Infiniti has announced that its largest SUV model, the FX, is about to get a quick mid-life spruce-up. A tweaked grille and bumper will be the headline changes in an exercise that Infiniti describes as 'reinforcing the FX DNA'. In non-PR speak, that means a relatively mild facelift and a selection of trim and paint revisions.
So, what's new? Well, entry-level GT and GT Premium trim levels will get new five-double-spoke alloy wheels with a 20-inch diameter. There'll also be a new paint colour, Iridium Blue, which will be added across the range. And that's about it.
As the adage goes, though, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Despite - or, perhaps, because of - its rather individual styling, the FX has been gaining fans throughout Europe, and has seen a 31% jump in sales across the continent in 2011. In a market that has experienced an overall decline, that suggests that Infiniti must be doing something right, which would explain why it has kept changes to a minimum. "Buyers love the way the FX looks and they love the way it drives, so the last thing we are going to do is make changes for change's sake," explains Bernard Loire, Infiniti Vice President for Europe and Middle East.
One thing that won't see any changes is the FX's cost. Infiniti has promised that the 2011 model's prices will be carried over, so the range will continue to start at £46,750 for the V6-powered FX37 GT model.
Alex Robbins - 16 Apr 2012