Cars

Infiniti mulls 'aggressive' blueprint for expansion

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-08-30 16:04

Nissan's luxury brand plans for 100 dealerships over the next three years

Andy Palmer, senior vice-president of Nissan

Beijing - Infiniti, the luxury car brand owned by Nissan Motor Co Ltd, is considering an ambitious expansion plan in China, the world's top vehicle market.

Andy Palmer, senior vice-president of Nissan, said in an interview on Aug 27 that a "very aggressive" plan for Infiniti is now under discussion.

"We will tell you the plan maybe in the early part of next year," Palmer said.

"We plan to make Infiniti a tier-one luxury car maker in China."

He said Infiniti, which debuted in China in 2007, is expected to double its sales in the nation to more than 10,000 cars this year, making China the brand's second biggest market after the United States.

The sales will help Infiniti grab close to 2 percent of China's premium car segment, which is now dominated by German rivals Audi, BMW and Mercedes, he said.

Allen Lu, managing director of Infiniti's newly established business unit in China.?

Allen Lu, managing director of Infiniti's newly established business unit in China, said that the brand has great potential to grow.

"We will introduce models more tailor made for the Chinese market, including new-energy products," Lu said.

Infiniti's current lineup in China includes the G 37 and 25 sedans, FX 50 and 35 SUVs, M 35 sports car as well as EX 35 and 25 crossovers.

It plans to bring its QX large SUVs and all-new M sedans into China soon.

"Our dealership network will grow significantly in China and will cover all of major cities to facilitate sales growth," Lu said.

He said Infiniti will have a total of 100 dealerships in China within the next three years, up from 21 at present.

Palmer said Infiniti will "hopefully" introduce its first electric vehicle into China in the mid-term future.

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Audi, the leader in China's premium car segment, plans to sell more than 200,000 cars in the country this year, while BMW expects its sales to hit 120,000 units this year and Mercedes-Benz aims to move more than 100,000.

All three premium brands have car production in China.

The premium segment in China surged 92 percent in the first half of this year compared to the same period of 2009 to more than 300,000 units, according to market data.

Analysts said China's luxury vehicle market, propelled by the country's steady economic growth, will continue to rise rapidly in the next couple of years.

Palmer said Nissan expects to have a 5.6 to 5.8 percent of the global vehicle market, which is expected to reach a total of 70 million units this year.