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The Infiniti Q45 is the perfect example of a wonderful car that’s a dismal failure.

The flagship of Nissan’s Infiniti division, the Q45 has been lost in the shadow of the Lexus LS400 since both luxury sedans arrived in 1989. Over the years, Lexus dealers sold twice as many LS400s as Infiniti dealers sold Q45s.

The LS400, while certainly a wonderful example of modern car-making, wasn’t twice as good as the Q45. In fact, in some ways, I liked the old Q45 better. It was a sportier car that had a certain boldness of style, from its exaggerated chrome door handles to the analog clock on the dashboard, which the LS400 lacked. Also, in models equipped with Infiniti’s full-active suspension, this car was a superior choice for those who wanted both aggressive driving and a luxurious setting.

Now, for 1997, Infiniti has produced a new Q. It’s a car quite unlike its predecessor. It’s lighter, shorter and narrower than the 1996 version. Gone is the big 4.5-liter V-8, replaced by a smaller, slightly less powerful 4.1-liter V-8.

Gone, too, are the distinctive door handles and classy clock. (The hood medallion that some sarcastic scribe compared to the World Wrestling Federation championship belt disappeared a few years back.)

The Q45 has gone mainstream. It looks much more like a Lexus or an Acura. The changes might please potential buyers, but will do nothing for those who already own or really liked the old Q45. Perhaps that’s the point. Sales of the Q45 dropped from 14,622 in 1991 to 5,700 last year.

Number don’t lie, either. While Infiniti won’t like the comparison, I often thought of the Q45 as the car Buick would love to build but its buyers wouldn’t let it. This was a full-size luxury sedan with all the right touches.

The new Q is smaller. Its 12.6-cubic-foot trunk is down 2.2 cubic feet. The interior volume also is down 2.2-cubic feet, but Infiniti says that the legroom lost by those in the front seat is gained by those in the back. It felt quite nice, roominess-wise, but not what I’d call spacious.

So what’s to like about the 1997 Infiniti Q45? Well, a longer wheelbase, 16-inch alloy wheels, lower-profile tires and larger brakes equate to a car that drives, steers, handles and corners better. Still, suspension that’s a bit softer tends to negate these improvements — even in the sport-tuned Touring edition. Overall, the car now leans more toward comfort than raciness.

More stereo speakers, a three-frequency transmitter in the driver’s visor and pin lights that make finding switches in the dark an easier task reveal that the Q45 designers paid close attention to details. The list of standard features is exhaustive, complete and even repetitive. The Touring version has both an in-dash CD player as well as a six-disc changer in the trunk.

Economics has some role in evaluating the new Q45. Like the Lexus LS400, the Q45 went from a state-of-the-art luxury bargain in the early ’90s to a $50,000-plus cash drain. Infiniti rolled back prices earlier this year, and kept the new Q45 well under $50,000 for 1997. The 1997 Q45 comes in two trim levels, standard and touring. Prices start at $47,900, as much as $6,000 less than in the past.

The smaller displacement engine means that fuel economy is improved, too. EPA figures of 18 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway compare favorably to the 16 and 22 mpg of the 1996 Q45.

Infiniti remains one of the industry leaders when it comes to quality and customer satisfaction. Again, if most of the attention goes to Lexus, which most often wins the J.D. Power surveys, it must be noted that Infiniti is within a fraction of the top. That puts it well ahead of most other competitors.

Still, the question remains whether Infiniti took away the soul of the Q45. This smaller, less powerful, less sporty, less distinctive Q45 hardly seems a car that inspires passion. That’s a damnin evaluation, except when you consider that the LS400 has a deserved reputation — and lots of loyal owners — for being nearly perfect without any apparent personality at all. All things being equal, Infiniti will sacrifice soul for sales any day.

SPECS
What we drove: 1997 Infiniti Q45t, a five-passenger, four-door luxury sedan with a 266-horsepower, 4.1-liter V-8 engine and a four-speed automatic transmission.

Base price: $49,900

Price as tested (includes delivery charge): $50,395

Top speed: 144 miles per hour

Curb weight: 3,890 pounds

Length: 199.2 inches

Turning circle (curb to curb): 36.1 feet

Standard features: Sport-tuned suspension; traction control system; five-spoke cast alloy wheels; integrated fog lights; rear spoiler; leather seats; heated seats; power seats; memory seats; floor mats; leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter; wood trim; automatic air conditioning; power windows, locks and mirrors; cruise control; tilt steering; electric rear window defrost; rear-seat center armrest with cup holders; automatic day/night rear-view mirror; automatic on/off head lights; integrated Homelink transmitter; Bose AM/FM stereo with cassette, in-dash CD and 6-disc CD auto-changer; dual air bags; anti-lock brakes; keyless entry and anti-theft system.

Options on test vehicle: None

EPA figures: 18 mpg (city), 23 mpg (highway)

Fuel: Premium