INFINITI APPOINTS NEW PARTNER FOR NETHERLANDS

Visscher NV to take over marketing of Infiniti in the Netherlands.

Infiniti has appointed a new partner for the Netherlands as the brand embarks on an ambitious plan to dramatically grow its sales over the next five years.

Visscher BV will initially take over operation of Infiniti's flagship Centre in Amsterdam but intends to expand the Dutch network by a further two sites over the next 18 months. By adding Infiniti to an existing and long established portfolio which includes Renault, Nissan and Dacia, Visscher now represents all of the European brands in the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Although Infiniti is the first premium brand for Visscher, the company has solid experience marketing luxury cars not least Nissan's GT-R.

"I am delighted to welcome Visscher BV into the Infiniti family," commented Infiniti Europe and Middle East Vice President, Bernard Loire. "They have demonstrated that they share with us a commitment to providing Dutch customers with welcoming hospitality and attentive client care which are both core to the Infiniti brand."

The appointment comes shortly after the introduction of the Infiniti M35h, the world's fastest accelerating full hybrid. It is also one of the most efficient producing low emissions for a car of its size and performance, an increasingly important demand in the Netherlands. Visscher BV will grow Infiniti's market share in the country as the brand grows its product range with the addition of four-cylinder engines, a zero emissions vehicle, and a luxury compact car that will be influenced by the ETHEREA concept car.

Representatives of the Visscher group will attend the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The international event will be the stage for Infiniti's global reveal of an advanced range extender sports car concept.

About Infiniti
Infiniti reflects its brand promise "Inspired Performance" with a model line-up of sedans, coupes, SUVs and crossovers featuring exhilarating performance, emotive design and cutting edge technology. Infiniti continues to launch across the globe through a dedicated network of Infiniti Centres that share a commitment to exceptional hospitality throughout the entire period of ownership.

Infiniti Advanced Handling Technologies

Selected models offer sophisticated systems that enhance the handling capabilities for the vehicle's intended use. Advanced handling technologies include:


Rear Active Steer

Rear Active Steer is a highly sophisticated, electronically controlled system that steers the rear wheels. It provides quick steering response at slow speeds and stable handling at high speeds.

A dedicated Rear Active Steer computer receives sensor information about steering angle, steering rate, and vehicle speed, and calculates at what speed and which angle the rear wheels should be steered:

- When the driver turns the steering wheel to begin a turn, the computer signals the electric actuator to momentarily and slightly steer the rear wheels opposite the front wheels (opposite-phase steering) by moving the lower control arm.

- Then the wheels return to in-phase steering for the duration of the turning process.

The amount, timing, and direction of rear-wheel steering are highly dependent on vehicle speed:

-At higher speeds, the rear wheels need to quickly generate high in-phase cornering forces in order to help provide maximum stability.

-At lower speeds, a momentary opposite-phase steer helps provide the quick turn-in response that is associated with agility.

The computer reads sensor information for steering angle, steering rate, and vehicle speed before deciding on the appropriate rear-wheel steering response.

-At low speeds, if the driver turns the steering wheel very quickly, the computer will steer the rear wheels in the opposite direction before returning to in-phase steering.

-At high speeds, a similar steering input from the driver will cause the computer to use a high in-phase rear steer angle to enhance stability.

Rear Active Steer will not operate until the vehicle has reached a minimum speed of 12.5 mph. Also, built-in fail-safes ensure that if the Rear Active Steer system fails, the vehicle is returned to its normal, non-rear-wheel-steering state.


4-Wheel Active Steer (4WAS)

4-Wheel Active Steer1 (4WAS) combines both front- and rear-wheel active steering.

Using sensors that monitor the driver's steering input and vehicle speed, the system automatically adjusts the variable-ratio steering system and turns the rear wheels slightly - about one degree - to enhance handling stability and steering control.

At the front, a steering sensor measures driver input at the steering wheel and feeds information to the 4WAS control unit. The control unit also monitors road speed and other driving conditions. Under the right conditions, when the driver turns the wheel quickly, the control unit activates the electric motor and "boosts" the driver's steering input. The motor actually turns the steering shaft faster than any driver could physically move the wheel. It doesn't turn the front wheels any farther than the driver would - it just gets them there more quickly.

