The third domestic model QX60 opens pre-sale: can it help Dongfeng Infiniti to turn over?

21st Century Business Herald reporter Song Doudou Guangzhou reported that on December 16, the new generation of Dongfeng Infiniti QX60, which was previously unveiled at the Guangzhou Auto Show, officially opened pre-sale, launching a total of 6 configuration models, with a pre-price of 450,000-660,000 yuan. As the third model to achieve domestic production after the QX50 and Q50L, the Infiniti QX60 is positioned as a medium and large SUV, offering 6 and 7 seats.

"The new generation of Infiniti QX60 deeply integrates Infiniti's insights and thinking about the life experience, family experience and driving experience of Chinese users, and is a product that better understands Chinese consumers." In its product design, research and development and other stages, we have done a lot of market research to ensure that this car must be born for the needs of Chinese users. During the Guangzhou Auto Show, Mao Limin, general manager of Dongfeng Infiniti Automobile Co., Ltd. and general manager of Infiniti China, repeatedly emphasized "Oriental Modern Luxury" and "Better Understanding of Chinese Consumers" in an interview with the 21st Century Business Herald reporter.

In terms of size, the new car has a length, width and height of 5127mm*2005mm*1767mm, and a wheelbase of 2900mm. In terms of power, the QX60 abandoned the previous 3.5L V6 naturally aspirated engine, replaced by the world's first mass-produced 2.0T VC-Turbo variable compression ratio turbo engine, matching a 9-speed manual transmission, with a maximum power of 185kW, a maximum torque of 376N·m, and a fuel consumption of 9.6L/9.8L (two-wheel drive/four-wheel drive) per 100 km of WLTC standard.

In the face of young consumers' preference for intelligence, infiniti QX60 is equipped with ProPILOT L2 intelligent driver assistance system, with 10 sonar probes, 6 cameras and 3 millimeter wave radar, with full speed segment intelligent cruise system (ICC with full speed range), lane keeping assist system (LKA), traffic congestion assistance system (TJP) and other functions, in addition to the new car has an over-the-horizon front-end collision warning system (PFCW), Enhanced Intelligent Brake Assist (FEB), etc.

It is worth noting that in recent days, Infiniti's China headquarters "southward relocation" rumors have been frequent, and it is reported that the Infiniti China headquarters will be moved back to Guangzhou from Beijing early next year, and will continue to be responsible for the operation of the Infiniti brand in China as the headquarters of Dongfeng Nissan. According to relevant sources, the work of moving back to Guangzhou will start from the beginning of next year, and the relevant relocation plan is being formulated, and the "southward migration" also involves organizational adjustment.

The huge pre-sale conference of Dongfeng Infiniti QX60 was held in Guangzhou, which seems to confirm that the rumors are not false. Behind the rumors of "moving south", it may be related to the sluggish sales volume of Infiniti in the Chinese market in recent years and the slow speed of product launch.

According to public information, Infiniti officially landed in China in 2007; Infiniti China was established in July 2010; and in September 2014, Dongfeng Motor Group Co., Ltd. and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. jointly established Dongfeng Infiniti in a 50:50 share ratio. It is reported that at the beginning of the realization of localization, Infiniti had set a target of 100,000 vehicles sold in China in 2028, and its Chinese models accounted for more than half.

However, before the QX60 debut, Dongfeng Infiniti only introduced two models in the domestic production of Q50L sedan and QX50 SUV in the past 7 years, and the speed of product promotion was slow. Since the highlight moment when Dongfeng Infiniti's sales reached 48,000 units in 2017, it has declined year by year, gradually falling behind among second-tier luxury brands, with sales of 44,000 units, 35,000 units and 25,000 units from 2018 to 2020, respectively. According to the data of the Association, in the first three quarters of this year, Infiniti's QX50 sales in China were 6785 units, and the Q50L was 1978 units.

Correspondingly, China's luxury car market has continued to strengthen this year, and data from the China Automobile Association shows that in the first 11 months of this year, the domestic luxury car market sold 3.112 million vehicles, an increase of 19.5% year-on-year. Cadillac, which is in the same second-tier luxury brand camp as Infiniti, has accumulated sales of 187,000 units from January to October this year, and Lincoln's sales have grown rapidly after localization, with cumulative sales exceeding 82,000 units in the first 11 months of this year.

QX60 undertakes the heavy responsibility of promoting Infiniti's development in China and sounding the clarion call of counterattack, but in the price band of 450,000-660,000, the same second-tier luxury brand Cadillac XT6, Volvo XC90, Lincoln Aviator, etc. are strong competitors, can QX60 tailored to meet the needs of Chinese users help Dongfeng Infiniti to turn over? The market will give the answer.