Nissan to sell Infiniti brand cars in Japan market
10-12-13, 01:37 AM
#1
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Nissan to sell Infiniti brand cars in Japan market
TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nissan Motor Co will sell its Infiniti luxury brand autos in its home market, seeking to capture growing demand for upscale cars and to better compete with German rivals such as BMW, the Japanese business daily Nikkei reported.
The company will release the redesigned Skyline luxury sports sedan under the Infiniti brand as early as this winter, the Nikkei said.
The Skyline is sold as the Infiniti Q50 in the United States for a base price of $36,700 (3.6 million yen). The price and sales target in Japan have yet to be set. A plant in Tochigi Prefecture will handle production, the Nikkei said.
A Nissan spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment on the report.
The automaker intends to sell the new Infiniti-brand cars at existing Nissan dealerships, with no plan to establish an exclusive sales network for now. Whether the lineup is expanded in Japan will depend on sales trends, Nikkei said.
Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn set a new profit target in May for the Infiniti, which in recent years had hardly contributed to the automaker's operating profit as it struggled to export profitably with a persistently strong yen.
Infiniti, produced mostly in Japan and exported overseas, accounted for less than 1 percent of Nissan's operating profit in the last two years, Ghosn told reporters at the time.
But Infiniti will meet its own operating profit margin target this fiscal year, as a weaker yen and a low depreciation charge would help it offset the launch costs of the new Q50 model, Infiniti's president, Johan de Nysschen, told Reuters in an interview at the Frankfurt motor show last month.
De Nysschen said he expected the brand to achieve its target for an operating profit margin of 6-7 percent in the business year ending in March 2014.
(Reporting by Lisa Twaronite and Yoko Kubota; Editing by Robert Birsel)
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nissan...062540775.html
Better late than never...
The company will release the redesigned Skyline luxury sports sedan under the Infiniti brand as early as this winter, the Nikkei said.
The Skyline is sold as the Infiniti Q50 in the United States for a base price of $36,700 (3.6 million yen). The price and sales target in Japan have yet to be set. A plant in Tochigi Prefecture will handle production, the Nikkei said.
A Nissan spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment on the report.
The automaker intends to sell the new Infiniti-brand cars at existing Nissan dealerships, with no plan to establish an exclusive sales network for now. Whether the lineup is expanded in Japan will depend on sales trends, Nikkei said.
Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn set a new profit target in May for the Infiniti, which in recent years had hardly contributed to the automaker's operating profit as it struggled to export profitably with a persistently strong yen.
Infiniti, produced mostly in Japan and exported overseas, accounted for less than 1 percent of Nissan's operating profit in the last two years, Ghosn told reporters at the time.
But Infiniti will meet its own operating profit margin target this fiscal year, as a weaker yen and a low depreciation charge would help it offset the launch costs of the new Q50 model, Infiniti's president, Johan de Nysschen, told Reuters in an interview at the Frankfurt motor show last month.
De Nysschen said he expected the brand to achieve its target for an operating profit margin of 6-7 percent in the business year ending in March 2014.
(Reporting by Lisa Twaronite and Yoko Kubota; Editing by Robert Birsel)
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/nissan...062540775.html
Better late than never...
10-12-13, 07:05 AM
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Finally, they made the right decision.
Selling them at Nissan dealers for now will appease the dealers there who worried that they will lose all the premium models in the line up.
Selling them at Nissan dealers for now will appease the dealers there who worried that they will lose all the premium models in the line up.
10-12-13, 12:09 PM
#5
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Selling at Nissan Dealers means they still haven't learned a thing. And FYI the infiniti corporate headquarters is not in Japan, it's in Hong Kong.
Good luck to them.
Crazy to think Lexus provides 50% of Toyotas profit and Infiniti almost nothing.
Good luck to them.
Crazy to think Lexus provides 50% of Toyotas profit and Infiniti almost nothing.
Last edited by LexFather; 10-12-13 at 12:14 PM.
10-12-13, 12:21 PM
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The move makes sense but seems conservative in not starting a real Infiniti dealer network even if in just a few exclusive locations. I agree with Blueprint here. It's a bit tentative and echoes the dumb, rocks and trees marketing when Infiniti was launched in the U.S. The lesson there was start right or live with the consequences for years. Have they forgotten that?
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10-12-13, 02:30 PM
#9
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Yep. It's an important step forward for Infiniti, but given how much trouble Lexus had gaining traction in Japan, it's incredible that Infiniti believes they can be successful without even segmenting out to separate dealerships.
11-12-13, 01:15 PM
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Autonews-Infiniti comes home to Japan -- sort of
http://www.autonews.com/article/2013...#axzz2kT4nrjLq
One of the most bizarre naming stories finds ways to add to the story..
