The UK's first Infiniti dealership will open its doors this Saturday in Reading, offering a level of service the company claims will be unique, dished out from premises designed to feel like a luxury 'boutique hotel'.
To make up for not having a proper dealer network, Nissan-owned Infiniti has come up with a something it calls the Total Ownership Experience instead. Instead of popping round to their local dealer for a service, Infiniti buyers will be able to pick up the phone to their own Customer Account Manager, who is intended to be the single point of contact with Infiniti throughout their period of ownership.
Said Account Manager will arrange servicing with a free collection and delivery service planned within a 150-mile range of the Reading dealership, thus 'guaranteeing that owners will never feel far from an Infiniti Centre', the company says with admirable confidence. (Although for the moment that should read the Infiniti Centre, as the eight-strong network won't be completed until 2011.)
Infiniti is launching into the UK/Oxfordshire market with a three-pronged model attack, including the G37 - available as a saloon, coupe or convertible from £30,300, the EX 'crossover' from £35,200 and the FX 'full-size crossover' from £42,600.
Thoughtfully, the latest company press release has included '10 things you didn't know' about the new operation, which we reproduce below in case they're right!
10 THINGS (They say!) YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT INFINITI CENTRES
1) The paintings hanging on the walls are all originals, all specially commissioned by Infiniti
2) Infiniti Centres are run with distribution partners, companies highly qualified in selling premium goods - the key to offering the highest levels of customer satisfaction
3) Wherever in the world they are, the design of all Infiniti Centres is laid down by IREDI - Infiniti Retail Environment Design Initiative
4) Infiniti Centres follow a lobby/lounge/gallery layout with the natural light and high ceilings of the lobby area emulating the feel of an exclusive boutique hotel
5) The high-definition screen technology on which customers can preview colour schemes and trim options was specially designed and manufactured in Europe for Infiniti
6) All the sofas and lounge chairs were designed by acclaimed designer Walter Knoll
7) The entrance to every Infiniti Centre is the same: through a door surrounded by Travertine stone
8) The music on the CDs in cars available for test drives was specially chosen and recorded by Infiniti
9) Apart from the main handover when an owner first takes delivery of their new Infiniti, a second "handover" a month later is offered - just to make sure the owner is entirely at ease with their new car
10) The first European Infiniti Centre opened in Paris in October 2008 and now there are Centres in some of Europe's best addresses in Barcelona, Madrid, Sofia, Athens, Milan, Prague, Warsaw, Zurich, Tel Aviv and Geneva