NEW YORK (April 8, 1998) - Good afternoon. Thank you for joining us today. This is a special moment and we're excited about introducing a very special car, the 1999 Infiniti G20. It's appropriate we introduce the new G20 in New York, because New York is not only where the original G was introduced, it's also where the Infiniti division was introduced.

This is a luxury sedan with a sporty, personality, appealing to active, successful people. These are people who are independent minded, original thinkers. Some people call them the "up and coming," because they are most likely to be younger and coming into the luxury segment for the first time. Maybe a better description is "up and running." They've got places to go, things to do, and the G20 is the perfect vehicle for them. More than age or income, we're talking about an attitude. These are "free agents," coming out of a range of auto segments with an almost unlimited choice of vehicles available to them.

This is the future of the luxury segment - people who want to feel good about what they are driving and feel good driving.

The new G20 is already a proven success in Europe. Known as the Primera, the European press named it one of the Top 10 handling cars in the world. It's a true performance car, purpose-built to outhandle all the competition. The G20 has a cab forward design, and its panel surfaces have a natural flow. Take a look at how the wedge silhouette conveys movement. Also notice the grille that ties the G20 to the I30 and Q45, giving it that distinctive "Infiniti family" feel. And the G20's sharply defined headlight design gives the vehicle a jewel-like luxury appearance.

The G20's interior has also been designed for luxury. It's roomy while still being personal. It's the kind of environment that can transport the driver and passengers to a world of comfort, designed ergonomically to deliver convenience and luxury, such as a large cabin volume, plenty of front headroom and rear legroom, with low-fatigue seats that are incredibly comfortable, an optimized shaping of the door cut allowing for convenient, easy entry to the car1s rear seat and the rear seat is a split, fold-down design, making the G20's big trunk even more versatile, which is something our target customers really want.

There's also a standard premium Bose audio system. In fact, in 1999, all Infiniti vehicles will come equipped with Bose audio systems.

Another area where the new G20 delivers big is safety features. The G20 has been designed with an impact dispersing side body structure and comes equipped with a new side air bag system which inflates to help cushion both the head and chest areas.

We're the only car in this segment to offer this safety feature. When you combine this level of safety with Infiniti quality and reliability, it's a home run.

I've talked about the luxury sedan aspects, but what about the G20's sporty, personality? It's found in its outstanding all-around performance. The 1999 G20 has a high-output 140 horsepower, 16 valve, 2-liter dual overhead cam engine and comes with a choice of automatic transmission or a 5-speed manual.

Either way, the G20 is a car built for the joy of driving. Great responsiveness. Tight handling. It really hugs the road with every turn and its front multi-link suspension - combined with a rear multi-link beam - results in the ideal suspension system for front wheel drive vehicles. On top of that, the G20 has power-assisted rack and pinion steering and the most up to date ABS system - all working together to deliver a fun-to-drive feeling, a sense of stability and a comfortable ride.

Another reason why the G20 has such tight handling is because it's built through Infiniti's Intelligent Body Assembly System, or IBAS. Using robots, the IBAS construction process creates a strong and quiet unibody with improved handling and steering responses. IBAS is just one example of Infiniti's commitment to advancing quality through technology.

Another example is our Paint Inspection Machine. Each G20 is scanned through a computer lens operation that ensures the highest possible quality. The G20 is the first to use this new system.

Also, we put each G20 through a 12 kilometer test run, just as we do for the Q45 and I30. No other car in our segment can make that type of quality assurance claim.

Again, Infiniti is committed to delivering all the luxury amenities these "up and runners" are looking for and more.

We are also giving our customers choices. The 1999 Infiniti G20 comes in two models, the G20 Standard, and the G20 Touring. And, each is available with a Leather & Convenience package.

Our Standard model comes equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission, an 8-way driver's seat, remote entry system, alloy wheels and much more. Our Touring model, the G20t, adds lower profile tires, fog lights and a rear deck lid spoiler.

The Leather & Convenience Package features leather seats, power driver's seat, power sliding glass moonroof and a HomeLink Transceiver.

Okay, now I know the question all of you have on your minds. What's the price of the G20? Well, we're not ready to announce it just yet, but it will start at under $25,000.

The G20 is a vehicle delivering authentic luxury and performance at a price that will appeal to our educated, savvy buyers - the kind of buyers who will enhance and broaden the Infiniti franchise.

And it's a vehicle that can compete head-on in performance and luxury with the Audi A4 and the BMW 318i.

Plus the G20 has that something extra - TOE, Infiniti's Total Ownership Experience.

Infiniti set the standards for customer satisfaction, and we're still leading the way. Infiniti was ranked the top carline in the most recent J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study and ranked second overall in the Customer Satisfaction Index Study, following a top finish the year prior. These achievements speak to our high standards, and we will keep these standards with the G20.

And we have a great place to start from. Infiniti is coming off a record sales year. In 1997 we passed the 65,000 unit sales mark. We're a top-tier luxury brand. Our average sales per dealer was second among luxury nameplates. And now we have the G20, a car that active, successful people can feel passionate about.

We begin selling the car beginning August first.(Editor's note: G20 slated to go on sale July 17th.)

We're supporting the G20 launch with a print and television campaigns, building on our successful "Own One and You'll Understand" theme. It's been a great tag line for us because it expresses what Infiniti is all about - ride and comfort, luxury and an unparalleled ownership experience.

The 1999 Infiniti G20 delivers all that in a sporty package with European styling and all the luxury amenities consumers expect. It's the authentic luxury sports sedan built for the spirited driver - the perfect integration of luxury and fun. Thank you.

Artist's Rendering | Specifications | Introduction

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