One of the most bizarre naming stories finds ways to add to the story..
YOKOHAMA, Japan -- Nissan Motor Co. is finally bringing the Infiniti marque to Japan, a quarter century after its global debut in the United States. Well, sort of.
Building Infiniti into a truly global brand -- with name recognition in its home market -- could benefit its image in North America and elsewhere.
But Nissan publicly says it has not decided on introducing the brand to Japan. That indecision is evident in the marketing plan for the Skyline in Japan.
Nissan is slapping the Infiniti brand's emblem on the redesigned Nissan Skyline sedan in Japan. But it won't be using the Infiniti name.
And it won't be calling it the Nissan Skyline either. Just Skyline, by Nissan Motor Co.
The move blurs the line between Infiniti and its mass-market sibling. And the fuzziness is intentional. Nissan may be testing the waters for an Infiniti launch in Japan, one of the few major markets where the brand is not sold, despite the fact that most of its cars are made here.
Brand-launch pros, cons
In the plus column for launching Infiniti in Japan is the fact that the move may assuage any unease some American Infiniti owners might feel when challenged with the idea their cars are just glorified, rebadged Nissans. To be sure, those cars are the top-shelf Nissans in Japan, but they are still called Nissans nonetheless.
Global brand unity also could generate efficiencies in marketing and advertising.
But launching a brand in Japan implies having a range of products and a separate sales channel, said Andy Palmer, executive vice president in charge of Infiniti and global product planning.
The huge costs of starting up a separate sales channel alone are reason to second-guess the notion. The rocky entry of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus brand in Japan also offers reasons for caution. Lexus had a strong debut in the United States, but it was slow to catch on in Japan when it was finally launched there in 2006.
The Skyline experiment is Nissan's latest move to separate Infiniti's identity from that of the Nissan brand. The push for a more independent identity has seen the automaker relocate the luxury brand's global headquarters to Hong Kong from Japan and hire a slew of top executives dedicated to running only Infiniti, instead of doing double duty at both brands as before.
Imperial ties
Infiniti is trying to elevate Skyline from the pack by linking it to Japan's Imperial family.
"The Skyline brand takes its bloodline, its DNA, directly from the Prince Motor Co., which used to provide the vehicle for the Japanese emperor. There can be no better symbol of the fact that Skyline is linked to a premium and luxury brand," Palmer said. "This DNA is why this car is so important."
The Prince Motor Co., named in honor of then-Prince Akihito, who now reigns as Japan's emperor, developed the original Skyline. It merged with Nissan in 1966.
Indeed, the Skyline's lineage stretches over 56 years and 13 generations.
In Japan, it is an instantaneously recognized and storied nameplate and also the oldest still in existence in the Nissan portfolio. When the Infiniti brand was born in 1989, the 11th-generation Skyline was launched in the United States as the Infiniti G.
In Japan, Nissan wants to sell 200 Skylines a month over the life of the redesign and 500 a month in the year immediately after its launch, when the redesign's newness should pump up sales.
Photo credit: INFINITI
Lofty goals
Boosting global Infiniti sales is a key element of Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn's current business plan, unveiled in June 2011. He has tasked Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen with cranking up global sales to 500,000 units in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017.
Infiniti sold 173,000 vehicles worldwide in the Japanese fiscal year that ended March 31.
The company is already backpedaling on some goals Ghosn laid out in 2011.
This summer, de Nysschen delayed the launch of an Infiniti electric vehicle, originally set for 2014.
Infiniti executives also are rolling back Ghosn's timeline for achieving a 10 percent share of the global premium segment. When Ghosn unveiled his Power 88 business plan in June 2011, he said Infiniti should achieve that share in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017.
At a Skyline prelaunch event in Yokohama last month, Palmer said the goal was now 2020.
Skimpy Japan sales
Getting extra traction at home may buff Infiniti's brand image overseas. But it won't help the overall sales count. Global Infiniti figures already include cars sold here as Nissans that would be sold overseas as Infiniti, such as the Skyline/Infiniti Q50 and Fuga/Infiniti M.
In either case, sales volume in Japan is small.
In Japan, Nissan wants to sell 200 Skylines a month over the life of the redesign and 500 a month in the year immediately after its launch, when the redesign's newness should pump up sales. Palmer said Nissan will position the car to compete against the big three German luxury makes, implying it will get a higher sticker.
"We have a huge ambition for the Infiniti brand," Palmer said. "We have to treat Infiniti, if you will, in the same [way]that Volkswagen treats Audi. It's not a Nissan-plus. Infiniti has to stand head-to-head with any of those German competitors."
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/2013...#ixzz2kT55K3We
Follow us: @Automotive_News on Twitter | AutoNews on Facebook
Building Infiniti into a truly global brand -- with name recognition in its home market -- could benefit its image in North America and elsewhere.
