Western Europeans will have one fewer luxury brand to consider when shopping for a new car.
Nissan's luxury division, Infiniti, announced a global restructuring on Tuesday that will see the brand exit Western Europe in early 2020. The changes do not affect any operations in Eastern Europe, however.
Infiniti said it's working on a full transition plan for owners in the affected countries so they'll have continued access to servicing, maintenance, and warranty repairs after the brand fully withdraws.
2019 Infiniti QX30
Part of the restructuring will also see production of Infiniti's Q30 and QX30 compact cars cease this summer, meaning they likely won't be offered beyond the 2019 model year. We only receive the QX30 in the United States, and in January we learned that a successor isn't planned due to the current model's poor sales. Last year just over 8,000 found a home in the U.S.
The resources Infiniti saves will help it focus on the "biggest opportunities." Namely, the United States and China, according to the brand's announcement. Part of the restructuring also includes the end of diesel engines for the luxury brand. Instead, Infiniti will focus on electrifying every vehicle in its lineup from 2021 onward. Additionally, the brand plans to place an emphasis on its SUV lineup in North America. No shocker there as the market continues to favor utility vehicles over passenger cars by a wide margin.
For China, Infiniti plans five new vehicles over the next five years. Around the world, the brand said it wants to also focus on shoring up its residual values and providing better aftersale care to its owners.