At the same time, at the rear wheels, the control unit changes rear suspension geometry to physically turn the rear wheels in time with the front wheels. Unlike some rear-wheel steering systems, which rely on bushings deflecting under a cornering load, 4WAS physically turns the rear wheels to complement the front wheels' steering angle.

The system works seamlessly, synchronizing the steering ratio of the front wheels with the rear suspension geometry to provide quick steering response at lower speeds and stable handling at higher speeds.


Auto-Leveling Rear Suspension

Auto-leveling rear suspension systems are designed to help keep the back of the vehicle level when towing or carrying heavy cargo. The result is enhanced handling stability and ride quality as well as helping to maintain uniform ground clearance.

Key components of the system include rear shock absorbers equipped with air bladders, an on-board air compressor, and a rear ride height sensor.

When the rear ride height sensor detects a heavy load in the vehicle, it activates the on-board air compressor, which sends air pressure to the shock absorbers. The air compressor shuts off when normal ride height is reached; the system will help maintain that height as the load increases or decreases.

Once the load is removed, the sensor signals the system to release the air in the shocks, and the vehicle returns to its normal ride height.



Hydraulic Body-Motion Control (HBMC) System

Hydraulic Body-Motion Control is a unique suspension technology developed for full-size SUVs. The advantages of this system are enhanced control of body lean when cornering, improved ride comfort and handling, and consistent ground clearance when driving.

Each shock absorber contains upper and lower hydraulic fluid chambers that are connected to the others via front-to-rear and side-to-side piping. The system controls shock absorber length by varying hydraulic pressure to the upper and lower chambers.

When cornering, momentum causes a vehicle to lean to the outside of the turn. This causes the outside suspension to compress while the inside extends in length. To compensate for this, HBMC transfers hydraulic fluid into the upper chamber of the outside shock absorbers, extending their length, and lower chambers of the inside shock absorbers, reducing their length. This counter-action helps keep the body level.

This system eliminates the stabilizer bar that normally would be used to help control body lean while cornering. This allows each wheel to operate independently from the opposite side for longer suspension travel.

The HBMC system consists of the following components:

-Four shock absorbers with upper and lower hydraulic chambers that can vary in length based on fluid pressure in each chamber.

-Two hydraulic fluid accumulators that collect the differential pressures from the chambers in each shock absorber.

-One Passive Pressure Maintenance Unit (PPMU) that directs the system to pressurize the chambers in individual shock absorbers.

-Hydraulic piping that connects the components together as a system.


Active Trace Control

Active Trace Control helps enhance steering response and cornering feel by using the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) system to selectively apply brake pressure. When cornering, the system helps enhance the transition from braking to accelerating by applying brake pressure to increase the load on the front wheels. In side-to-side turns and other steering maneuvers, it engages the brakes on the inside of the turn to help turn the vehicle.

Active Trace Control is engaged automatically, whether the driver is applying the brakes or not. When Sport mode is engaged, the level of Active Trace Control assistance is reduced.


Continuous Damping Control (CDC)

CDC helps enhance vehicle stability by minimizing vertical body movements on hilly roads and helping to reduce body lean in corners. The system receives inputs from multiple sensors to determine the best shock absorber damping rate for each driving condition.

Electronic control allows the driver to select one of two damping modes: Auto, for automatic electronic control of damping, or Sport, for maximum damping and a firm-feeling suspension at all times.

Electric-driven Intelligent Brake System

M35h’s braking system generates energy

The Infiniti Electric-driven Intelligent Brake system - or regenerative braking - converts the rotational energy of the drive wheels to electric power that recharges the lithium-ion battery.

In a conventional braking system, the energy of the turning wheels becomes wasted heat when the brake pads clamp against the rotors. Regenerative braking converts the rotational energy to electric power, “regenerating” the energy and recharging the battery.

When Infiniti M Hybrid is coasting or decelerating, the regenerative brake system recovers kinetic energy from the rotational force of the drive-wheels, which also turns the electric motor. The gasoline engine is disengaged, eliminating engine friction. The electric motor becomes a generator that converts the rotational energy to electricity that is used to charge the lithium-ion battery.

