The Infiniti EX introduced Thursday at the 2007 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California will be sold in Europe next year.

The medium SUV will go on sale when the Infiniti brand, the luxury arm of Japanese automaker Nissan, is launched in western Europe in the fall of 2008.

Infiniti is building a dealer network in major western European cities, Carlos Tavares, Nissan executive vice president for planning, told Automotive News Europe last month in St. Petersburg. Other western European spots will follow based on market conditions and dealer availability.

"Launching a luxury brand is a long-term strategy so we are taking our time to select the right dealers," Tavares said. "We want dealers who will invest. And we want to give our partners an opportunity to make money."

Infiniti will start in western Europe with a lineup of the G37 sedan and coupe and the replacement model of the FX large SUV. More models will follow in the medium term Tavares said.

"We will enlarge the Infiniti lineup in [Nissan's] next mid-term plan," he said.

The EX gets its European debut at the Geneva auto show in March 2008.

The EX features standard all-wheel drive and an around-view monitor that uses cameras mounted on each side of the vehicle to reduce blind spots while parking. Nissan said the model would compete against medium-sized premium SUVs like the BMW X3.

Infiniti currently has three dealerships in Russia, where it expects to sell 7,000 vehicles this year. Infiniti launched in China in July, Tavares said.

In an interview with Automotive News Europe's sister publication Automobilwoche, Infiniti Europe Vice President Jim Wright said the brand eventually plans to have between 12 and 14 dealers in Germany -- all based in large cities.

__________________
Please Click for Sarah's Wish