s aim was to create originally developed automobiles that were desirable and unique compared to the potential competition. The Q45 arrived in the fall of 1989 as the embodiment of that ideal. It was an original design with a new engine and breakthrough technology.  

It was one thing to develop such a vehicle. It was another to sell it. INFINITI’s sales philosophy was to create a different experience inside each showroom. Using companies outside of the automotive industry as a benchmark—such as Four Seasons Hotels and Nordstrom department stores—the idea was to create a contemplative atmosphere where customers could spend time with the vehicles before engaging with the dealership staff. 

Upon delivery of a new vehicle, INFINITI focused on the customer through its Total Ownership Experience. From making service appointments to picking up the INFINITI afterward, this service gave customers a higher level of support. The performance luxury flagship sedan was the center of this philosophy, as was the M30 personal luxury coupe and convertible that was introduced alongside the Q45. In that first year, INFINITI was seen as the way forward for any new luxury brand to serve its customers—from their first visits to subsequent service appointments.  

From that first year, momentum gained for new models to be added to the INFINITI lineup. As interest in smaller luxury performance cars grew, INFINITI introduced the G20. When luxury vehicle consumers were gravitating toward mid-size sedans, the J30 and I30 arrived. As the SUV began to gain traction, INFINITI brought out the QX4 for those customers looking for a luxurious, off-road capable vehicle. 

The lineup has since evolved with a lot of highlights along the way. In the new millennium, the G35 sedan and coupe moved INFINITI into a space where it competed with other luxury sport sedans and coupes head-on. The FX crossover also set a high bar in a new vehicle class. In addition to starting the coupe SUV trend, the FX45 set a precedent for high performance models in this class. Adding the M sedan to the lineup added more cachet to the brand. INFINITI remained true to its mission as a performance luxury brand that offered everything to its owners. With the success and desirability of the FX crossovers, INFINITI expanded its SUV lineup to meet the needs of today’s consumers. SUVs remain at the heart of Infiniti’s lineup today, all of which continue to offer the mix of performance and luxury expected of INFINITI for 35 years. 

Along with new products, INFINITI has been at the forefront of introducing new technologies designed for vehicle safety and longevity. The 2007 EX introduced the Around View Monitor, Lane Departure Prevention system, and Scratch Shield “self-healing” clear coat paint (before any other brands adopted it into their lineups). 

The innovations continue in today’s INFINITI vehicles. The 2025 QX80 stands as a new benchmark for the next wave of vehicles from this brand. It pushes new boundaries in the technology and luxury once envisioned in the original 1990 Q45.  

With 230 dealerships (Dick Smith INFINITI of Columbia included) in 15 countries worldwide, INFINITI is still going strong, and its core principles have never wavered. It comes down to Infiniti’s “unrelenting passion for creating vehicles whose significance transcends their physical substance—a concept called Graceful Strength.” If you are an owner of an INFINITI, thank you for creating a legacy that spans 35 years of performance luxury vehicles. 

We welcome you to Dick Smith INFINITI of Columbia. Contact us if you need service or parts for your current INFINITI. We also invite you to experience what INFINITI has to offer you today.