This could slow down right hand drive sales.

Infiniti, which sells in the USA against Toyota's Lexus and Honda's Acura brands, will begin mainland European sales next October, and should be in all its target markets by 2010.

“It's true that there's been a change of tactics in the UK,” said a spokesman. “It's partly a matter of staffing, we've only just got a regional director, and the UK is dreadfully complex. We can't agree terms with one dealer group.” The spokesman said a number of regionally based dealer groups with experience selling aspirational cars were being contacted. “We still anticipate that at the very least British customers will be able to reserve their cars on line,” said the spokesman, adding that it was planned to have mobile road show displays of cars appearing at events and venues such as airports where potential customers were likely to be.

“We want people to be able to see and touch the cars even before the first Infiniti centres open,” said the spokesman. It is understood that the company will sell saloon, coupe and 4x4 models in relatively limited volumes, and that its showrooms will have design elements such as smoked glass and wood veneers similar to those used in its cars.