But Nissan publicly says it has not decided on introducing the brand to Japan. That indecision is evident in the marketing plan for the Skyline in Japan.
Nissan is slapping the Infiniti brand's emblem on the redesigned Nissan Skyline sedan in Japan. But it won't be using the Infiniti name.
And it won't be calling it the Nissan Skyline either. Just Skyline, by Nissan Motor Co.
The move blurs the line between Infiniti and its mass-market sibling. And the fuzziness is intentional. Nissan may be testing the waters for an Infiniti launch in Japan, one of the few major markets where the brand is not sold, despite the fact that most of its cars are made here.
Brand-launch pros, cons
In the plus column for launching Infiniti in Japan is the fact that the move may assuage any unease some American Infiniti owners might feel when challenged with the idea their cars are just glorified, rebadged Nissans. To be sure, those cars are the top-shelf Nissans in Japan, but they are still called Nissans nonetheless.
Global brand unity also could generate efficiencies in marketing and advertising.
But launching a brand in Japan implies having a range of products and a separate sales channel, said Andy Palmer, executive vice president in charge of Infiniti and global product planning.
The huge costs of starting up a separate sales channel alone are reason to second-guess the notion. The rocky entry of Toyota Motor Corp.'s Lexus brand in Japan also offers reasons for caution. Lexus had a strong debut in the United States, but it was slow to catch on in Japan when it was finally launched there in 2006.
The Skyline experiment is Nissan's latest move to separate Infiniti's identity from that of the Nissan brand. The push for a more independent identity has seen the automaker relocate the luxury brand's global headquarters to Hong Kong from Japan and hire a slew of top executives dedicated to running only Infiniti, instead of doing double duty at both brands as before.
Imperial ties
Infiniti is trying to elevate Skyline from the pack by linking it to Japan's Imperial family.
"The Skyline brand takes its bloodline, its DNA, directly from the Prince Motor Co., which used to provide the vehicle for the Japanese emperor. There can be no better symbol of the fact that Skyline is linked to a premium and luxury brand," Palmer said. "This DNA is why this car is so important."
The Prince Motor Co., named in honor of then-Prince Akihito, who now reigns as Japan's emperor, developed the original Skyline. It merged with Nissan in 1966.
Indeed, the Skyline's lineage stretches over 56 years and 13 generations.
In Japan, it is an instantaneously recognized and storied nameplate and also the oldest still in existence in the Nissan portfolio. When the Infiniti brand was born in 1989, the 11th-generation Skyline was launched in the United States as the Infiniti G.
In Japan, Nissan wants to sell 200 Skylines a month over the life of the redesign and 500 a month in the year immediately after its launch, when the redesign's newness should pump up sales.
Photo credit: INFINITI
Lofty goals
Boosting global Infiniti sales is a key element of Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn's current business plan, unveiled in June 2011. He has tasked Infiniti President Johan de Nysschen with cranking up global sales to 500,000 units in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017.
Infiniti sold 173,000 vehicles worldwide in the Japanese fiscal year that ended March 31.
The company is already backpedaling on some goals Ghosn laid out in 2011.
This summer, de Nysschen delayed the launch of an Infiniti electric vehicle, originally set for 2014.
Infiniti executives also are rolling back Ghosn's timeline for achieving a 10 percent share of the global premium segment. When Ghosn unveiled his Power 88 business plan in June 2011, he said Infiniti should achieve that share in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2017.
At a Skyline prelaunch event in Yokohama last month, Palmer said the goal was now 2020.
Skimpy Japan sales
Getting extra traction at home may buff Infiniti's brand image overseas. But it won't help the overall sales count. Global Infiniti figures already include cars sold here as Nissans that would be sold overseas as Infiniti, such as the Skyline/Infiniti Q50 and Fuga/Infiniti M.
In either case, sales volume in Japan is small.
In Japan, Nissan wants to sell 200 Skylines a month over the life of the redesign and 500 a month in the year immediately after its launch, when the redesign's newness should pump up sales. Palmer said Nissan will position the car to compete against the big three German luxury makes, implying it will get a higher sticker.
"We have a huge ambition for the Infiniti brand," Palmer said. "We have to treat Infiniti, if you will, in the same [way]that Volkswagen treats Audi. It's not a Nissan-plus. Infiniti has to stand head-to-head with any of those German competitors."
Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/2013...#ixzz2kT55K3We
Follow us: @Automotive_News on Twitter | AutoNews on Facebook
11-14-13, 11:34 AM
#12
Infiniti brand will finally make its debut in Japan, but not the name
Infiniti brand will finally make its debut in Japan, but not the name
Nissan left the automotive media scratching its collective head when it announced that its Infiniti luxury brand would be renaming all of its vehicles, with cars wearing the Q designation and CUVs/SUVs wearing the QX badge. So the G Sedan became the Q50, and the G Coupe became the Q60. The QX56, meanwhile, became the QX80, and the FX crossover became the QX70. It is still thoroughly confusing nearly a year later.
