The premium brand Infiniti is poised to accelerate its branding, product expansion and dealership development activities this year to ensure that it builds on the across-the-board growth it achieved in 2016 in the face of intense market competition.

"Dongfeng Infiniti will set its sights on a long-term strategic target for the Chinese market," said Lu Yi, who became president of the joint-venture Dongfeng Infiniti Motor in early 2016. "We will boost awareness of our brand and product reputation, and work to further enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty."

He added: "There are increased expectations for the premium market this year. The philosophy of 'Empower the Drive' will lead the brand forward.

"We will boost the popularity of the brand, enhance our product portfolio and strengthen our ties with dealerships so as to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty."

The automaker fine-tuned its strategic approach in 2016 so as to be more responsive to market changes.

Infiniti employed the tag line "Empower the Drive" last July, which represents a human-centered approach reflecting its desire to enhance the potential of the brand's car owners.

Lei Xin, executive vice-president of Dongfeng Infiniti, said: "We will communicate our upgraded brand value, top-notch technologies, and enhanced customer experience in an innovative fashion."

Quality growth

The company achieved record sales of 41,590 units last year with 3.5 percent year-on-year growth.

Both Lu and Lei, whose close collaboration is renowned for driving the young joint-venture forward, emphasized that the company is fully focused on the future and the importance of ensuring quality growth built on its current momentum.

Lei said: "Our business model is designed to offer a unique premium customer experience. Our continued solid growth is the result of a deepened localization strategy supported by the two shareholders."

The locally-produced Infiniti Q50L has been spearheading the brand's sales growth thanks to its expanding share in the premium segment in the Chinese market.

The all-new Infiniti QX30 compact SUV is expected to attract younger customers thanks to its sportiness and trend-setting design.

It is hoped that the model will boost profits for both the carmaker and dealers in 2017.

Infiniti is set to expand its lineups in 2017 with four new products, including the all-new Infiniti Q60, Q50L (facelift version), 2017 Model Year Q70L and MY17 QX60. The new models are aimed at meeting the diversified needs of local customers.

Win-win with dealers

Dongfeng Infiniti attributes its achievements to the win-win cooperation it has forged with dealers, and the increased profitability that has been predicted for this year is based on the fact that both Infiniti and the dealers share the same goals.

Speaking in an earlier interview, Lu said that in the coming three to five years, Infiniti will build a solid presence in the premium segment in China by focusing on growing a healthy dealer network alongside its brand and products.

Lei said: "The company will also leverage the synergy throughout the value chain, to achieve improvements in operational effectiveness."

The Infiniti brand can only thrive when dealers see a spike in business and customer satisfaction increases, according to Lei.

The automaker said it has been closely monitoring the latest market developments in order to adjust its business policies to support dealers. It has introduced a range of measures to ease the financial pressure afflicting dealers.

Unique experience

Infiniti is fully equipped with innovative technologies to fulfill its brand promise.

The world's first Direct Adaptive Steering, or DAS, showcases pioneering technological developments in autonomous driving technology.

In addition, the unique Infiniti Safety Shield employs multiple state-of-the-art technologies to offer comprehensive protection for both drivers and passengers.

At the 2016 Paris Motor Show, Infiniti unveiled the world's first production-ready variable compression engine technology - the 2.0L VC-Turbo.

The engine combines the power of a high-performance 2.0-liter turbo gasoline engine with the torque and efficiency of an advanced diesel powertrain - without the equivalent emissions.

To help customers to understand more about the brand, the Infiniti Brand Experience Center opened to the public in November 2016, in Beijing's trendy Sanlitun area.

The center is the first of its kind in China, showcasing Infiniti's design aesthetics, innovative technologies and premium lifestyle automobiles.

Highlights in 2016

March

Infiniti and Jiangsu TV jointly produced the Olympic-themed reality show Infiniti Race the World. The innovative program achieved win-win results in both brand promotion and product marketing.

May

Dongfeng Infiniti moved to a 5,000 sq m HQ in Sanlitun, one of Beijing's trendiest areas.

June

The 2016 J.D. Power survey ranked Infiniti in the top three in China in terms of after-sales service. It retained its top-three position in the premium segment for the third consecutive year.

July

Infiniti launched the new brand claim "Empower the Drive" globally. The slogan calls on drivers to realize their full potential with the brand as their companion.

October

At the Simple Life Festival in early October, Infiniti showcased a lineup of star models, including the new QX60. Infiniti also launched the "Gan Ai Life Season" to provide consumers with a creative experiential platform for high-performance models and high-quality lifestyle Infiniti advocates.

November

Infiniti's first compact SUV QX30 was launched in China at the Guangzhou Auto Show, further enriching the premium brand's portfolio and enhancing its competitiveness.

The all-new QX30 shone during the Air+Style music and snowboarding festival at the Bird's Nest stadium, demonstrating the brand's daring sporting spirit.

The Infiniti Brand Experience Center was unveiled in Sanlitun, Beijing, to help people gain a better understanding of both the brand and its products.

Left: Lu Yi (left) and Lei Xin, president and executive vice-president of Dongfeng Infi niti, pose during a new year media briefi ng. Right: Infi niti Brand Experience Center is opened to the public in November 2016 in Beijing’s trendy Sanlitun area.

(China Daily 01/23/2017 page19)