Four Autocar readers have been given an exclusive preview of the new Infiniti M saloon, ahead of the car’s official unveiling at next week’s Geneva motor show.
The event, which took place at Infiniti’s UK centre in Reading, included an introduction to the Infiniti brand followed by a tour of the M itself.
See pics of Autocar readers with the Infiniti M
Infiniti’s flagship saloon, which will rival the Mercedes E-class, Audi A6 and BMW 5-series when sales start in September, impressed the readers with its exterior styling, as well as its interior quality.
All four readers own cars from Infiniti's rival brands. Comments from the readers involved are listed below but they will be posting further opinions of the car in the forums, and responding to any of your queries.
John Cunningham – owns a Lexus IS250
“The Infiniti ownership experience looks excellent; having your own dedicated contact would be a huge plus, even if you’re buying used. The M is a great-looking car – big, curvy and muscular - and the interior is beautiful.
“How will Infiniti fare in the UK? It needs the forthcoming diesel engine to really compete, and UK buyers are traditionally more conservative. A G-series model would be something I would seriously consider.”
Robert Anderson – owns a Mercedes CL600
“The M looks gorgeous – a car that you can buy with your heart. The whole ownership experience seems fantastic, much better than at merc.
“Infiniti is a brand I’ve been aware of for 20 years having spent time in the US. I’ve always liked them a lot; the cars are very appealing.”
Jonathan Slayton – owns a BMW 530i Touring
“There’s emotional styling in the M, something you expect to see in Italian cars and not Japanese ones.
“The Infiniti ownership experience sounds like a strong one, but it needs to be as the brand as anonymous at the moment. Infiniti needs to get the message across and as an enthusiast, I’m listening and taking to its cars, especially the M.”
David Boardman – owns an Audi A8 4.2
“The Infiniti branding is amazing; they’re really trying to change the ownership experience. We’ve all shared horror stories about buying luxury cars, but I don’t think we’d have the same problem here.
“The M looks suitably different and better than in all the pictures. The interior is enough to buy the car alone. The price point is amazing given the standard equipment.”
Twitter - follow autocar.co.ukSee all the latest Infiniti reviews, news and video
Join the debate
Add your comment
Re: Infiniti M - Autocar exclusive
The problem is that in the U.S. there is a significantly narrower range of cars available: displacement-obsessive America cannot buy any of the smaller, more efficient vehicles such as the BMW 520d, 520i, 523i, 530d, 535d and so on - and that's just one model from one manufacturer.
What Infiniti have done is to transport their U.S. line-up pretty much unchanged from one continent to the other without any of the smaller, more efficient offerings - in other words, without the understanding that none of the best-selling models in Europe are big capacity cars. This is one of the (frankly, rather obvious) reasons that Cadillac failed.
Yes there's a diesel waiting but it's a large and expensive diesel. What's the best selling 5-Series? What's the best-selling E-Class? Why, it's a small, inexpensive diesel. I predict them selling fewer than 50 of these 'M' follies. Certainly no more than 75...
Re: Infiniti M - Autocar exclusive
"All four readers own cars from Infiniti's rival brands. Comments from the readers involved are listed below but they will be posting further opinions of the car in the forums, and responding to any of your queries"
When are we going to hear from the 4 people who've actually seen the car?
Re: Infiniti M - Autocar exclusive
I have to admit I quite like it. The back looks a bit like a Jag S type , from the side its pretty slinky and the front end its muscular. Not sure about the seats but the dash looks a much nicer proposition to me than the E class.
I think the ethos behind the customer care side of things would make this car a pretty relaxing one to own, especially if you're made to feel pampered. If it drives well and is comfy then you have something a bit special, a Q car.