In city driving, about 50%-60% of brake energy is generally recaptured. The electric motor also generates braking force to help slow the vehicle - similar to the compression braking provided by an internal combustion engine. Regenerative braking works together with the friction brakes to help create outstanding stopping power.

Infiniti System Competitive Advantages

Infiniti’s Electric-driven Intelligent Brake System uses an electric booster to help generate braking force - a world first. Competitors use a reserve pressure tank and unique regenerative brake components to provide brake pressure. The Infiniti system is simpler, lighter, less costly, and more compact. Furthermore, the Infiniti M Hybrid regenerative braking range is greater than that of competitors.

INFINITI JX NAMED TO PARENTING MAGAZINE'S "SMARTEST FAMILY CARS OF 2012" LIST

All-New 7-Passenger Luxury Crossover Recognized for its Family-Friendly Features in Magazine's First-Ever "Genius" Issue -

Parenting magazine has recognized the Infiniti JX as one of the year's "Smartest Family Cars" in its February 2012 issue, on stands now. The list is featured in Parenting's first-ever "Genius" issue, dedicated to helping parents unlock their child's own unique genius potential. Equipped with the latest technology to help ease the load of managing the modern tribe, the Infiniti JX allows parents and kids to take advantage of some of the smartest automotive features on the market.

"By recognizing today's smartest cars, Parenting hopes to make it easy for families to use technology on the road, whether it's for a quick run to the store or for an extended road trip vacation," said Ana Connery, Editorial Director for The Parenting Group. "Our editors' top picks have thought of everything so that parents don't have to."

The Infiniti JX, which will be available at Infiniti retailers beginning this spring, was chosen for its many family-friendly features, such as its collision sensors that automatically engage the brake if another vehicle is detected when the JX is in reverse, as well as four external cameras that provide a 360-degree view of the surroundings. There is also the ability to synch appointments from Google Calendar into the navigation system.

"The Infiniti JX's features were inspired by families who told us they wanted a luxury vehicle with features like the world's first Backup Collision Intervention system, an Around View Monitor and not having to take out a child safety seat to get access to the 3rd row," said Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore. "We're proud that Parenting magazine recognized our desire to make hectic family lives a little a more efficient and much more enjoyable."

For complete details on the "Smartest Family Cars" list, please visit http://www.parenting.com/gallery/best-family-cars-suvs. Parenting magazine's February "Genius" issue is available on newsstands now. 

About The Parenting Group
The Parenting Group, home of the Parenting, Babytalk and Conceive brands, reaches moms over 15 million times every month through magazines, digital media, custom content, and events. TPG's publications include: Parenting School Years, for moms with children in kindergarten through elementary school; Parenting Early Years, for moms of infants, toddlers and preschoolers; and Babytalk, for new moms and moms-to-be. TPG's other media properties include: Conceive, for women trying to get pregnant, the Babytalk Pregnancy Planner; the Parenting.com and ConceiveOnline.com web sites; MomConnection, a nationally representative online research network; and a custom content unit. The Parenting Group is a division of Bonnier Corporation.

About Infiniti
Infiniti offers a full-line of luxury performance automobiles, including the G Coupe, Sedan and Convertible, M luxury performance sedan, EX and FX crossovers, and the QX full-size SUV. 

SEB, WEB AND SEB: RED BULL RACING'S 2012 DRIVER LINE-UP

Red Bull Racing is pleased to confirm that Sebastien Buemi will continue his relationship with Red Bull as Red Bull Racing's test and reserve driver for 2012. The 23-year-old joins Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, who are already confirmed.

Sebastien Buemi said: "It's good to remain with Red Bull for another year and have this opportunity with the World Championship winning team. I would prefer to be driving at the races of course, but working with Red Bull Racing on the development of their car and providing them with feedback throughout the season is the next best thing."

Christian Horner commented: "It was entirely logical for Sebastien to continue with Red Bull having been a member of the Junior Team since 2004. He already knows the team well from his time with us in 2008 and has gained significant race experience over the past three years. He will complete important test and simulation work for us throughout the year and will be in attendance at each grand prix."

