The 2001 Infiniti QX4 is available with either four-wheel drive or two-wheel drive. Previously, buyers had but one choice, a four-wheel drive. For 2001, a two-wheel-drive model is being added.
Base MSRP for the 2WD is $34,675, including a destination charge of $525. The 4WD, which Infiniti says will comprise 80 percent of QX4 sales, starts at an MSRP, including destination, of $36,075. The two models differ only in whether the engine drives just the rear wheels or all four wheels.
And the only option limited to one model is the $900 Sport Package offered on the 4WD (but to get this, buyers must also pop for the $600 Premium Package or for the $950 sunroof). The Sport Package comprises heated front and rear seats and a limited-slip rear differential, helpful in low-traction situations. The Premium Package replaces standard 16-inch wheels with 17-inch wheels and comes with a driver memory seat and a pseudo-fancy steering wheel covered in wood-tone plastic and leather.
Other options are a nifty navigation system, two-tone paint, a rear wind deflector and a towing package. The 2WD model is available with the heated seats, but they must be ordered in combination with the Premium Package.
Also available is the Infiniti Communicator, which uses global positioning satellite and cellular telephone technology to provide around-the-clock roadside assistance and travel directions. Infiniti operators can unlock the QX4's door if you've locked the keys inside and track it if it is stolen. Most important, the system notifies the Infiniti Response Center in the event of an airbag deployment. If contact cannot be made with the QX4's occupants, the IRC calls the 911 dispatcher closest to the QX4's location to summon help.
Checking all the option boxes on order form can push the total cost to $41,404 on a 2WD and $43,104 on a 4WD.