Infiniti M

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For the other Infiniti M coupe sold from 1990-92, see Infiniti M30.

Infiniti M

Manufacturer	Nissan
Production	2003–present
Assembly	Tochigi, Tochigi, Japan
Predecessor	Infiniti I
Class	Mid-size luxury car / Executive car (UK)
Body style	4-door sedan
Layout	FR layout
Platform	FM
Transmission	5-speed automatic
Related	Infiniti FX Infiniti G35 Nissan 350Z
Similar	Chrysler 300 Ford Interceptor Jaguar S-Type Lexus GS Mercedes-Benz E-Class Pontiac G8

First generation

Also called	Nissan Gloria Nissan Cedric
Production	2003–2005
Engine	4.5L 340 hp V8
Wheelbase	110.2 in
Length	197.2 in
Width	69.7 in
Height	57.6 in
Fuel capacity	21.1 US gal

Second generation

Also called	Nissan Fuga Infiniti M45 Infiniti M35
Production	2006–present
Engine	3.5L 280 hp V6 4.5L 335 hp V8
Wheelbase	114.2 in
Length	192.6 in
Width	70.8 in
Height	59.4 in
Fuel capacity	20 US gal

The M30, M45, and M35 are luxury cars from Nissan's Infiniti marque. The M35x has also won Consumer Reports top luxury car pick, taking the spot after Lexus' 2005 LS 430.

1 1990
2 2003
3 2006
4 Trademark lawsuit against BMW M series
5 Other links

[edit] 1990

The original 1990 M30 was the middle offering of Nissan's Infiniti brand, and was only sold as a coupe. It featured a 162 hp 3.0 L V6 shared, along with its rear wheel drive platform, with the 1987 Japanese Nissan Leopard. A convertible was added for 1991, and the M30 was replaced after 1992 by the more visually provocative Infiniti J30. Infiniti would not produce another coupe until the release of the Infiniti G35 coupe in 2003.

[edit] 2003

The 2003 M45 was based on the Y34-series Nissan Gloria/Nissan Cedric, with styling similar to the Gloria, and replaced the I30/I35 as Infiniti's mid-size car. The engine is Nissan's 340 hp VK45DE V8 which produces 333 ft.lbf of torque. The rather Japanese squared-off styling did not make much of a splash on the US market, and the M45 sold poorly.

[edit] 2006

Infiniti released a completely redesigned M for the 2006 model year to compete directly in the mid-size sport luxury class, against such class stalwarts as the BMW 5-Series and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class. It uses a much more rigid version of the G35/350Z/FX Nissan FM platform and is available with the common VQ-series 280 hp (208 kW) 3.5 L V6 in the M35, or the Q45's 335 hp (249 kW) 4.5 L V8 in the M45. In Japan the M is known as the Nissan Fuga.

The automotive press has awarded the M several best-in-class awards in direct comparisons against its competitors. Despite entering a very crowded, competitive segment in which almost every member has been recently redesigned, the M still managed to find many key distinctions: Both the M35 and M45 are fastest in their class (0-60 in 6.3 and 5.4 seconds, respectively). The M is near or at the top of every interior dimension, actually breaking into the EPA "large" category depending on which option packages are selected. In fact, while being smaller on the outside than the flagship Q45, the M45 boasts more room, greater performance, a superior multilink front suspension, and much friendlier ergonomics, threatening the position of the flagship Q45 (which ceased production after the 2006 model year; as such, the M became the current flagship itself).

All-wheel-drive models are called the M35x, which uses a sports car derived system (ATTESA-ETS) to send all power to the rear wheels until slip is detected.

The M line was released in February 2005 (at almost exactly the same time as the new 2006 Lexus GS) and its first several months of sales have been far beyond expectations. Prices in the US (USD) range from approximately $40,000 - 55,000.

[edit] Trademark lawsuit against BMW M series

In 2007, Canadian Federal Court Justice W. Andrew MacKay ruled that the use of the letter by Infiniti was in a form similar to that of the BMW's trademark M alone, and its use of M6 as a package for modifying one of its vehicles, cause confusion in Canada between the sources of the wares of the defendant and the wares of the plaintiffs.[1] The court granted injunction that prevents Nissan from directing public attention to its products in any way likely to cause confusion. BMW introduced its first M series vehicle, M6, in Canada in 1987, while Infiniti registered M45 in 2004 and M35 in 2005 as trademarks for sedans in the middle of its range, and in some advertising has used the letter M alone.