With a new alliance between Renault-Nissan and Daimler AG firmly in place, Mercedes Annapolis said one of the first byproducts of this relationship could be a Mercedes-sourced four-cylinder engine for Infiniti’s G sedan and coupe.
All automakers, particularly those in the premium segment, are looking for new ways to boost fuel economy throughout their entire lineup. With a thirsty behemoth like the QX56 or the performance-tuned FX50, Infiniti could benefit from a base four-cylinder unit in the G lineup to offset the MPG offered by their high-performance and SUV models.
Although Renault-Nissan’s chief executive Carlos Ghosn has been silent on when new engines will make it to Nissan’s premium brand, it would be convenient to leverage the 1.8-liter four-cylinder engines currently used in European Mercedes-Benz C-Class models.
According to Infiniti of Norwood, sales of the Infiniti G lineup jumped 28 percent in the first three months of 2010, with a total 47,174 G sedans and coupes sold last year.
With new U.S. regulations in place demanding a combined car and light-truck corporate average fuel economy level of 34.1 miles per gallon starting in 2016, it might be the best time for Nissan to leverage what its new partner has to offer.
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