Infiniti, It's Not Another Lexus
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20081208-0022-ANE.qxd 12/3/08 3:39 PM Page 22 PAGE 22 · www.autonewseurope.com December 8, 2008 Car Cutaway Norway’s Think City has three battery suppliers The new Think City electric car gets its power from a trio of battery supplied by Enerdel of the US. Think Global’s assembly plant in panels. The City is on sale now in Norway priced at about €23,000. makers. Swiss company MES DEA supplies the nickel-sodium battery Aurskog, Norway, has no press or paint shops. The car’s high-tensile Launch dates for the rest of Europe have yet to be determined. while US partsmaker A123 Systems provides the City lithium-ion bat- steel crash structure is produced by Thai Summit Autoparts while the tery. In early 2009, a second lithium-ion battery option will be offered, Turkey-based Lider group provides the car’s colored plastic car body Steven Wingett WIPERS: HVAC: AIR CONDITIONING COMPONENTS: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER: REAR-VIEW MIRRORS: SPOILER: DRIVER AIRBAG: STEERING WHEEL: GLASS/BODY BONDING: THE MATADOR COMPANY VALEO SYSTEMES THERMIQUE SANDEN INTERNATIONAL VISTEON SYSTEMAS AUTOMOTIVOS FICOSA POLYTECH HOLDEN AUTOLIV DALPHIMETAL DOW AUTOMOTIVE ELECRICAL HARNESSES: UPPER FRAME: LEWDEN ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES HYDRO FUSES: SEATS: LITTELFUSE LEAR TRANSFER CASE: SEALS: OERLIKON GRAZIANO CABSEAL AIR EXTRACTOR: POWER DOOR WINDOW: WEGU CASTELLON INDUCTION MOTOR: TRAKYA CAM SAN: LEROY SOMER DOOR GLASS ASSEMBLY TRANSFER CASE: IGNITION STARTER SWITCH: OERLIKON GRAZIANO METHODE ELECTRONICS POWER CONVERSION UNIT: REAR FRAME: ARENS CONTROLS THAI SUMMIT HORNS: REAR SUSPENSION: FIAMM PEUGEOT CITROÊN MOTEURS COOLANT RESERVOIR: TIRES: TEMA MICHELIN SOUND DEADENING: STABILIZER BAR: ANTIPHON ASIAN AUTOMOTIVE STEELS FUSES: BRAKE LINES: LITTELFUSE TI AUTOMOTIVE FLUID PUMPS: ABS BRAKING SYSTEM: ROBERT BOSCH CONTINETAL TEVES THERMAL COVER: BATTERIES: POLYFORMES MES-DEA SEALS: STEERING COLUMN: OTTO OLSEN TRAVEN TECHNOLOGY RADIATOR/CONDENSER UNITS: COOLING PIPES: TRANSFER CASE: CONNECTORS: GEARBOX: DRIVESHAFT: FRONT STRUTS: POWER STEERING: ACCELERATOR PEDAL: GEAR SHIFTER: RAAL HOLLAND ERICH KUCHLER OERLIKON GRAZIANO TYCO ELECTRONICS LOGISTICS GRAZIANO GKN SAPURA AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRIES TRW CONEKT DRIVESOL ADIATOR Suppliers wanted: If you are a supplier and have questions or want your information considered for our cutaway features, contact Steven Wingett at [email protected] or through www.supplierbusiness.com Ford to Infiniti, it’s not another Lexus retain Mazda Nissan’s luxury brand uses a different way expertise to enter European market Amy Wilson & Kathy Jackson Automotive News Europe Wim Oude Weernink Automotive News Europe Ford may be giving up control of Mazda, but it won’t give up access to MARSEILLE, France Nissan luxury the Japanese automaker’s engineer- brand Infiniti has chosen a different ing and product development path to enter Europe than Japanese know-how. rival Lexus. Executives from both companies Infiniti is charging into Europe said Mazda and Ford will continue with a range of models that includes joint ventures and the sharing of ve- the lower-premium G sedan and hicle platforms and powertrains. coupe as well as two premium SUVs, Ford raised $540 million by cut- the EX and FX crossover. ting its stake in Mazda from 33.4 per- The cars went on sale in France, cent to just over 13 percent. Spain, Belgium, Italy, Bulgaria and The sale reflects Ford’s increas- Poland in October. The brand ing financial troubles, not a dissat- launches in Germany and UK in the isfaction with its relationship with first half of 2009. Mazda. When it launched in Europe in Ford executives determined they 1990, Lexus’ only model was the could sell a large part of Mazda with- LS400, a high-priced sedan. Infiniti says its G37 lower-premium sedan (above) and coupe will compete with Inside look out sacrificing advantages gained The brand’s second model, the Audi and BMW rather than “safe-choice” cars from Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. from the collaboration. GS300, arrived three years later. Key facts on Infiniti’s lineup for Europe And it took until 1999 for Lexus to 1989 and launched in Russia two speed automatic transmissions. Engineering benefits launch its first model design specif- years ago, delayed its start in Europe A new 230hp V-6 diesel engine is Platform Nissan FM ically for European tasted, the until it had the right mix of products. due in 2010. Segments G37, lower-premium; Mazda will continue to be a model IS200. It also has tuned the cars to give Eu- Bruce said that because it is target- EX37, FX37/50 for Ford’s product development sys- Lexus continues to struggle in ropeans what they want, such as a ing entrepreneurs who want high- premium SUV tem. Ford copied the Japanese au- western Europe, where sales were harder suspension and better-per- performance luxury cars, Infiniti Main rivals BMW 3 series, X3, X5; tomaker’s template for engineering down 28.1 percent to 22,655 through forming brakes. does not consider Lexus and Mer- Audi A4, A5, Q5 and building vehicles. 10 months. cedes-Benz its main competitors. Starting prices G37, €41,420; Mazda has delivered significant Infiniti aims to sell 25,000 cars V-6 diesel for 2010 “We focus on BMW and Audi dri- EX37,€48,620, platform engineering benefits to a year in Europe, including Russia, vers,” Bruce said, “and less [on] Mer- FX50, €74,950 Ford, including the Ford Fiesta by 2011. All of the Infinitis for Europe offer cedes-Benz, whose customers are Where built Tochigi, Japan which is based on a platform engi- Infiniti Europe communications 320hp 3.7-liter V-6 gasoline engines. more the safe-choice type.” Sales target 25,000 by 2011 neered at Mazda. In the US market head Wayne Bruce said the brand, The FX also has a 385hp 5.0-liter V- Infiniti will add a G convertible to CO2 emissions 247g/km to 310g/km the Ford Fusion is an update of the which debuted in North America in 8. The engines are mated to seven- the range in 2010. ANE original Mazda6. ANE.