AWD at Kuni Westside Infiniti in Lynnwood

EVERY INFINITI MODEL AT KUNI WESTSIDE INFINITI HAS THE AVAILABLE AWD OPTION!

 

Everything from the Infiniti G37x Coupe , to the Infiniti QX56  has the Infiniti Intelligent All Wheel Drive system available at Kuni Westside Infiniti in Lynnwood, WA. Infiniti Intelligent All Wheel Drive is an advanced AWD system that automatically distributes engine power among the four wheels depending on driving conditions. 

 



Or  Call  877-852-8304

48 TOP COLLEGE BASKETBALL COACHES GO HEAD-TO-HEAD FOR OVER $300,000 IN DONATIONS

- Fans Select Winners in Regional Match-ups, the Winning Coach’s Designated Charity Scores $100,000 Donation From Infiniti -

As part of its ongoing corporate partnership with the National Association of Basketball Coaches, the NCAA and ESPN, Infiniti has announced an expanded "Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge" with a $100,000 donation to the winning coach's designated charity. Expanding from 14 participating NABC coaches last season to 48 of the nation's top NCAA Division I Men's Basketball coaches this year, the total Infiniti contribution will be more than $300,000. 

Fan participation will determine the ultimate winner over an eight-week period beginning January 18th by registering and voting on a custom microsite on www.ESPN.com/Infiniti. For the first six weeks, four brackets of 12 coaches will be paired against each other, with the winners from each group moving onto the next round in week seven and the final round in week eight. Fans can vote for up to four coaches per day. The winning coach will be announced March 9, 2012.

Among the participating coaches, and their charities are: Jim Boeheim, Syracuse, Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation; Jim Calhoun, Connecticut, The UCONN Foundation, Inc.'s Jim and Pat Calhoun Cardiology Research Endowment Fund for the University of Connecticut; Bob Huggins, West Virginia, Norma Mae Huggins Cancer Research Endowment Fund; Mike Krzyzewski, Duke, Emily Krzyzewski Center; Roy Williams, North Carolina, Coaches Versus Cancer; and Jay Wright, Villanova, Augustinian Fund. All 48 coaches' charities are guaranteed at least $5,000 from Infiniti.

"The Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge is a way to add a greater level of support to our ongoing partnerships with the NABC and NCAA and their fine efforts in raising funds and support for their designated charities," said Infiniti Americas Vice President Ben Poore. "It allows us to bring awareness to the outstanding community efforts of these respected coaches, and hopefully inspire fans to learn and give more to each charity on their own."

"The overwhelming popularity of men's college basketball provides an outstanding platform for coaches across America," said NABC President Ernie Kent. "While most fans follow every aspect of their teams' on-court performances, the Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge enables people to see the numerous charitable and community endeavors championed by coaches off the court."

The Infiniti Coaches' Charity Challenge will be promoted each week through a wide range of media, including the Doug Gottlieb Radio Show on ESPN, the ESPN Game of the Week, Facebook and other social media.

"We've expanded our support of NCAA Men's Division I College Basketball and the NABC once again because there's nothing more inspiring than watching these athletes go head-to-head on the hardwood week-after-week, with the highest level of dedication and sportsmanship," added Poore. "We're proud to be associated with these fine young men and their coaches."

About Infiniti
Infiniti offers a full-line of luxury performance automobiles, including the G Coupe, Sedan and Convertible, Infiniti M sedan, EX and FX crossovers, and the QX full-size SUV. More information about Infiniti and its Total Ownership Experience can be found at www.kuniwestsideinfiniti.com. 

About NCAA
The NCAA is a membership-led nonprofit association of colleges and universities committed to supporting academic and athletic opportunities for more than 400,000 student-athletes at more than 1,000 member colleges and universities. Each year, more than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships in Divisions I, II and III sports. 

Visit www.ncaa.org and www.ncaa.com for more details about the Association, its goals and members and corporate partnerships that help support programs for student-athletes. [NCAA, Final Four and March Madness are trademarks owned or licensed by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.] 

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, Missouri, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Forrest "Phog" Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas. Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game. The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men's basketball coaches. All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today's student-athletes. The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education.

