Infiniti starts production of the All New Q30 Active Compact at Sunderland along with its Nissan brand.

• First new car brand to be manufactured on this scale in the UK in 23 years
• First Infiniti vehicle built in Europe, expanding global manufacturing footprint
• £250m investment, new facilities and 300 newly created jobs to support premium quality
• First vehicles to be exported from Sunderland to the USA and China

Infiniti starts production of the Q30 active compact today in Sunderland, UK, as the first vehicle officially rolls off the assembly line. The first new Infiniti Q30 vehicles are now in production at the brand’s newly-built facilities in Sunderland, UK, following a £250m investment that has created 300 new jobs.

Infiniti’s first compact model,the Q30, is also the brand’s first vehicle to be manufactured in Europe. As part of its global growth plan, Infiniti vehicles are now built in five plants in four countries on three continents.

Trevor Mann, Chief Performance Officer of Nissan Motor Corporation, today joins Roland Krueger, President of Infiniti Motor Company,and the 6,700-strong workforce in Sunderland to mark the latest milestone in Infiniti’s global expansion.

Mann says: “Today we are beginning an exciting new chapter in the Infiniti story, and I can’t think of a better place to start than here at Nissan’s Sunderland plant. Over its 30 year history, Sunderland has grown into the UK’s largest automotive plant. It is renowned for delivering high-quality, top-selling vehicles, and is regarded as a world-class production facility with a highly skilled and dedicated work force.

“To prepare for Q30 production, we invested 250-million pounds here in the UK.  This is creating more than 1,000 new jobs in the UK automotive industry. Q30 production is further strengthening our premium vehicle manufacturing capability in Sunderland, and exports to global markets such as China and North America signal the next phase in the expansion of Infiniti and a new chapter for our UK plant.”

The decision to build the Q30 in the UK was made in 2012 in recognition of the outstanding quality standards reached by the workforce in Sunderland over many years. Since then, the plant’s journey to Infiniti has created a new generation of premium car builders, with an unprecedented training programme for 4,000 staff in the requirements and expectations of Infiniti customers.

The workforce also includes a select group of newly-appointed master craftspeople. At each stage of the production process, they ensure every individual Q30 meets Infiniti’s premium manufacturing standards.

New production facilities covering 25,000m² at the Sunderland plant include a 100%-automated body shop, where 134 new robots with laser-welding precision have been installed to build a highly rigid bodyshell, one of the reasons that sound levels in the Q30’s cabin are exceptionally low.

After the Q30 is welded,it is integrated onto the plant’s Line 2 for painting and final assembly, where a second plant extension of 14,500m² has been built. The manufacturing process has been tailored to ensure every Q30 is made for the individual at the Trim & Chassis shop where the Infiniti operators perform 1,191 different tasks to complete each model.

Roland Krueger says: “Q30 comes at a moment of significant opportunity for Infiniti. Following a period of record global sales, we are entering a new segment with the Q30. This new active compact will play a vital role in our strategy to become a top tier global premium brand.”

Instrumental in the development of the Infiniti Q30 were the brand’s European design and technical centres in Paddington and Cranfield, UK respectively. With an expanding network of Infiniti Retail Centres in the UK, the introduction of Q30 manufacturing in Sunderland demonstrates the brand’s strong commitment to the UK.

Infiniti is the first new car brand to be manufactured on this scale in the UK in 23 years, supported by a £9.2m grant from the UK Government through the Regional Growth Fund.

The UK’s Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the Rt Hon Sajid Javid MP, says: “Our automotive sector is the most productive in Europe and that is no small part down to the way government and industry have worked together to develop advanced manufacturing. Today’s announcement demonstrates the strengths of the Northern Powerhouse, with Nissan Sunderland producing models never made outside Japan, China or the US.

“The £250 million investment has not only secured 300 highly-skilled jobs but will also boost our exports, even more so once the premium Infiniti QX30 model goes into production next year.”

FRANKFURT - Infiniti showcases it's first compact car the Q30, Luxury, style and a special Europe only model.

• Infiniti’s first global entry in the compact segment, attracting a new generation of premium buyers
• Takes a design-led approach that forges a unique path for a premium car
• Q30 is a vital part of Infiniti’s global growth plans
• Q30 City Black Edition exclusively for sale in Europe

Infiniti has revealed its Q30 active compact during its press conference at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Representing Infiniti’s first global entry into the fast-growing premium compact segment, the Q30 will play an important role in helping the company realise its plans for global growth.

Designed for a new generation of buyers not willing to be defined by their choice of vehicle body type, the Q30 challenges convention with its bold character and daring shape. 

The car stays true to the signature design cues from the original 2013 concept and exemplifies Infiniti’s design-led approach to product development. The unconventional stance and asymmetric interior contribute to an overall design that is certain to command attention.

The development teams behind the Q30 have taken a holistic approach to its engineering, presenting a car that offers exceptional ride and handling. It feels comfortable yet ‘ready to go anywhere’ thanks to the versatile dimensions, confident dynamics and intuitive technologies.

Speaking at the show, Roland Krueger, President of Infiniti, commented: “Q30 makes a daring visual statement through its sculpted, concept-car exterior, unconventional stance and asymmetric cabin design. The car has been engineered to exacting standards to deliver a driving experience that is unmistakably Infiniti. Q30 will accelerate the company’s strategy to become a leading global manufacturer of premium cars.”

The launch of the Q30 comes at a moment of significant opportunity for the Infiniti brand, strengthening its presence in key sales regions. Infiniti sold a record 136,700 new vehicles worldwide during the first eight months of 2015, representing an increase of 14% compared to the same period in 2014. The brand also set records in China, Asia & Oceania, and EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa).

The Infiniti Q30 will go on sale in selected markets later in 2015. Prices will start from £19,780 OTR for the petrol version and from £20,730 OTR for the diesel version.

In addition to the main Q30 range, Infiniti is launching Q30 City Black Edition – a unique ‘first edition’that has been specially created for European customers as a way of marking Infiniti’s first European-built model. 

Boasting all the savoir faire to be a hit from Paris to Madrid, London to Berlin, Q30 City Black echoes everything that Q30 offers in the most captivating expression of the new active compact, with the emphasis on the highest quality materials and most advanced technologies. Priced from £26,110 OTR the Infiniti Q30 City Black will be available from mid-September as an exclusive Europe-only model.