Infiniti Centre to open in Reading

The UK’s first – and Europe’s 22nd – Infiniti Centre opens its elegant glass doors for the first time on 12 September. Europe’s newest luxury automotive brand has selected Reading, hi-tech hub and commercial capital of the Thames Valley, as the town where Infiniti’s introduction to the UK, 20 years in the making, at last gets under way.

The UK’s inaugural Infiniti showroom is testament to both the Japanese brand’s ethos of “Inspired Performance” and also to the commitment of Infiniti’s UK partner in taking every aspect of luxury car ownership to a new and higher level.

Like other Infiniti Centres throughout the rest of Europe, the Reading base turns the traditional car showroom on its head. For its location, architecture, facilities and hand-picked staff, the Infiniti Centre Reading has more in common with a luxury goods store than a car showroom. Its welcoming ambience and comfortable furnishings emulate the lobby of a boutique hotel – providing the perfect introduction to the stress-free world of Infiniti ownership known as Total Ownership Experience.

Infiniti, and its distribution partner Rymco UK, have chosen a high-profile location that offers maximum customer convenience. At 25-27 Rose Kiln Lane – the A33 road into Reading – the UK’s first Infiniti Centre is just 10 minutes from Junction 11 of the M4 and close to the corporate HQs of some of the country’s biggest financial and technology firms.

The Reading Centre offers Britons the first taste of Infiniti’s passion for contemporary design, craftsmanship and advanced technology, characteristics just as evident in Infiniti Centres as in Infiniti cars. An open, airy feel, sophisticated colours and natural materials provide a striking backdrop for the cars. Interactive computers and high-definition flat screens go hand in hand with bespoke leather furniture and specially commissioned paintings.

To the rear of the complex there’s an eight-bay workshop along with body centre and parts department. Plenty of parking and opening hours – including 10am-4pm on Sundays and bank holidays – aim to make life as easy as possible for customers.

As befits the challenge of breaking in to one of the world’s most mature luxury car markets, the new brand and the new Centre are joined by a complete line-up of new Infiniti models, all of which take centre stage for the opening of the Infiniti Centre Reading.

Saloon and Coupé versions of the distinctive and potent G37 are joined by Infiniti’s latest model for Europe, the G37 Convertible. Seductive looks, whether the electrically retractable hard-top is up or down, go hand in hand with 155mph performance to make this one of the world’s fastest four-seat convertibles. G37 prices start at £30,300.

V6-powered and with the security of intelligent all-wheel drive, the EX is a crossover with the style of a coupé, the practicality of an estate and the driving appeal of a sports car. EX prices start at £35,200.

Everything that Infiniti stands for comes together in the stunning form of the FX, a full-size crossover priced from £42,600 and which effortlessly blends luxury with high performance. In V8 flagship form, the FX50S has a strong claim to be the sportiest, best-equipped and most advanced crossover that its money (£53,800) can buy.

All Infinitis are designed to be true drivers’ cars and display passion not just in their individualistic designs but also in their tuneful engines and confidence-inspiring handling. All feature the most efficient petrol engine technology available and all have been honed to deliver in the most demanding of European environments. Features such as Scratch-shield paint and Around View Monitor are unavailable elsewhere – at any price.

All Infinitis also come with customer service unlike that of any other car. Total Ownership Experience is a bespoke, customer-focused programme that makes owning an Infiniti an effortless and rewarding experience.

Each Infiniti owner is assigned their own Customer Account Manager who is their single point of contact throughout their period of ownership. The account manager will, for example, arrange servicing. Uniquely, Infiniti offers free collection and delivery (within a 150-mile radius) of cars due a service, guaranteeing that owners will never feel far from an Infiniti Centre – and further ensuring owners suffer as little inconvenience as possible.

This is backed up by a mobility package comprising roadside and touring assistance with Infiniti specialists on hand to make sure owners are never left stranded – wherever they are, at whatever time. And even if they are not driving their Infiniti. Every new Infiniti also comes with an industry-leading peace-of-mind package with warranties covering the vehicle (60,000 miles or three years), the body (12-year anti-corrosion), and the paint (three years against defects).

The Infiniti partner in Reading, Rymco UK, was set up by a partnership formed for this purpose by Rymco SAL and Mr Nasser Al-Kharafi, president of the Al-Kharafi Group. Rymco SAL – Rasamny Younis Motor Company, a joint stock company listed on the Lebanese stock exchange – has been a leading automotive retailer in Lebanon since 1957.

Rymco UK is headed up by Managing Director, Paul Atkinson, who is well experienced in retailing in the UK premium car sector. Rymco UK plans to open more Infiniti Centres in and around London.

In fact the Infiniti Centre Reading is just one of many such showrooms to be established in key locations throughout the UK over the next months, bringing Infiniti cars to within reach of the majority of the population.

Next year new Centres will open in London, Birmingham and Glasgow. In 2011 a further four Infiniti Centres are planned for Stockport and Leeds, with two more in London serving the north and south of the capital.

10 THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT INFINITI CENTRES

The paintings hanging on the walls are all originals, all specially commissioned by Infiniti

Infiniti Centres are run with distribution partners, companies highly qualified in selling premium goods – the key to offering the highest levels of customer satisfaction

Wherever in the world they are, the design of all Infiniti Centres is laid down by IREDI – Infiniti Retail Environment Design Initiative

Infiniti Centres follow a lobby/lounge/gallery layout with the natural light and high ceilings of the lobby area emulating the feel of an exclusive boutique hotel

The high-definition screen technology on which customers can preview colour schemes and trim options was specially designed and manufactured in Europe for Infiniti

All the sofas and lounge chairs were designed by acclaimed designer Walter Knoll

The entrance to every Infiniti Centre is the same: through a door surrounded by Travertine stone

The music on the CDs in cars available for test drives was specially chosen and recorded by Infiniti

Apart from the main handover when an owner first takes delivery of their new Infiniti, a second “handover” a month later is offered – just to make sure the owner is entirely at ease with their new car

The first European Infiniti Centre opened in Paris in October 2008 and now there are Centres in some of Europe’s best addresses in Barcelona, Madrid, Sofia, Athens, Milan, Prague, Warsaw, Zurich, Tel Aviv and Geneva