Infiniti to Enter Australia’s Luxury Car Market in 2012 with FX, G37 and M Models

Infiniti continues to expand its reach around the world and has now confirmed plans to begin sales of its range of sedans, coupes and crossovers in Australia from the third quarter of 2012. The introduction in Australia follows the presentation of the premium brand in the UK, Western Europe and select Asia Pacific markets.

The Japanese company said it will create Infiniti Centres in each of the three major east coast capitals of the country in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. The initial lineup will include the FX sport crossover, G37 hardtop convertible and coupe, and the M luxury sedan.

"As part of Infiniti's worldwide expansion, Australia is a mandatory next step for the luxury brand," said Dan Thompson CEO, Infiniti Cars Australia. "In a little more than a year, the promise of luxury vehicles with a unique combination of inspired performance, attentive hospitality and unparalleled quality will become a reality for the Australian market.”

Kevin Snell, the Japanese firm’s newly appointed General Manager, believes Infiniti will act as a “clear alternative to the traditional premium makes” adding that the brand will target a younger buyer demographic aged between 30 and 40 years.

‘Infiniti customers are ‘‘quiet rebels’’. They’re rebellious of the mainstream and are typically looking for something different,’’ says Snell.

‘‘They’re more of an individualist-type customer who are passionate about design and technology. They are early adopters and risk-takers and don’t like traditional conversative status and want to stand out from the crowd. They might even be tired of an Audi, BMW or Mercedes their neighbour drives’’.

Nissan founded Infiniti in 1989, around the same time as Japanese rivals Toyota and Honda created their own premium divisions, Lexus and Acura respectively. Following its launch in the United States and then Canada, the brand has since expanded to Europe as well as China, Korea, Taiwan and parts of the Middle East. Currently, Infiniti has 340 dealers worldwide with the company forecasting more than 165,000 sales in the 2011 Financial Year.

Hat tip to Matt!

Source: Infiniti via Drive

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Infiniti Wants to Double its European Sales this Year

Nissan's luxury brand Infiniti aims to double its sales in Europe during the 2011 fiscal year, according to company officials. The expected growth will be fueled not only by the introduction of new models and powertrain options, but also by the expansion of its dealer network.

"In 2011, Western Europe will be somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000 units" said Infiniti Europe Vice President Jim Wright in an interview with Automotive News. That is a substantial increase over the 4,500 units sold in the 2010 fiscal year ending March 31, albeit still not even close to challenging the other premium automakers in Europe (i.e. BMW sold 45,600 cars in January 2011 alone).

The introduction of new models such as the M sedan, as well as the addition of a diesel option on the EX and FX crossovers, are expected to lead to increased sales. This spring, the M35h hybrid will also join Infiniti’s European range, offering buyers an eco-friendly alternative to the petrol and diesel variants of the M series.

The Infiniti official also expects growth from Russia, where sale volumes should equal those from Western Europe, at 7,000 to 8,000 units (up from 6,000 in fiscal year 2010).

Mr. Wright added that Infiniti will continue to expand the dealer network across Europe, as the company plans to have 60 dealerships in Western Europe by the end of fiscal year 2011, 20 more than in 2010. As for the Russian and Ukrainian market, Infiniti is counting on jumping from its current 14 stores to 19 or 20.

The upcoming entry-level model previewed by the Etherea concept at the Geneva Motor Show is not included in Infiniti’s current plans, as the car is not expected to arrive before 2013.

By Dan Mihalascu

Via: Autonews Europe [Sub. Req.]

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