Honda Motor will provide its core hybrid car technologies to a number of Chinese automakers, eyeing to boost sales in the world's largest car market, a report said Sunday.

As Honda's sales in China have long been sluggish, it aims to achieve a turnaround by aggressively pushing its hybrid vehicle technologies, the Japanese business daily Nikkei reported.

"We hope that other automakers will use our IMA technologies," one Honda executive told the business daily, referring to Honda's hybrid system.

"We want to set industry standards for hybrid technologies in the world's biggest car market," he was quoted as saying.

Historically, Japanese carmakers have been cautious about providing their cutting-edge hybrid technologies to other companies, due to fears of losing their competitive edge.

Honda's bigger rival Toyota Motor said last year it will manufacture the third model of its Prius hybrid car and its key parts in China in a bid to boost sales there.

Volkswagen and General Motors plan to produce environmentally friendly vehicles in China, but are reluctant to talk about local production of key parts due to concerns over technology leaks, the Nikkei has earlier reported.

Nissan to build two Infiniti models in China
Tokyo (AFP) April 20, 2012 - Japanese auto giant Nissan said Friday it would build two models of its luxury Infiniti brand in China from 2014, as it looks to further tap the world's biggest car market.

The firm has said it is aiming to boost sales of the cars to half a million units globally by 2016, up from 145,000 last year when it was produced in Japan and the United States.

"This is an important milestone for Infiniti's growth strategy, and for the brand to reach its aggressive sales target of 500,000 units by 2016," Andy Palmer, executive vice president of the Global Infiniti and Luxury Business Unit, said in a statement.

"Local production in the world's largest automobile market is not an option but a necessity to our success," he added.

Nissan, which currently has three plants in China, did not say which models would be produced at facilities operated by its Chinese partner Dongfeng Motor Co., or if some units would be exported to other markets outside China.

But the move would not reduce production at existing Infiniti plants, a spokesman in Japan said Friday.

"Local production will allow customers increased access to Infiniti's high-quality products, contributing to further growth in brand awareness and market share," the statement said.

China is Nissan's largest market, accounting for more than one-quarter of its 4.67 million in vehicle sales last year.

Earlier this month, Nissan, which is part of an alliance with France's Renault, it will start making a new midsize hatchback at its huge plant in Sunderland in the north of England from 2014.

It is also planning to dust off its shelved Datsun brand to tap emerging markets.