"We'll grow in our time ... We're not unhappy with what we're doing."
That is how Ian Forsyth, Nissan Canada's Director of Corporate and Product Planning, summed it all up, after responding to a pertinent question about Infiniti, namely, "Why it continues to lag behind in sales to perennial luxury makes leaders like BMW and Mercedes?"
Through March of this year, Infiniti had a Canadian market share of about 0.5 percent; over the same period, BMW's share was 1.3 percent, while Mercedes-Benz's was 1.7 percent.
Forsyth, who was speaking at the press launch in California for the all-new G37 Convertible, noted that those German automakers have very broad product ranges, and sell quite a few units in the lower segments.
"Our least expensive vehicle is 40 grand ... In Canada we actually sell more higher-priced vehicles than does BMW."
Standing by its brand guns
Forsyth also noted that all Infiniti vehicles are undiluted in their commitment to being sporty. "Take the FX, for example. It's a vehicle for someone that requires a sporty vehicle. It isn't a soft, everyday vehicle, like the Lexus RX. We haven't gone that compromised route. Infiniti is about inspired performance. We want all our vehicles to match that strategy."
Sales increases
It must be working to some extent, because Infiniti Canada saw both sales volume and market share go up 2008; it sold 8,159 units last year, a 20.8 percent increase compared to 2007, when 6,756 units were sold.
Forsyth noted that those numbers meant Infiniti experienced more growth over the last two years (on a percentage basis), than did the combined luxury industry in Canada.
And owing to several new models coming on board of late, such as the new G variants and EX35, he expects even further sales and market share increases for 2009. But the economy is certainly not cooperating of late. Through March of this year, Infiniti sales are down over 25 percent, compared to the same three-month period in 2008.
That is how Ian Forsyth, Nissan Canada's Director of Corporate and Product Planning, summed it all up, after responding to a pertinent question about Infiniti, namely, "Why it continues to lag behind in sales to perennial luxury makes leaders like BMW and Mercedes?"
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| Ian Forsyth, Nissan Canada's Director of Corporate and Product Planning. |
Through March of this year, Infiniti had a Canadian market share of about 0.5 percent; over the same period, BMW's share was 1.3 percent, while Mercedes-Benz's was 1.7 percent.
Forsyth, who was speaking at the press launch in California for the all-new G37 Convertible, noted that those German automakers have very broad product ranges, and sell quite a few units in the lower segments.
"Our least expensive vehicle is 40 grand ... In Canada we actually sell more higher-priced vehicles than does BMW."
Standing by its brand guns
Forsyth also noted that all Infiniti vehicles are undiluted in their commitment to being sporty. "Take the FX, for example. It's a vehicle for someone that requires a sporty vehicle. It isn't a soft, everyday vehicle, like the Lexus RX. We haven't gone that compromised route. Infiniti is about inspired performance. We want all our vehicles to match that strategy."
Sales increases
It must be working to some extent, because Infiniti Canada saw both sales volume and market share go up 2008; it sold 8,159 units last year, a 20.8 percent increase compared to 2007, when 6,756 units were sold.
Forsyth noted that those numbers meant Infiniti experienced more growth over the last two years (on a percentage basis), than did the combined luxury industry in Canada.
And owing to several new models coming on board of late, such as the new G variants and EX35, he expects even further sales and market share increases for 2009. But the economy is certainly not cooperating of late. Through March of this year, Infiniti sales are down over 25 percent, compared to the same three-month period in 2008.
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| "In Canada we actually sell more higher-priced vehicles than does BMW." Said Forsyth. |