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 Infiniti 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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Infiniti Announces 2011 G37 Lineup for Europe, Automatic Transmission Standard Across the Range

The new model year brings some changes to Infiniti’s G37 lineup in Europe that comprises of sedan, coupé and convertible body styles, along with rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel drive options. For starters, all 2011MY G37s are now equipped as standard with a 7-speed automatic transmission with steering wheel paddle-shifts. There are also new alloy wheel designs for the Coupé and Cabrio models, a standard rear spoiler on Coupé S versions, and new body colors for all models, including the Malbec Black finish that was first seen on the M sedan.

The G37 sedan series is available in four trim levels, including the base rear-wheel drive [RWD] model, the all-wheel drive G37x GT and G37x GT Premium, and the RWD G37 S Premium that comes with a Viscous Limited Slip Differential, sports suspension and enhanced braking among other things.

For 2011, there are three models in the G37 Coupé range, all automatic and all rear-wheel drive: G37 GT, G37 S and the flagship, G37 S Premium.

Finally, Infiniti has cut down the G37 Cabrio’s 2011 range to just one model, the GT Premium, which comes equipped with many features including new 19-inch wheels, a 13-speaker sound system with personal head-rest speakers and a 300-CD capacity HDD Music Box.

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Geneva 2011: Etherea Concept Hints at Infiniti's BMW 1-Series and Audi A3 Rival

No question, the most significant presence at Infiniti's Geneva Motor Show booth is the brand-new Etherea concept study that provides a first glimpse at an upcoming entry-level model will allow the Japanese brand to compete with the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series. A production version inspired by the Etherea is expected to hit the market by 2014.

The Etherea concept study was designed in Japan under the direction of Shiro Nakamura who incorporated the design language of the 2009 Essence sports car concept into a five-door body style. According to Infiniti, the Etherea is "part elegant coupé, part spacious sedan, part practical hatchback and even part tall crossover".

“ETHEREA is about a new type of luxury,” said Toru Saito, Corporate Vice President and Leader of the Global Infiniti Business Unit. “It is for younger buyers who do not want a smaller version of a typically conservative and traditional luxury car. It is for people who want a car that defines who they are, not who their parents were.”

Infiniti pointed out that many of the styling cues seen on the Etherea such as the tail lamp and headlight designs "are destined to become a familiar Infiniti characteristic" in the firm's next generation of models.

The Etherea's B-pillar-less design and opposing doors open up to a four-seat cabin with a minimalistic styling highlighted by the abundant use of premium materials and trims.

The 4.4m long concept is said to be based on a new platform designed to accept a hybrid powertrain. The Etherea in particular uses a gasoline-electric drivetrain comprising of a 2.5-liter supercharged 4-cylinder petrol engine producing 245HP, an electric motor and a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that drives the front wheels.

An independent suspension, regenerative braking system and advanced drive-by-wire electric/hydraulic steering complete the set up.

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Infiniti Dealer in Germany Presents Tuning Package for M30d

Given that Infiniti is making its first steps in Europe, very few tuners in the market have touched the Japanese brand's products. Having said that, it shouldn't come as a surprise that an Infiniti dealer has stepped in to fill the void. In particular, Infiniti Centre Hamburg in Germany has released two tuning packages for the recently launched diesel-powered M30d.

The "Stage 1 Package" for the M30d includes painted door handles (€600), red brake calipers with Infiniti lettering (€1,200 €), a lowered sports suspension (€1,495), a black radiator grille (€550) and a black-foil-covered roof (€400). The package is completed by an performance kit (€1,250) for the 3.0-liter V6 turbo diesel boosting output from 238HP to 280HP.

The "Stage 2 Package" rounds off the tune with a set of 22-inch alloy wheels from Schmidt wrapped around 265/30 R22 Pirelli tires up front and 295/25 R22 tires at the back for a total cost of €6,800.

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