Though 'you don't know what you've got until it's gone' might be a bit strong for the public's view of Infiniti, it could be argued that Nissan's luxury offshoot is more interesting with the cars no longer on sale in the UK. There's the would have, could have, should have discussion to have about the brand - remember the Vettel Edition FX50? And how cool would the Q50 Eau Rouge have been? - as well as the intrigue of tremendously cheap used examples. Buying cars from a defunct brand always carries an element of risk, though which better than a sub-division of Nissan?
It's interesting to look back on how Infinitis were received with a few years having now passed. The Q50S was first driven on PH back in 2013, the hybridised V6 flagship of a range that also featured a Mercedes-sourced diesel. Infiniti really was serious about taking it to the established players in the small saloon segment.
And while it didn't exactly enjoy tremendous success, the Q50S was notable for a few things. First being its electrified engine, similar technology to that now used in the '53 range of AMGs. That old review spoke of an "electric supercharger" to both boost efficiency and low rev enthusiasm, and this was years before Mercedes employed it. The results were impressive, too, at least on paper: 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds, 45mpg and 144g/km.
What let the Infiniti down as a driver's car was the slightly inert handling and weird steer-by-wire, but this is High Mile Club, not a track test. Also mentioned in the story was the Q50's impressive refinement, a familiar trait for the plush Japanese four-door. Described as "incredibly relaxing" around town and almost as serene at speed, the Infiniti seemed like the perfect saloon to rack up the miles with. So that's exactly what this one has done...
By the time its first MOT in 2017, this Infiniti Q50 S had accrued 89,890 miles - it failed on worn tyres. A year later it had picked up another 20,000 miles (and another fail), but since 2018 the report card has been blemish free, the only advisory in almost 25,000 miles of driving being a failed rear seatbelt inspection because a child seat was fitted.
The condition is remarkable for a car that's averaged 20,000 miles a year for seven years. Yes, the steering wheel is a bit shiny, the tyres not really suitable for a 360hp car and the driver's seat showing some wear, but the Q50 could surely get away with being a 70,000-mile example. It's a cliché now, though it really does seem testament to how they're built. Or maybe how they're used - a 140,000-mile 3 Series doesn't look like this, does it?
Neither does an £8,495 one, which is all this Infiniti costs. What looked decent value new at £40k is especially so now a few years later, even if selling a mega-mile car that nobody has heard of might prove tricky. The Infiniti is, by some margin, the newest car in the classifieds with more than 300hp, the next comparable car being a £10k BMW 335i that's two years older. Indeed, spend £8.5k on a 3 Series and you could end up with a 140hp 318i that's still older than the Infiniti.
That said, as the brand's lack of success in the UK made clear, value isn't everything when it comes to buying new cars - especially those with premium aspirations. Infiniti wasn't the first to misjudge the British public's appetite for anything new, and it's unlikely to be the last, either. However, as often is the case, the cars which resulted arguably look most appealing as canny secondhand purchases. For the refinement and performance of a proper luxury saloon for supermini money, the Infiniti is surely worth a look.
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