Tuesday 20th December 2011

Infiniti moves more production out of Japan

Global ambitions and a strong Yen push Infiniti production out of Japan

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New hatch will be aimed squarely at Europe

Infiniti is to move more of its production out of Japan, as it fights the profit-devouring strength of the yen on its export products - and increases its global ambitions.

Nissan's upmarket arm, which will build its JX crossover in the US from February next year, is planning to move more and more production from Japan to Europe and China. This is particularly important, reckons Infiniti, for upcoming cars such as the compact hatch based on the Etherea concept, which will share much of its technology with the next Mercedes A-Class - and which is crucial for the firm's European expansion.

While next G-series will get Merc help

The move out of Japan coincides with a far-reaching tech-sharing venture with Mercedes, which will include the sharing of hybrid and diesel tech, and even Mercedes input on the next G-series saloon platform.

And the ultimate aim of all this? To move Infiniti from a company that makes 150,000 vehicles a year to one that makes 500,000. By 2017.

In UK terms that means going from selling 500 cars via six dealers, to selling 20,000 from 40. A tough target, sure, but you can't fault Nissan's ambition...

[geoffracing]

SQUARELY ?

Nothing square about it! Queer a little bit though.

[Munich]

Why is the Japanese Yen strong, and strong against who? I know the the US and Europe have massive problems, but Japan's economy is also on it's knees being laden with debt, interest rates are pretty much zero, with next to no growth.

Is this the situation that investors are trying to find a "safe" place and the Yen is seen as the least worse?

[daveco]

Is it me or do all Infiniti front ends look disproportionate to the rest of their bodies? Not just the current line up either.

[Munich]

daveco said:

Is it me or do all Infiniti front ends look disproportionate to the rest of their bodies? Not just the current line up either.

The headlights look too big.

[timewatch]

That's a nice looking car...From that angle!

The leaving Japan bit is interesting, wonder what the real reason is?

On another note, Japan's financial economy is on the up despite the Sunami, just wonder how we would cope?

I dred to think of the st we would have to suffer in the face of such a disaster? We've no natural disaster, but were in a whole load of mess created by
a shower of incompetent imbeciles at No 10, and we're still heading down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

TW>>>

[richb77]

So Infiniti, Owned by Nissan Itself owned (if in part) by Renault, are technology sharing with Mercedes?

I am prepared to be corrected on any of the both by the way.