Infiniti’s Coming New Sport Sedan Is Aiming to Channel G35 Vibes
Rear drive, possible manual transmission to be offered. Also on tap is the new QX65 SUV and an E-powered hybrid SUV.
Customers keep asking Infiniti to bring back a sport sedan along the lines of the G35 (pictured above) that enthusiasts embraced. Take heart, says Tiago Castro, vice president of Infiniti Americas. A sport sedan is coming in 2027.
The news gets even better. It will be rear-wheel drive and could even be offered with a manual transmission, Castro said at an Automotive Press Association event at the Nissan Technical Center in metro Detroit.
Castro knows sedans are low volume. Manuals are low volume. Heck, even Infiniti is low volume.
But the luxury arm of Nissan, which has been struggling, has a plan to introduce a new product a year, starting with the new Infiniti QX65 SUV in 2026. The production version of the QX65 is close to the Monograph concept and will be built at Nissan’s Smyrna plant in Tennessee.
It is an important model, a two-row version of the mainstream QX60 midsize three-row SUV and it evokes the spirit of the FX crossover.
Infiniti Sport Sedan With a Manual?
The launch of the QX65 will be followed by the sport sedan in 2027. The sedan will be low volume; the goal is for it to be an inspirational, fun-to-drive sedan, taking Infiniti back to its roots.
Castro will not say what platform it will use but did say it makes business sense to share platforms with Nissan brand models. If the vehicle is going to have a manual, we have to think it may share the aging FM platform used by the Nissan Z that returned for a seventh generation. The Z shared its bones with the discontinued Infiniti G37, scaling the platform down to the two-seater’s smaller footprint.
The car is expected to evoke memories of the G35, but don’t expect the name to start with a G. Infiniti will continue its current naming strategy for consistency, Castro says.
It will be rear-wheel drive, might be offered with a manual as well as automatic transmission, and will have lots of horsepower and sport sedan dynamics aimed at pleasing enthusiasts. It isn’t just a 0-to-60 mph fast vehicle that can’t perform, Castro says. It’s being designed to be an all-around performer that you can have fun driving.
Hybrid with Nissan’s E-Power Coming
Third to bat is a two-row compact hybrid SUV in 2028 using Nissan’s e-power powertrain and the same platform as the 2026 Nissan Rogue, which will be first to bring the technology to North America. Nissan’s e-Power series hybrid system uses the gasoline engine as a generator to recharge the battery and is already on sale in Europe and Japan. But Nissan needed a more powerful, less expensive, and more highway efficient version for North Americans. The hybrid will offer a combination of power and quiet premium propulsion, Castro says. The SUV will have standard all-wheel drive. This vehicle will also be built in Smyrna.
The hybrid will be Infiniti’s volume vehicle, helping Nissan achieve its goal of selling 100,000 vehicles in 2029, in celebration of the brand’s 40th anniversary.
More Infiniti QX80s Possible
Infiniti is also looking at adding variants of its large, three-row Infiniti QX80 SUV. The brand showed two concepts this summer as part of Monterey Car Week to gauge reaction: the QX80 Track Spec street performance variant and the off-road-oriented QX80 Terrain Spec overlander. At a dealer meeting earlier this year, 78 percent voted for the Track Spec and Castro is also a fan of the version with more than 650 horsepower and 750 lb-ft of torque from the twin-turbo 3.5-liter V-6. Castro said he is exploring both. He needs to define which is best and work up business plans before proceeding with either—or both.
Plans for an electric vehicle that was to be built in Canton, Mississippi, have been put on hold and Infiniti is still evaluating when it makes sense to bring to market given slowing demand for electric vehicles.
Essentially, all new models for at least the next three years will have internal combustion engines, but Infiniti will look at adding additional powertrains in the future, Castro said.
Infiniti Has a Future
Castro, born in Brazil, joined Nissan in 2002 as an intern at its Michigan facility. He has only been head of Infiniti Americas for six months. Before taking the job, he asked senior leadership bluntly if Infiniti had a future—there have been many reports speculating about its demise—and was told Nissan was serious about rebuilding the brand. There is a realization internally from the top that Nissan will be stronger with a strong Infiniti brand, Castro said.
The new chief started a detailed assessment of where the brand is today and what needs to be done. The plan to introduce one vehicle a year for the foreseeable future may only yield a portfolio of five or six models. That’s OK if they’re in the right segments, Castro says. Infiniti can do less as long as it does it well. The models must be unique and the customer service exemplary. The secret sauce is right product, right segments, and client experience. The goal is to be the primary alternative luxury brand, returning to its past as an alternative to vanilla traditional luxury offerings.
“Infiniti doesn’t have to be a brand for everybody,” Castro says. If customers are in love with the brand, volume will follow. And the new Infiniti chief wants his successor (if and when that day comes) to find the brand in a better place than how he found it.
Ford Is Getting F-150 Production Back in Overdrive After Major Setback
The automaker is adding a third shift to help make up for lost output caused by a supplier plant fire.Alisa PriddleWriter
MotorTrend StaffPhotographerOct 23, 2025
Ford plans to increase its production of its F-150 and F-Series Super Duty trucks starting next year in order to meet increased demand and make up for lost production due to a fire at a supplier plant that makes aluminum.
The company plans to add about 900 new jobs and shift existing workers from other plants, including the idled plant that makes the F-150 Lightning electric pickup, to man a third crew of 1,200 at the Ford Rouge Complex in Dearborn and beef up output at the Dearborn Stamping Plant and Dearborn Diversified Manufacturing Plant. Another 100 new workers will be hired to work at the Kentucky Truck Plant.
This will make it possible to build an additional 50,000 trucks a year—45,000 in Dearborn and 5,000 in Kentucky. The additional units will start rolling off the line in the first quarter of 2026, with production ramping-up from there.
