Infiniti has started manufacturing the Q50L sedan in China at the Xiangyang Plant in Hubei Province, the brand’s first production facility in the country.
The long-wheelbase version of the Q50 is Infiniti’s first localized model in China dedicated to local consumers, with the sedan to be followed by the QX50L crossover in coming months. The Infiniti Q50L has a stretched overall length of 4,852mm (191in) and stretched wheelbase of 2,898mm (114.1in) – 48 mm (1.9in) longer than the standard Q50. The car is powered by a 211hp 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol engine which sends power to the rear wheels via a seven-speed automatic transmission.
“Local production demonstrates Infiniti’s long-term commitment to the Chinese market. We will bring Infiniti’s renowned global quality standards and its premium experience even closer to Chinese consumers,” said Dr. Daniel Kirchert, president of Dongfeng Infiniti Motor Co. and managing director of Infiniti China.
With the debut of production at the Xiangyang Plant, China has become the third country for Infiniti’s global manufacturing footprint in addition to Japan and the United States. The move is part of Infiniti’s plan to turn China into its second volume hub globally.
Jointly established by Dongfeng Motor Corp. and Nissan Motor Co., the Xiangyang plant has an annual production capacity of 250,000 vehicles, 60,000 of which are dedicated for Infiniti production.
Infiniti plans to increase sales in China to 100,000 vehicles by 2018, over half of which will be locally-built models. In the first three quarters of 2014, Infiniti has been the fastest growing premium auto brand in China, with sales increasing by 91 percent year-on-year to nearly 20,800 vehicles.
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