At the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas, a visiting retailer from the Baltic nation of Latvia cornered Mark Igo, head of Infiniti sales in the United States.

The dealer carried a binder of photographs of his Nissan dealership back in Latvia.

"Wouldn't an Infiniti store look nice right next door to this?" he asked Igo.

The dealer knew something that is not widely known in American industry circles: Igo is helping lead the daunting mission to take Infiniti to Europe, Japan and other global markets.

Igo, a former Indiana car salesman who rose through Nissan's retail ranks, jets between Infiniti dealers in Chicago and Los Angeles and future Infiniti dealers in Moscow, Shanghai and Dubai.

His challenge is immense.

For one thing, Infiniti still is trying to make a distinct name for itself in America, 18 years after launching here. And Igo now is attempting a beachhead in the keenly competitive luxury markets of western Europe and Japan. Europe, where Igo will help open dealerships in 2008, is already saturated with luxury brands.

"Infiniti executives think that the brand will sell itself by virtue of its reputation elsewhere," a European dealer recently told Automotive News Europe. "But in Europe, competition with well established luxury brands is strong."

Infiniti's bigger Japanese rival, Lexus, sold about 40,000 vehicles in Europe last year after six years of marketing there -- roughly a third the volume of Fiat's Lancia brand. And while Infiniti is mounting a run at BMW and Audi, Lexus will be there ******* its efforts. Lexus anticipates opening about 350 dealerships in Europe, far more than Infiniti.

U.S. outlook

But intense global competition is precisely what is fueling the desire of Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Co., to take Infiniti outside the United States.

Analysts at J.D. Power and Associates have forecast a declining U.S. market share for Infiniti over the next five years. If Infiniti wants to grow, it must look to new markets.

"Our U.S. market share will grow in a responsible way," Igo says dismissively of the J.D. Power forecast. "One way we'll grow is by entering new segments."

Indeed, Infiniti is on the verge of a new product wave in America. In addition to the new G35 sedan and its soon-to-debut coupe, the company says a new small SUV is coming, as well as a replacement for the Q45.

Having additional world markets will improve the business case for developing more new models for the United States, says Chicago-area Infiniti dealer Dan Fields.

"It's going to motivate Nissan to invest a lot more into Infiniti product," reasons Fields, who is chairman of the Infiniti National Dealer Advisory Board.

"If the brand is selling worldwide, it represents a much larger significance to the corporation."
In addition to a small SUV, Infiniti is currently planning on a successor to the Q45, last sold in North America in 2006.

Image quest

For Igo, the No. 1 global issue will be making sure the world understands what an Infiniti is.

The brand's position is close to BMW's -- high-performance, but with a touch of Japanese elegance and harmony.

To get out a consistent message globally, Igo is asking dealers around the world to embrace a standardized store design he introduced to U.S. dealers two years ago.

The plan calls for luxurious architecture, with a first-floor reception area and a two-story mezzanine.

The buildings use wood and stone finishes, ample natural light, tasteful signs and even marble flooring for their showrooms.

Hold the marble

But recently Infiniti's new dealers in Moscow informed Igo that they would have to substitute carpeting for the required marble showroom flooring.

Igo recoiled.

In the long run, marble saves money, he reminded the Russians. Moving cars around on carpeting will ruin the carpets and require the dealers to replace them frequently.

The Russians knew that. But in Moscow, the dealers said, luxury consumers prefer cars with studded tires. Studs would quickly damage the pretty marble floors, requiring the dealers to replace the expensive marble.

Igo concurred.

"We're trying to be flexible as we move along," he says.

And what about the interested Latvian dealer in Las Vegas? Will he get an Infiniti dealership?

Igo exhales.

Korea is still in startup mode. Ten stores are being prepared to open in China. The first Infiniti stand-alone in Dubai is under way. Plans are being worked out for Japan. The first European dealers will open in 2008.

Confesses Igo: "I don't have time to go look at the Latvian market.