Infiniti, the premium arm of Japanese automaker Nissan Motor, is becoming a key global player in the luxury auto sector with its Q50 sports sedan recently unveiled at the 2013 North American International Auto Show, the company said.

"Our vision is simple - to secure permanent membership in the exclusive premium automobile club," said Johan de Nysschen, president of Infiniti Motor, adding that "it is vital to develop China", its second-largest market worldwide.

The all-new Q50 luxury model combines a tight, athletic design with excellent performance and high-end technology, and is the first to carry the "Q" badge under the automaker's new nomenclature to be used on the production line beginning with the 2014 model year. The renaming reflects the company's ambitious growth plans to significantly expand the Infiniti portfolio, de Nysschen said.

He noted that the company's focus is on brand rather than volume, which means that it takes long-term sustainable high-quality growth as its top priority.

Infiniti is currently selling in 47 markets worldwide, and recently announced its market entry into Brazil.

The company has adopted a globalization strategy with the goal of "quality, innovation and performance" in which China serves as a key volume hub for the brand, de Nysschen said.

Though a latecomer in the nation's luxury auto market, Infiniti has grown from near zero sales to China becoming its second-largest market worldwide after the US in the past five years - despite rising challenges from local competitors and political influences."We will develop specific models for the Chinese market and are rapidly expanding our distribution network," he added.

Since its first outlet opened in Shanghai in 2007, the company has developed 60 authorized outlets on the Chinese mainland. In July 2012, Infiniti's first flagship plus store opened in Beijing. The service standard of the store is one of the highest in the auto industry, which is expect to be applied in all its outlets at home and abroad,said the company.

Last year, the first tailor-made long-wheelbase Infiniti M sedan was introduced to further meet the diverse demands of its Chinese customers.

Allen Lyu, managing director of Infiniti Business Unit China, said the number of the brand's target customers in China will continue to grow in the coming years, and Infiniti as a symbol of "modern luxury experience" is more appealing to young premium customers who have a keen sense of innovation, passion and lifestyle. Last May, in a move to make China the center of its global development, Infiniti opened its new global headquarters in Hong Kong.

It later signed a deal with Dongfeng Motor Co to begin local production in Xiangyang, Hubei province in 2014.

It will also increase its partnership with the Red Bull Racing F1 team, with more prominent branding of the RBR F1 cars for a strategically new wave of exposure around the world, the company said.