Infiniti M

The 2011 Infiniti M was previewed at the 59th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and introduced to the public at a media event in Beverly Hills, California in December 2009, to coincide with the LA Auto Show in Los Angeles. The production version went on sale across the world starting in the spring of 2010 as a 2011 model. It went on sale in the US on March 1, 2010. It was launched in Europe at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The third generation Infiniti M competes with the Lexus GS, Acura RL, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Lincoln MKS, Jaguar XF, Cadillac STS, Hyundai Genesis, and the Audi A6.

A driving mode selector knob has been installed as standard equipment on all models, situated below the transmission gear lever and between the heated and ventilated front seat controls, providing four selections labeled "Standard", "Sport", "Eco", and "Snow", allowing the 7-speed transmission, engine and various systems to optimize driving based on varying conditions. To minimize exhaust noise intrusion into the passenger compartment from the engine at low rpms, "Active Noise Control" has been installed. Double-piston shock absorbers, developed by Kayaba Industry Company, have replaced the ones previously supplied by Hitachi.

The 5.6L V8 VK56VD in the Infiniti M56 makes it competitive with other V8 mid-luxury (executive) cars such as the BMW 550i and Mercedes-Benz E550. The 5.6L V8 is not shared with its Japanese domestic market counterpart, the Nissan Fuga, as Nissan opted instead to have the hybrid version as the performance option.

The M37 and M56 will have all-wheel drive optional, badged as M37x and M56x, respectively.

Safety technology has also been introduced, such as Lane Departure Prevention, which uses a small camera mounted above the rearview mirror to gauge distance from the lane markers, and will lightly tap selected brakes when necessary to help ease the car back into the correct lane. It will allow for unimpeded lane changes when the turn signal is used, and will yield control to the driver at all times. Blind Spot Intervention System uses sensors to provide a visual warning in the side view mirror. If the car senses that movement towards the obstacle is occurring, it will provide an audible warning and will apply opposite side brakes to guide the vehicle into the correct lane.

Safety

The third generation Infiniti M models were given a "Top Safety Pick" by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) by earning a "Good" score for all four IIHS crash tests while also featuring standard stability control to help avoid accidents altogether.

Engines

M35h (Hybrid version) (2012+)

The Infiniti M Hybrid, to be sold as the Nissan Fuga Hybrid in Japan where it is the top performance trim there, will introduce Nissan's first in-house developed electric hybrid technology, and the carmaker claims it will double the fuel economy of its gasoline-powered version.^[21] Nissan also announced that the Nissan Infiniti/Fuga Hybrid, together with the Nissan Leaf, will include its new Vehicle Sound for Pedestrians system to alert pedestrians, the blind and others to their presence when the hybrid is operating at low speeds in all-electric mode.^[22][23]

The hybrid includes one electric motor and two clutches to allow the 3.5L V6 (302 hp (225 kW) 258 lb·ft (350 N·m)) gas engine and electric motor to drive the rear wheels simultaneously. The lithium-ion battery pack will come from the Infiniti Essence.^[24] The VQ35HR 3.5 L V6 Hybrid utilizes the Atkinson cycle. The electric motor, installed in parallel between the engine and the transmission, produces 68 PS (50 kW; 67 bhp) from 1.3kWh lithium-ion batteries that are expected to have a service life of 10 years. The batteries are installed upright behind the rear seats. The main sacrifices are that the luggage compartment space is reduced, the hybrid's rear seats are fixed in place and cannot fold down, and all-wheel drive is not available.

Reviewers have considered the 2012 Infiniti M35h, along with the 2011 Porsche Panamera S Hybrid which also debuted in the same calendar year, as among the best executed hybrid performance luxury cars. The M35h and Panamera S Hybrid are the first hybrid gasoline-electric vehicles with an automatic transmission to return frugal fuel economy figures and retain the acceleration/handling characteristics of its gasoline-only counterparts. Earlier hybrids such as the Lexus 2007 GS 450h used a CVT for fuel economy at the cost of driving dynamics, while the 2010 BMW ActiveHybrid 7 which has an automatic transmission did not feature significantly improved mileage over its gasoline counterpart. The M35h's fuel economy is superior to the M37, and it is almost as fast as the M56 which providing a more balanced front/rear weight distribution.

On August 23, 2011, the Infiniti M35h set an official Guinness world record for the world's fastest accelerating production full hybrid. The feat took place at the United Kingdom’s Santa Pod Raceway, where CAR magazine journalist Tim Pollard drove the vehicle down the quarter-mile dragstrip in 13.896 seconds. The M35h averaged 13.9031 seconds for all runs, reaching speeds over 100 mph. Guinness adjudicators were present to witness the run and certify the record.

M30d (Diesel version) (2011+)

In 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show the Infiniti M was introduced with a diesel engine for the first time. It will be sold across Europe starting in September 2010. The diesel engine produces 240 hp, 331 lb-ft (175 kW) (500 Nm) @ 2,500 rpm and is called the V9X Engine. In western Europe, this V6 performance diesel will be offered as a high performance option in lieu of the M56 V8. The M30d will not be sold in the US or Canada.