Infiniti dealer network heads west

INFINITI Cars Australia is preparing to make its long-awaited move west, with the Japanese prestige brand announcing the appointment of the huge Barbagallo Group as its retail partner in Perth.

Currently operating only on the eastern seaboard with representation in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Infiniti’s Perth dealership will be the fifth retail outlet for the brand and leaves Adelaide as the only mainland state capital not yet covered.

The Perth centre will be located in the well-established Osborne Park automotive precinct and is expected to commence vehicle sales from a new showroom in March next year.

Service and technical support is scheduled to begin in January.

Infiniti Cars Australia managing director Jean-Philippe Roux described the appointment as an important milestone for the brand.

“Perth and the wider Western Australian market are very important for Infiniti and expanding our national retail network to include Australia’s west coast has been one of our priorities,” he said.

“Announcing the establishment of Infiniti Centre Perth with one of Australia’s most successful automotive retailers elevates our growth opportunity, especially when considering both the many all-new and updated Infiniti models heading to Australia from next year as well as the continued expansion of Australia’s luxury car market, which is currently up 17 per cent compared to this time last year.”

Official VFACTS show that Infiniti has sold 455 vehicles across five model lines to the end of October this year, representing a 26 per cent improvement over the same period in 2014 but also reflecting its position as a niche player in the market at present.

The company is hoping that additions to its line-up, such as the Q30 compact hatch due on sale in the third quarter of next year, will significantly boost sales.

The updated Q70 sedan is set down for launch in January, while later in the year the QX30 crossover and Q60 sports coupe are expected.

Infiniti Centre Perth dealer principal Vince Barbagallo described the addition of Infiniti to its big stable of prestige car brands – currently including Ferrari, Maserati, Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo and Audi, to name a few – as “a great opportunity for our company”.

“Infiniti is one of the world’s great car-makers,” he said. “Their vehicles have exciting driving dynamics and provocative but confident designs and together they comprise a range of models we know will appeal to local premium-vehicle buyers.

“So far this year, sales of luxury cars in Australia are growing at more than four times the rate of the overall market’s expansion so Infiniti represents one of our most important growth opportunities.”

The Infiniti centre at 9 Frobisher Street will be positioned in the heart of Barbagallo’s Osborne Park cluster, at the same address as its Ferrari and Maserati outlets and either next to, or right around the corner from, the group’s various other luxury car dealerships.

An Adelaide dealership for Infiniti is, according to the company, “coming soon”.