Infiniti Reaches New Zealand Market

Nissan is introducing its Infiniti luxury brand to New Zealand.

Infiniti has named Global Motors NZ as its official distributor in the South Pacific country and will launch as Infiniti New Zealand with three models: the Q50, a 4-door hybrid sports sedan; the QX70, a sports SUV with a V-6 diesel engine; and the QX80, an 8-seat SUV with a 5.6L gasoline engine.

Infiniti President Roland Krueger says the New Zealand expansion is timed perfectly to challenge the country’s premium automotive market segment, as Asia and Oceania are among Infiniti’s fastest-growing regions with record sales of almost 6,700 units last year as worldwide deliveries topped 230,000.

Infiniti New Zealand spokesman Tom Griffiths says Global Motors has had a lengthy relationship with the Renault-Nissan Alliance.

“With our leadership and expertise in the industry, I am confident Infiniti will challenge the traditional perceptions of the luxury space,” Griffiths says in a statement.

The brand will launch with two retail dealerships, in Auckland and Christchurch, and plans to quickly establish its presence in the rest of the country.

Hong Kong-headquartered Infiniti, launched in 1989, is represented in 50 markets around the world. Its vehicles are built in in Japan, the U.S., U.K. and China.