Utah auto dealer Cline Dahle has been selected from 1,200 applicants to be among the first 165 dealers for Nissan Motor Corp.'s new Infiniti line of luxury cars that will debut next fall.
"Standards for Infiniti dealer selection are the most stringent in the automotive industry," said William R. Bruce, vice president and general manager for Japanese carmaker Nissan's Infiniti division in the United States."In addition to a proven track record, Infiniti dealers must be completely committed to customer satisfaction and willing to depart from the high pressure, `business as usual' attitude typical of car dealerships," Bruce said. "Based on his past performance, we are proud to select Cline Dahle to represent Infiniti in this market."
As part of the Infiniti franchise agreement, Dahle will be required to build a separate dealer facility. Honda took the same approach in 1986 when it launched its upscale Acura franchise. Dahle said the Infiniti dealership would be built between his Nissan and Mazda/Yugo stores at 4580 S. State, Murray. He said ground will be broken next summer and the building should be completed by October. The first Infiniti cars are due to arrive in November.
Bruce said all Infiniti dealerships "are designed to be graceful and understated, and provide a tasteful, sophisticated environment to complement the brand's low-pressure, customer-oriented approach." The dealerships will all be uniform in design, said Bruce, providing a consistent image nationwide for the new marque.
Key dealer personnel will receive special training at the Infiniti National Training Center, Scottsdale, Ariz., a new concept for the auto industry.
The company's philosophy will be emphasized through what Infiniti terms "Total Ownership Experience," a concept designed to provide a superior relationship between the car buyer and the dealer.
The first two Infiniti models to be marketed next year will be the Q45 four-door sedan and the M30 two-door sports coupe. A third car, a two-door convertible based on the M30 coupe, is scheduled to debut during the 1990 model year.
The Q45 is will be equipped with an all-new 4.5 liter, 32-valve V8 engine said to deliver an awesome 270-plus horsepower. The car will be outfitted with four-wheel disc anti-lock brakes and a limited slip differential.
Both versions of the M30 will be powered by a 3-liter, overhead cam V6 producing 165 horsepower. They will be equipped with electric sequential multi-port fuel injection.
Prices have not been announced, but Dahle said he expects the Q45 to retail for about $40,000, the convertible around $27,000 and the coupe for $23,000.