Not content to confuse its US customers alone, Nissan will be fiddling with the name of one of its most revered Japanese-market models - the Skyline. Rebadged for the US as the Q50, and before that as the G Sedan/Coupe, the new Skyline will wear an Infiniti badge. What makes this truly confusing, though, is that the car won't be called the Infiniti Skyline, despite its badging. It won't even be called the Nissan Skyline, anymore. It's now just the Skyline. Apparently, Nissan thinks it can capitalize on the Skyline's link to the Japanese royal family (the Skyline was originally a product of Prince Motors, which provided vehicles for the Emperor and his family), by ditching any brand names and referring to it as its own model, according to Automotive News.
Now, confusion aside, there are things about Infiniti badging in Japan that make sense. Badging all the Nissans that eventually become Infinitis as Infinitis in the first place goes a long way to make the brand seem separate and distinct from its parent company. Speaking to AN, Infiniti's executive vice president of global product planning, Andy Palmer, puts it this way, "We have to treat Infiniti, if you will, in the same [way] that Volkswagen treats Audi. It's not a Nissan-plus. Infiniti has to stand head-to-head with any of those German competitors."
Still, the downsides to setting up the Infiniti brand in Japan are quite large - building up a separate sales channel alone requires a huge investment, and the track record of Japanese-owned American luxury brands coming to Japan isn't great. See Lexus. Even if Infiniti does manage to penetrate the Japanese market, its contribution to its overall sales goals will be remarkably slim. Infiniti already tallies Skyline and Fuga sales into its global figures, and the luxury market in Japan is so small that the idea of setting up shop hardly seems cost effective.
http://www.autoblog.com/2013/11/14/i...japan-skyline/
11-14-13, 12:53 PM
#13
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Autoblog.. Might want to check sales in Japan.. Lexus is either #1 or #2 in sales yearly and it been a tremendous Piece of national pride. Maybe they are stuck in 2006 when sales were slow due to 3 models and a brand new dealer network.
Lexus is a powerhouse in its homeland. Can't wait to see for myself
Lexus is a powerhouse in its homeland. Can't wait to see for myself
11-15-13, 04:51 AM
#14
Lexus Champion
Autoblog.. Might want to check sales in Japan.. Lexus is either #1 or #2 in sales yearly and it been a tremendous Piece of national pride. Maybe they are stuck in 2006 when sales were slow due to 3 models and a brand new dealer network.
Lexus is a powerhouse in its homeland. Can't wait to see for myself
Lexus is a powerhouse in its homeland. Can't wait to see for myself
Of course, not to mention that the transition process was difficult. After all, the Aristo and Altezza 'nameplates' have very strong brand affinity among Japanese auto enthusiasts so a proper timing was needed to make the transition.
With that said, the first Lexus vehicle that paved the way for local Japanese sales growth was actually.......the 4th gen LS.
And the timing gave the green light. After all, the Toyota Celsior was already discontinued so Lexus Japan felt that it wouldn't conflict with any form of flagship from the Toyota lineup.
And that's when the sales started picking up......with as much as 10,000 Lexus LS cars being sold a month over there. Also yeah, more dealers were starting to come in as the years went by.............
In the case of Infiniti, they're trying to find their rhythm and are thinking on what kind of approach would work best for launching their brand in the Japanese market.
The key people (led by Carlos Ghosn, Andy Palmer and Shiro Nakamura) would definitely need to use the best possible strategy for market-entry.
Nevertheless, I am optimistic that Infiniti will finally launch in Japan (and hopefully before year 2020)
P.S.
Meanwhile at Acura, they're still struggling how to launch in China and the Middle East.
Also, they abandoned their Hong Kong operations (which was actually their first export market back in the 80's)
11-15-13, 05:43 AM
#15
Lexus is #1 luxury brand in Japan now, but thats only 40k-50k sales per year Blackraven :-).
I think they did 4600 last month on strenght of new IS300h (waiting lists).
As you know Japanese buy small cars these days and Lexus is very, very expensive.
Not to mention that they have Mark X, Crown and now Harrier brands that are also near-luxury and sell a lot more than Lexus does... they are also a lot cheaper too.
I think they did 4600 last month on strenght of new IS300h (waiting lists).
As you know Japanese buy small cars these days and Lexus is very, very expensive.
Not to mention that they have Mark X, Crown and now Harrier brands that are also near-luxury and sell a lot more than Lexus does... they are also a lot cheaper too.