The roughly 500 workers that had been making the Lightning until earlier this month will transfer next door in 2026 to make gas-powered and hybrid trucks that are more profitable and use less aluminum. Lightning production had been idled due to slower sales of EVs that aren’t expected to get better with the end of federal incentives. Ford executives are not saying when Lighting production will resume.
A fire at the Novelis aluminum plant in Oswego, New York, in September resulted in production losses that amounted to a $1.5- to $2-billion profit hit, Ford reported as part of its third-quarter earnings. The losses have forced the company to lower its guidance on how much it expects to earn all year.
Ford reported a third-quarter net income of $2.4 billion, up from $900 million a year ago. Adjusted income was $2.6 billion. Revenue was up 9 percent to a record $50.5 billion. Ford says while the fire caused an unexpected hit to the bottom line, the company now thinks the additional hit from tariffs will be about $1 billion, about half of original estimates.
Alisa Priddle
Alisa Priddle joined MotorTrend in 2016 as the Detroit Editor. A Canadian, she received her Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, and has been a reporter for 40 years, most of it covering the auto industry because there is no more fascinating arena to cover. It has it all: the vehicles, the people, the plants, the competition, the drama. Alisa has had a wonderfully varied work history as a reporter for four daily newspapers including the Detroit Free Press where she was auto editor, and the Detroit News where she covered the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies, as well as auto trade publication Wards, and two enthusiast magazines: Car & Driver and now MotorTrend. At MotorTrend Alisa is a judge for the MotorTrend Car, Truck, SUV and Person of the Year. She loves seeing a new model for the first time, driving it for the first time, and grilling executives for the stories behind them. In her spare time, she loves to swim, boat, sauna, and then jump into a cold lake or pile of snow.
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The 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Electric Pickup Is Getting a Lot Cheaper
This 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning gets a $5,000-plus price reduction on some trims. Here’s how much the EV truck has been discounted.Justin BannerWriter
Staff PhotosPhotographerJul 17, 2023
When we gave the 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning our 2023 Truck of the Year Award, it was the least-expensive all-electric pickup truck on the market—especially for the work-truck level Pro trim. Unfortunately, it was still a $52,000 pickup that didn’t quite feel worth $12,000 more than what Ford had promised initially. As if that wasn’t bad enough, there was a subsequent price increase to a whopping $61,969. Fast forward to today and things have drastically changed. The Lightning still won’t hit the $40,000 price point we were originally promised, but the entire Lightning lineup is drastically cheaper than it was a few days ago.
What Caused the Price Change?
Ford says there are multiple reasons for the price reduction, including increased plant capacity, scaling production, material costs, and improvements in battery materials. Demand is also a factor; it’s cooled off enough to allow Ford to catch up with its reservations, and it is now on track to allow buyers to spec built-to-order electric trucks as soon as October. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Rouge, Mich., is also entering its last two weeks of its upgrade shutdown. Once it reopens, scheduled for July 31, the factory will be able to produce 150,000 Lightnings annually by the beginning of fall, lining up with Ford’s October timeline for those built-to-order pickups.
How Much Is a 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Now?
How much is a new, 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning EV going to cost you? The (now) base trim Lightning XLT is priced at $65,090, a $2,000 decrease from its previous MSRP, and now comes standard with the Tow Technology Package. If you want the Class IV hitch to go with it, it’s a no-cost option. Theoretically, the Max Trailer Tow package is an additional $1,100—netting owners another 2,700 pounds of towing capacity, for a total of 7,700 pounds—but it’s bundled with the Pro Power Onboard option for a total outlay of $2,300. At least for now; a Ford spokesperson says Pro Power will be available as a separate option for $1,200 and this should be reflected on Ford’s consumer site soon.
Being demoted to the Lightning’s base trim, the XLT is now only available with the Standard Range battery pack. The Pro trim, previously the entry-level Lightning, is gone for 2024. The XLT’s battery pack is good for 240 miles on a full charge when not towing. You also no longer have the option to get Blue Cruise on the XLT trim, and the Mobile Power Cord is now a $500 extra.
With the XLT now the base model in the trim walk, the next step up is the new Flash trim, which comes standard with the Extended Range battery pack and Tow Tech pack for an MSRP of $70,090, reduced from its original $75,090. The Flash is also equipped with a 15.5-inch LCD infotainment screen, wireless smartphone charging pad, and Intelligent Access that adds keyless entry and available approach detection. You can also option the Flash with Blue Cruise capability for three years prepaid for $2,100 more. Max Tow and the Mobile Power Cord remain optional at the same prices as the XLT, as well as the Class IV hitch being a no-charge option.
The next level up for the Lightning is the Lariat, which is now $79,090 (a $2,500 decrease). It, too, will gain the Tow Package and Extended Range battery pack as standard equipment. Max Tow, Blue Cruise, and the Mobile Power cable remain optional with upcharges and the Class IV hitch a no-charge option.
Finally, if you want luxury to come along with your all-electric power, the Platinum Extended Range is now under $90,000, at $87,090. It comes standard with the Max Tow Package, a Blue Cruise 90-day Trial, and 22-inch machined wheels. If you want to get the 3-year Blue Cruise subscription, add that package for a total of $89,190. You can also get the Platinum Black package to black out your Lightning Platinum trim for an extra $8,000 ($95,090).
2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Pricing
| 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning Pricing | Previous Pricing | New Pricing | Difference |
| XLT | $67,090 | $65,090 | $2,000 |
| Flash | $75,590 | $70,090 | $5,500 |
| Lariat | $81,590 | $79,090 | $2,500 |
| Platinum | $87,090 | $87,090 | $0 |
Justin Banner
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he’s had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He’s best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