CARLOS GHOSN'S SPEECH AT AUTOMOTIVE NEWS WORLD CONGRESS IN DETROIT

Auto company CEOs seem to be constantly waging battles and fighting crises on multiple fronts. Particularly in the past year.

For Nissan, the darkest crisis began on March 11. The magnitude 9 earthquake that struck off the north east coast of Japan and the subsequent tsunami together left 20,000 people dead or missing. The aftershocks and meltdown of the Fukushima nuclear reactors created a disaster for Japan of a scale unseen since World War II.

Of all the Japanese automakers, Nissan was the hardest hit. Our Tochigi assembly plant and Iwaki engine plant were severely disrupted. Iwaki, which was building 560,000 engines per year, was only 60 miles from Fukushima. The nuclear power station was melting down. The radiation zone was expanding.

People thought we would shut Iwaki. But the fighting spirit of our team was strong.

By mid-May, we were back to 80 percent capacity, with restrictions in both volume and product mix - including engines and popular specifications that we could not produce. By September, only six months after the quake, Nissan returned to full, unrestricted production.

This rapid recovery enabled Nissan to sell 4.67 million vehicles in calendar-year 2011, 14.4 percent more than 2010 -- a new record. With the whole world watching, Nissan employees and the wider Japanese society turned a nightmare into the country’s finest hour. It was a lesson for all of us. In humility… resilience… and focus.

People often ask how Nissan recovered so fast. I remind them that Nissan faced the ultimate crisis and has been continuously improving its recovery skills since 1999.

Back in 1999, Nissan was buckling under $20 billion of automotive debt. For most of the ‘90s, Nissan lost share and revenue in all markets. It was delivering a 1% operating profit margin. Our competitors were averaging 4%. Return on invested capital averaged 1%. Our competitors averaged 10%.

I talked to hundreds of people and got their diagnoses, which became the foundation of the Nissan Revival Plan.

We dismantled the keiretsu system, reduced headcount, restructured our manufacturing footprint, significantly reduced debt and returned to profitability within one year. We laid the foundation for an efficient company: In 1999, Nissan had 43 models, but only four made any money. Today, Nissan has 65 models and all of them are profitable or in line to be profitable.

Worldwide sales doubled, from 2.4 million in 1999 to 4.8 million in fiscal 2011 - and it will continue growing as we introduce a new product on average every six weeks through 2016. This includes 20 major product events in the next 24 months in North America.

Over the same decade, Nissan's geographical horizons expanded significantly, particularly in emerging markets. Thanks to the alliance with Renault, Nissan entered Brazil, increased market share and is now adding a new plant in Rio de Janeiro. Together, the Alliance is rapidly increasing market share in Russia, along with our partner AvtoVAZ.

Starting in 1999, we took an inward-looking, highly centralized and siloed company and created a decentralized, cross-functional and opportunistic Nissan. This was fundamental restructuring that is still paying off. That restructuring helps Nissan survive - even thrive - during subsequent crises.

Little did we know we would have quite so many!

In the past three years, we have dealt with the "Great Recession" after the Lehman Brothers collapse of 2008; the earthquake and tsunami of March 11; flooding in Thailand in October; the abnormally stunning strength of the yen; and, the newest threat, the financial difficulties facing Europe - with the order bank in Europe down to the level of October 2008.

But the theme of this year's World Congress is "Revived and Remodelled: The Path to Global Growth." So instead of talking about crises, I'll focus on revival - not just the quick turnaround or recovery, but core reinvention. That's ultimately what a crisis is - an opportunity to reinvent your business into a more nimble, hungry, opportunistic company.

Every crisis and every turnaround is different. But when you look at real-world case studies, you see some common themes. Solutions are rarely intellectual breakthroughs. The guidelines tend to be surprising simple:

Number ONE: ASSESS the situation. Be objective and fast.

Starting with the liquidity crunch that began in October 2008, Renault and Nissan immediately prioritized free cash flow. While the Nissan Global Headquarters were still shaking from aftershocks on March 11, we were creating our first contingency plans and assessing the damage to our operations.

Number TWO: Set priorities and COMMUNICATE. Tell everyone what the plan demands in the short term - and, importantly, give a vision of what comes after the crisis.

