Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Version

Infiniti FX Sebastian Vettel Version

Infiniti, a Japanese luxury auto brand originally launched in 1989 to serve the North American market, has announced today that it is moving its global headquarters to Hong Kong, China.

The move comes as Infiniti further attempts to separate itself from Nissan and position itself as a standalone premium marque.

Also, Infiniti is making no secret of its desire to lure more Chinese customers to the brand. As Infiniti’s executive vice president Andy Palmer explains it, Infiniti’s new Hong Kong global headquarters provides an “opportunity to reinforce Asian hospitality within the Infiniti brand, distinct from both Nissan and our facing luxury competitors.”

Details of the new office location in Hong Kong will be disclosed at a later date, though the automaker has said that it will co-locate its facilities with Nissan’s new corporate center in Hong Kong and start operations in April 2012. Key functions for the new center will be promotion of Nissan’s global marketing communications.

Importantly, Infiniti is quick to mention that it will still be keeping its operations at Nissan’s headquarters in Yokohama, Japan.

Infiniti is on a mission to boost its sales up to 500,000 units annually over the next six years as part of the wide-reaching “Nissan Power 88” plan, which calls for an increase in global market share for Infiniti and Nissan to eight percent by 2017, as well as an equal eight percent increase in operating profit.