“We’ve got to make sure those people who are defaulting to the other brands give us a go,” he says.

One of the key messages Infiniti wants to get across is the level of specification it offers on cars such as the M35 Hybrid.

“People look at the choice list and default to whatever is on there at a certain emissions level and then try to spec it up,” explains Lewis.

“With the M hybrid you don’t need to spec it up.”

A special limited Business Edition of the M35h, aimed at the fleet market, launched in September.

It is effectively a GT grade car with free connectivity (Infiniti’s navigation system), priced at £42,020 on-the-road.

With 55 premium standard features, Lewis claims it offers around a £6,500 advantage over some competitors in terms of specification.

Infiniti has already sold its first allocation of 25 vehicles, with more to follow.

Lewis isn’t concerned that from March next year the M35h (which has emissions of 159g/km) will be above the new 130g/km CO2 threshold related to capital allowance and lease rental restrictions, believing  the typical buyer is less sensitive to lease rental restriction.

But he claims that “there is a drive for CO2” from Infiniti.

Thanks to an alliance between Daimler and Renault-Nissan (cemented by the companies doing a 3% share swap in 2010) Infiniti will be able to bring out four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines.

“The new G, which arrives towards the end of next year, will be the first one to benefit from that,” says Lewis.

“But then you’ll see those engines in our new products and going into established products as further enhancements.”

The G is a key fleet product for Infiniti and should enable the brand to double its sales levels in 2014, with 60% of the sales coming from the corporate market.

Nissan opportunity

Infiniti can draw on parent Nissan’s fleet team for sales support, especially for fleets with more than 25 vehicles. But the relationship works both ways.

“It’s a great opportunity for them to offer a broader range of product from one stable,” says Lewis.

Dealer expansion is crucial to Infiniti’s growth plans.

It has just opened a dealership in Hull – bringing the total to seven – with another five in the pipeline before the end of the financial year. Its target is 40 by 2015.