Communication must be SIMPLE. You cannot go into battle with a laundry list of priorities. You must have two priorities max.

After the safety of our workforce, our post-quake priority was switching from our normal pull-production to a push-production system. We wanted to make sure customers could keep buying our vehicles.

Number THREE: EMPOWER people. The crisis reflex is to centralize decision making. With the earthquake and floods, we did the opposite. We gave more power to our teams on the front line, liberating them to make quick decisions that ultimately helped Nissan recover faster.

Number FOUR: Leaders must ENGAGE AND COMMIT WHOLEHEARTEDLY. Employees will work hard if they know top management is fully committed. Employees will help you create a plan and achieve it - but only if you are in it with them.

When I launched the Nissan Revival Plan, I vowed to quit if I didn't meet all the goals I had set. The entire top management team would also leave. In the years that followed, many employees told me this gesture made all the difference.  

Beyond immediate crises, let's turn to long-term disruptions.

Our world is experiencing several paradigm shifts - all related to demographics and energy consumption. These trends have the potential to severely disrupt our industry and our planet. We can't afford to fixate on the acute crises and forget about the bigger disruptions.

In my lifetime, the world's population has grown from 2.7 billion to 7 billion last year and will reach 8 billion in less than 10 years.

In 1999, consumers in China bought about 600,000 vehicles. In 2011, Chinese consumers bought an estimated 17.3 million vehicles.

For millions of consumers who join the middle classes, a car is the first thing they purchase. In the USA, there are about 800 cars per 1,000 residents. In Russia, it's 280. In China at large, it's 50. (Already in Beijing it's 180.) In India, it's 15.

No one believes that these countries - engines of growth in the 21st century - will accept a level of personal mobility less than that of an average European country of at least 500 cars per 1,000 people.

Emerging economies helped push the total industry volume to over 77 million cars in 2011. We will likely exceed 100 million by 2020.

By 2050 there may be 2.5 billion vehicles on our planet - up from less than a billion today.

This data give us confidence that demand for cars will be strong in the next decades. But are we naively reacting to demographic shifts instead of proactively reshaping our industry, our cities and our planet?

India and China are together expected to contribute to more than 50 percent of the increase in global energy demand from 2007 to 2030.

If growth stays at current trajectories, then by the mid-2030s we will need the equivalent of two planets to support our lifestyle. So ... maintaining the status quo is not an option.

The West will not lower its standard of living. China or India will not reverse their rapid economic progress. So let's then use our fast-developing technologies to increase our quality of life AND live more efficiently.

In 2007, the Renault-Nissan Alliance decided to invest $5 billion to develop the next significant opportunity for our industry: zero emission mobility. Despite the five crises that happened between then and now, we preserved this investment.

By the end of 2010, we delivered our first affordable EV, Nissan LEAF. In the past year, consumers bought more than 21,000 LEAFs worldwide.

LEAF owners worldwide drove more than 35 million miles, saving at least 800,000 gallons of gasoline. That's the equivalent of 7,300 tons of C02 that have not been emitted.

Across the Alliance, we believe we can sell a cumulative 1.5 million electric vehicles by 2016. We will spare the planet millions of tons of greenhouse gasses, boosted by the increasing efficiency of the world's energy grids.

Population trends help determine the kinds of cars we build. They also inform the types of people we hire -- the next-generation leaders of our industry. If we fail to understand these trends, we risk losing an entire generation of talent.

In 1999, Nissan was homogeneous and closed-minded. Nearly all of the senior managers were from a single country, and most had graduated from the same few universities.

If you look at the auto industry today, it still hires from a narrow pool - candidates from the world's top 30 engineering schools.

Is this efficient? No. A meritocracy should draw the world's best and brightest - from all countries and all ethnic and cultural backgrounds.

Today, nearly half of Nissan's senior executive team was born outside Nissan's home country - a greater percentage than probably any other big company in Japan and in our industry.

It's easier to manage a homogeneous staff where everyone thinks alike. But a cross-cultural management team, while more difficult to manage, ensures open-mindedness - respect for other ways of doing business and objectivity about best practices and benchmarks, wherever they come from. It's unique to the Alliance.

