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Infiniti M37 Flagship to take on BMW



Nissan’s luxury car division, Infiniti, will introduce the M37 in the UK, the first of three M Line sedans, which it hopes will attract buyers from the likes of German marques, BMW and Audi.

The design takes elements from the 2009 Nissan concept car, the Essence, and is powered by a 3.7-litre V6 petrol engine, which produces 236 kW. The rear-wheel drive sports sedan can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.2 seconds, and on to a top speed of 250km/h (limited).

The UK will also get the M30d diesel version in October, which is said to be a cracker. The 3.0-litre V6 diesel delivers 234 hp (174 kW) and an earth moving 550 Nm of torque, good enough for a 0-100km/h sprint in 7.9 seconds. Even better, is the fact that peak torque comes on song at just 1750 rpm, with at least 500 Nm available at 1500 rpm.

Expect a hybrid offering too in the form of the M35h, which is expected to be in UK showrooms by April 2011.

Nissan hopes the M30d will provide a worthy alternative to the likes of BMW’s 530d and Jaguar’s XF 3.0D, so it will need to be an exceptional motorcar if it is to compete on such a level.

Standard fit is a seven-speed automatic transmission, which should make things refined and effortlessly smooth on board the ‘M Line’ cars.

Infiniti has already had a crack at the Australian market, back in the early 90’s, but few will remember the Q45, which went on to survive four generations from 1990-2006 in various other markets.

Nissan Australia PR boss, Jeff Fisher, told CarAdvice today, that the Infinity marque will definitely be making a comeback down under (it was postponed due to the GFC), but wouldn’t be tied to any particular time frame although, we suspect within 18 months.

The M37 is by all accounts a superb car. It’s also the most technically advanced car ever to wear the Infiniti badge, with a host of electronic driver aids and crash avoidance systems including a world first “Blind Spot Intervention”.

It’s a system that both detects nearby vehicles and helps the driver avoid contact with the said vehicle.

You might also like the idea of Active Noise Control and Forest Air, which serve as a climate control system, which produces gentle breezes and natural smelling scents, in the interest of driver alertness and a stress free environment.

Similar to the Lexus approach, Infiniti subscribe to the large inventory of creature comforts as standard kit, meaning you probably won’t need to look at the options menu.

Apart from the seven-speed auto, Bi-Xenon headlights, 10-way power seats, hard disk drive audio system (HDD), reversing camera and Drive Mode Selector are standard kit on the M37.

If that doesn’t quite do it for you, then you can choose the M37 GT, which adds more luxury in the form of heated and cooled front seats, semi-aniline leather and White Ash wood trim with a Silver powder finish.

For more of a sports skew, there’s the M37S with 4-wheel active steering, sports seats (heated and cooled), Sports suspension, gearshift paddles and 20-inch alloy wheels.

All premium versions feature a 16-speaker Bose audio system and Infiniti’s proprietary Connectiviti+ information and entertainment system with 30GB HDD satellite navigation.

In the UK, there are three new Infiniti centres opening up this year, which are said to be more like a bespoke hotel than any car dealership. Does that mean you can get a free massage or facial while your car is serviced?

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