Infiniti Etherea to become B-Class based Infiniti DX

Carlos Ghosn has revealed that Infiniti will build a new compact crossover – probably the Infiniti DX – based on the new Mercedes B-Class. Due 2014.

To be entirely fair, the news that Infiniti is going to be build a compact crossover on the new Mercedes B-Class MFA architecture – and that it is the Etherea Concept forming the basis and likely to be called the Infiniti DX – isn’t a huge surprise.

We knew last year when Nissan and Mercedes announced a partnership deal that it would impact on Infiniti as well as Nissan. And the first fruits of that have been confirmed by Carl Ghosn, with the news Infiniti will launch a compact crossover in 2014 using the Mercedes MFA platform which underpins the new B-Class.

We’re assuming that the compact crossover will be the Infiniti DX, unless Infiniti starts to get creative with its production model names as well as its concepts. And it’s a recent concept – the Infiniti Etherea – which previews the upcoming Infiniti DX.

The Etherea – which we saw at Geneva in the Spring – was a compact, pillarless crossover with suicide doors and looked entirely suited to European markets – sans the concept fripperies – especially with a decent turbo diesel option on offer.

Interestingly – in a statement that sounded like it was made by the worst sort of ‘please everyone politician’ – Nissan described the Infiniti Etherea as ‘Part Coupe, Part Saloon, Part Hatchback and Part Crossover’, so we guess they haven’t decied exactly where they’re going to position the DX in the market.

Perhaps, especially as Mercedes are planning an SUV/Crossover version of the new B-Class ,they’ll be aiming the DX at the B-Class? Should that worry Mercedes?

It would seem not. When asked if basing Infiniti luxury cars on Mercedes would impact on Mercedes sales, he said he believed there was extremely limited cross shopping between Infiniti and Mercedes.

Which probably tells you all you need to know about the Infiniti brand.