"In 2011, western Europe will be somewhere between 7,000 and 8,000," Infiniti Europe Vice President, Jim Wright, said on the floor of the Geneva Motor Show. He also stated that the Japanese luxury brand will end the 2010 fiscal year on March 31 with about 4,500 new-car sales in Western Europe.
Despite the increase, Infiniti is still far off the pace set by other manufacturers in the segment. BMW, for instance, sold 57,381 units in February alone on the continent, 18,883 of which were in Germany. The low sales figures do have a one advantage though, and that is exclusivity for the brand’s customers.
New models, such as the Infiniti M sedan, plus additional powertrain options on the EX and FX crossovers, are expected to result in increases of demand. Starting this spring, the M35h hybrid will also join the lineup, offering a viable option for models from Lexus.
Wright also expects strong demand to come from Russia, where the fiscal 2011 volume should rise to between 7,000 and 8,000, compared to about 6,000 last year. "That means 2011 should be the first year were western Europe and Russia are balanced," he said.
"If you look at the FX in comparison with its competitors, it is something that is very different. That's the same with M. Its design language and the way the car looks and feels is quite different from an E class or a 5 series," Wright said. "The success of the brand is very much about offering the customer a clear point of differentiation in the marketplace. If we're trying to copy, it's not going to work."
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