Infiniti sets sights on Hong Kong luxury market

Infiniti is looking to muscle in on the city's crowded luxury sector after becoming the first carmaker to open its global headquarters in Hong Kong. The upscale brand of Japan's Nissan Motor Company, Infiniti relocated its head honchos to the city from Yokohama in May and will open a showroom in Central in December.

Until recently, the design of Infiniti's vehicles had been widely derided as forgettable, and many casual observers may still struggle to identify an Infiniti from a Lexus, Toyota or Honda. But the carmaker is finding its design DNA, taking cues from the Essence sports car concept it unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009.

The more shapely appearance of Infiniti's latest models - all flowing lines and rounded corners, with barely a flat surface - gives them the best aerodynamics in their class, the company says. Along with a more pronounced grille, Infiniti may be on the path to developing more memorable vehicles.

Cosmetic features aside, where Infiniti scores high marks is its emphasis on cutting-edge technology, as seen in the M37S and FX37 - the two models now available in Hong Kong and road-tested by the South China Morning Post.

In the midsize luxury - or executive - segment, the M37S goes head to head with such formidable rivals as the BMW 535i, Audi A6 and Lexus GS 350 Sport.

The sedan employs sporty rear-wheel drive with four-wheel active steer, like most cars in its class, for greater stability and response at high speed. The thrust comes from a 3.7-litre, V6 engine that produces 320 horsepower and 360Nm of torque, which at least equals its rivals. It feels light on its wheels, despite the body being a bit larger than its competitors. A drive mode selector on the console offers standard, economy and sport mode at the twist of a dial.