The 2011 Infiniti M prototype bears the unmistakable imprint of the automaker's well-regarded Essence concept vehicle.
It’s often said that the most successful automakers are those who understand the fundamental essence of their brands. At least, that’s what Infiniti is counting on as it translates its Essence concept vehicle into its flagship sedan, an all-new version of the M sedan.
The curvaceous Essence made its first appearance, earlier this year, at the Geneva Motor Show. Stuck in a back corner of the sprawling PAL Expo center, it might have been easily overlooked, considering more than 50 other cars, concepts and crossover vehicles were launched during the annual European car show. But word-of-mouth quickly spread, and by the time the show wrapped up, the Infiniti prototype was generally regarded as one of the event’s most significant debuts.
“It’s not easy translating a concept vehicle into a production car,” cautions Shiro Nakamura, global design director for Nissan Motor Co., Infiniti’s Japanese parent.
And there’s no question that some of the exaggerated lines of the prototype coupe have had to be toned down, while the new M gets an extra pair of doors. In production, the M will be a bit longer, notably wider and, as one executive puts it, “more planted” than the concept.
Infiniti is promising a more refined and elegant interior on the 2011 M sedan, with a new, silver-dusted wood finish.
But it’s equally apparent that the underlying design cues of the Essence have been carried over into the sedan that will reach showrooms in mid-2010, starting with the yawning grille that flows into the M’s front fenders. Overall, the new sedan has a sleek and sculpted look, an almost exaggerated shape in a segment where most manufacturers opt for safer, boxier designs.
“This is our flagship,” declares Ben Poore, Infiniti’s vice president and general manager. And it could be the most important new product since the brand’s original star, the first-generation Q45.
In fact, the M slots in below the Q, going up against the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and Lexus GS, rather than those brands’ top-line models, the S-Class and LS, respectively. Infiniti continues to search for the right premium-luxury model. But in today’s economy, with luxury sales seriously scaled back, it can be argued that the mid-luxury segment is far more critical.
There will actually be two versions of the new sedan; the M37 will be powered by Infiniti’s 3.7-liter V-6, while the top-line M56 will feature a new version of the maker’s 5.6-liter V-8, currently used in the QX56 sport-utility vehicle.
The larger powertrain has undergone significant upgrades, and is now Direct-Injection, for one thing. While the automaker is holding back on details until later in the year, Poore hints the M56 will make more than 400 horsepower, but will still deliver at least 10% better fuel economy than the existing M45, which is rated at 16 mpg City, 21 Highway, according to the EPA.
The automaker is taking a cautious approach to revealing the new M series. It staged a brief “reveal” of a virtual model during a media preview prior to the annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The sedan, in the sheet metal, won’t be shown until later this year. And, for the moment, company officials are holding back on most technical details. But they’ve nonetheless dropped some intriguing hints of what’s to come.
Nakamura has said, several times in recent years, that he plans to significantly upgrade the interiors of Infiniti products. The virtual model appears to live up to that aim, with a more lavishly-appointed cabin that features, among other things more wood that has been hand-rubbed with a silver dust giving the material a glittering sheen.
Infiniti puts a premium on technology, such as the Around-View monitor that was launched with the new EX crossover. The system uses a set of cameras to present what appears to be a birdseye view of the vehicle, making it easy to spot obstacles when pulling out of a parking spot.
Around-View will be carried over to the new M, to which Infiniti will add a new Blind Spot Intervention system. That technology will not only help driver spot vehicles in their blind spot, but will gently, but actively help the M steer clear of a potential accident.
With the new M scheduled for a Spring 2010 introduction, Poore said Infiniti isn’t ready to announce pricing yet. But there is little doubt that the final decision will be driven by the competitive nature of the current market. And the segment’s leader, Mercedes-Benz, has just cut the price of its E-Class line-up by about $5,000. So, as the ambitious upstart, Infiniti is likely to have to play by Mercedes’ rules if it hopes to gain some traction for the Essence-inspired M37 and M56 sedans.