Infiniti shows off new Q50L sedan, ESQ SUV

Infiniti ESQ Photo: Courtesy of Infiniti

Nissan's premium brand Infiniti is bringing two new models to the Chengdu auto show this year - the Q50L sedan and the ESQ compact SUV model, both being built exclusively for Chinese consumers.

The Q50L will be the first locally produced model at its plant in Xiangyang, Central China's Hubei Province in the fourth quarter. The plant was built in cooperation with China's Dongfeng Group.

The new Q50L has had its wheelbase extended by 48mm to the current 2,898mm, which will give more leg-space for consumers.

This is the latest long wheelbase model released by major premium auto brands for Chinese consumers.

On Monday, Mercedes-Benz' new C-Class long wheelbase model officially hit the market.

Earlier on August 15, Cadillac's long wheelbase ATS model also became available on the market.

Infiniti's new ESQ compact SUV, which is based on Nissan's Juke Nismo, is also making its global debut along with the Q50L sedan model, as no automaker could afford to lose out in the fast-growing SUV sector in the country.

"The compact ESQ SUV will further complete Infiniti's SUV product line," the company said in a statement e-mailed to the Global Times.

The company has been stepping up efforts to boost its brand recognition in China. In 2012, the company moved its global headquarters to Hong Kong and China is now its second-largest market after North America.

In the first seven months, Infiniti sold 16,254 units of cars in China, up 116 percent year-on-year.

"The fast growth is mainly attributed to the product offensive in China," Daniel Kirchert, managing director of Infiniti China, told the Global Times in an e-mailed statement.

The company is planning to launch seven new models in China this year. It currently has three models and four more are expected to be launched in the future, he said.

Infiniti has also become a new force in the high-end auto sector. It said that it aims to become a brand "with strong personality" in the premium sector which is still dominated by the three German brands.

The company has set an annual sales target of 100,000 units by 2018, according to Kirchert, when domestically produced cars are expected to account for 50 percent of sales.

Kirchert said that Infiniti has established an office in Chengdu, Southwestern China's Sichuan Province this year, indicating the company's emphasis on the market in the western part of China. In 2013, the company opened its second Chinese flagship store in Chengdu.