That brings me to my last subject - a final paradigm shift our industry should address:

Our industry has high fixed costs. Quickly meeting demands of new customers around the world is easier when you share investment costs through strategic alliances.

But conventional mergers and acquisitions have not fared well in our industry. Most of the high-profile "marriages" of the late 1990s have ended in ruinous divorces.

The 12-year-old Renault-Nissan Alliance took a different approach - one that preserves brand integrity and corporate cultures. Amidst a graveyard of failed combinations in the past 15 years, we have built the longest surviving major cross-cultural partnership in our industry. The business platform is unusually flexible and scalable.

For instance, in China, our partner DongFeng has worked with us to increase Nissan sales from 40,000 units a year in 2002 to 1.25 million in 2011. China is now Nissan's biggest market. Soon Renault will also leverage Nissan's experience and best practices to begin manufacturing operations in the world's largest car market.

In Russia, Renault has a 25% stake in Avtovaz, maker of Lada. In 2012, Nissan will join this growing partnership. Together, the Alliance and Avtovaz will aim for more than 40% of the Russian market in 2013, up from 36 percent combined market share today. Through the Alliance, both companies have successfully penetrated the fastest growing markets of the world.

Partnerships are key to regional growth and a key reason the Alliance achieved a new sales record of 8.03 million units in 2011. That includes 4.67 million vehicles for Nissan, 2.72 million for Renault, and 638,000 for AvtoVAZ.

In addition to help boosting market shares, partnerships reduce the cost of developing technologies.

In April 2010 the Renault-Nissan Alliance signed a historic agreement with Daimler. We have multiple programs including co-developed vans and A-segment cars between Renault and Mercedes, and the development of an all-new compact premium car for Infiniti based on a Mercedes platform.

This week Dieter Zetsche and I announced the next step. Starting in 2014, the Nissan engine plant in Decherd, Tennessee will manufacture 4-cylinder gasoline engines for both Daimler and the Alliance.

Like all of our partnerships, the Renault-Nissan-Daimler cooperation wasn't short-term. It's a work in progress. It's expanding - to electric vehicles, and to research on fuel cell vehicles, the next wave of zero-emission cars, from Paris, Yokohama and Stuttgart… and all the way to Tennessee.

I am optimistic about our industry's future. More than 50 million people globally earn their living in the auto industry. If vehicle manufacturing were a country, it would be the sixth largest economy in the world. We have a responsibility to ensure this industry can grow, prosper and meet the expectations of society for safer, cleaner and more affordable mobility.

Reinvention is not a quick fix. It requires persistence… relentless execution … and hard work sustained for a long time. And once a new vision takes hold, no challenge - not even an earthquake -- can get in your way.

Infiniti High Performance Electric Hybrid Sports Car; Geneva show reveal

INFINITI'S NEXT INSPIRED PERFORMANCE COMES FROM A NEW DIRECTION

• Range extended electric sports car concept combines low emission, high performance on the open-road with zero emission urban mobility
• Mid-ship layout for optimal weight distribution, at the same time facilitating a change in vocabulary for Infiniti's design language
• 2nd video released giving more behind-the-scenes information, this time from Francois Bancon, Infiniti's Divisional General Manager for Advanced Product Planning

Development of Infiniti's advanced sports car concept, due for global reveal at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, continues apace. Lightweight with the offer of low emissions, the sports car concept will be the first Infiniti to have not only a range-extender drivetrain but also one mounted in a mid-ship package for optimal weight distribution and therefore handling.

Infiniti already enjoys a lead in high performance, low emission technologies with its Infiniti M Hybrid. But the purpose of the Geneva concept is to explore what might be the next stage in how to deliver a vivid, engaging and sophisticated driving experience from an electrically-propelled vehicle. The mid-ship mechanical layout could be a vital ingredient. 

The as yet unnamed car will minimize the traditional compromise between thrilling performance and sustainable mobility. Its style, content and mid-ship package are all new to Infiniti, although the character of this striking, sports car concept remain absolutely true to the brand, as does the direction of its innovative electric vehicle engineering which is to combine extreme, low emission open-road performance with zero emission operation in urban situations.

Further news of this exciting project will be released at it's world premiere at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.