Infiniti plans to add a new flagship nameplate above the Q70 sedan (formerly known as the M series) and new crossovers in order to boost sales and build the brand. The plans were revealed by Infiniti CEO Johan de Nysschen during the line off ceremony for the new Q50 sedan at the Tochigi assembly plant in Japan, according to an Autonews report.
The new models are part of Infiniti’s target to cover 90 percent of all global premium segments by 2020, compared to just under 60 percent today. The executive added that the company has a sales target of 600,000 units by the end of the decade, a very ambitious one considering that Infiniti sold only 170,000 units in 2012.
“We will also in the future, introduce models above where the Q70 stops today, the Q70 being the former M,” De Nysschen said. “In our crossover range, we can imagine significant additions to that lineup as well.”
These new models will be gradually introduced “through to the end of this decade.” Other cars already under development include a new compact premium model that will be built at Nissan’s Sunderland plant in the United Kingdom from 2015.
There’s also speculation about a halo sports car that would be inspired by the 2009 Infiniti Essence concept car or the Emerg-E two-seat hybrid sports concept shown last year. However, de Nysschen did not mention such plans.
The CEO also said his first priority is to make Infiniti a more desirable brand, as that is “more important than just hitting the sales numbers.”
Note: The car pictured below is the Q70 sedan
By Dan Mihalascu
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