Infiniti uses emotional approach to rival top luxury armakers

Premium carmaker Infiniti has ambitious plans to boost its share of the Chinese luxury car market by pushing its locally made models and branding campaign.

Infiniti aims to occupy 7 to 8 percent of the luxury car market in China in the future, said Daniel Kirchert, president of Dongfeng Infiniti Motor Co, a joint venture between the brand's parent company Nissan Motor Co Ltd and China's Dongfeng Motor Corp.

"Infiniti took up 2 percent of the Chinese luxury carmarket last year and I have confidence that we will gain more this year," Kirchert said.

Last week, Infiniti launched its first locally-made SUV, the intermediate SUV All-New QX50 in Beijing, to strengthen its plan to become China's fourth main player in the luxury car market after Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which control nearly 80 percent of the Chinese market, according to Kirchert.

Kirchert believes the QX50 not only looks good from the outside with its streamlined design, but also performs well inside with its power system.

According to Infiniti, the QX50 has an "intelligent all-wheel-drive" system, which is a standard configuration for all models developed from the rear-wheel-drive platform.

It can automatically divert up to 50 percent of available power to the front wheels depending on the road conditions, enhancing traction and control in adverse conditions, according to Infiniti.

The car can automatically allocate the driving proportions between the front and the rear wheels on slippery snowy roads.

Infiniti believes the All-New QX50's intelligent AWD system will improve passing capability and safety, as well as balance driving performance and pleasure.

The SUV is equipped with a 2.5-liter, six-cylinder engine, and 7-speed manual and automatic transmission. It produces maximum power of 173kW/6,400 rpm and offers top torque of 253 Nm/4,800 rpm.

The model is 4,744 mm long, 1,803 mm wide and 1,614 mm high with a 2,880 mm-long wheelbase, one of the longest in its segment.

The All-New QX50 has four derivatives, which retail for between 349,800 yuan and 449,800 yuan ($55,861-$71,831). "It is a candid car as the retail price is very fair," said Kirchert.

For All-New QX50 buyers, Infiniti offers free warranty and maintenance of four years /100,000 km, the only locally made luxury car brand to offer such a warranty, according to Infiniti.

The All-New QX50 hit the market to compete with the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLK and Volvo XC60, said Kirchert.

The All-New QX50 is produced in Infiniti's plant in Xiangyang, Hubei province, where the company also produces the brand's first locally made model, the Q50L sedan.

The Q50L made its debut in the Chinese market in November last year to compete with the Audi A4L, BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

According to Kirchert, Infiniti will deliver more tailored products for Chinese consumers in the future.

Although both the QX50 SUV and the Q50L sedan are locally made, the quality of the cars are the same as Infiniti's across the world and all the cars have the same standard worldwide, said Lei Xin, executive vice-president of Dongfeng Infiniti.

"All of our standards of internal supervision on quality are equal with international standards, some even surpass the international ones," Lei said.

Sales, brand

According to Lei, the company aims to sell 100,000 cars in China annually by 2018, with locally made models expected to account for more than half.

The company sold 30,046 vehicles in China in 2014, which was an annual increase of 76 percent and marked the fastest growth among premium automobile brands in China, according to Dongfeng Infiniti.

The number of Infiniti dealers in China grew from 66 to 85 in 2014. The brand plans to add 25 to 30 new stores in 2015 and further penetrate the third- to fifth-tier cities.

Infiniti did not reveal specific sales goals for the QX50. Lei said the company was focusing on steady, long-term and sustainable development instead of short-term targets.

He said that Infiniti would further raise brand awareness and customer experience in China with its Gan Ai, concept.

"Infiniti's spirit of Gan Ai is to attract young-minded premium customers who dare to express, to pursue happiness, to face challenges and to be themselves," Lei said.

Infiniti invited its Gan Ai ambassador Zhou Xun, a famous Chinese actress who recently got married, to the All-New QX50 launch event.

As part of the campaign, Zhou and her husband Archie Kao did a micro film for the All-New QX50 in Los Angeles, in the United States, where they met, got to know each other, fell in love and finally got married.

The film was popular because the couple's marriage is a hot topic in China and it tells a romantic story performed by the couple, which is more powerful and touching than acting.

"The process of Zhou finding her true love is exploring love, which is the extension of our brand's concept Gan Ai," Lei said.

According to Lei, the brand will further communicate the Gan Ai concept and establish emotional resonance with young-minded premium consumers.

Lei said he believes consumers in the Chinese auto market have changed. He said people born in the 1980s and 1990s were becoming the main force behind vehicle consumption and they are more self-expressive, individualistic and influenced by the Internet.

Young-minded buyers' growing demand for "cutting-edge and personalized" products will bring great opportunities for Infiniti to grow rapidly, he said.

"For them, cars are not only a transport tool, but a mirror that reflects the owners," Lei said, "so they really care what kind of cars they drive."

Lei said he thinks the beauty, space and fun of love mentioned at the end of the film is exactly the aspects Infiniti wants to bring to the All-New QX50's buyers. "We want our customers to have emotional connections and attachments with our brand," he said.