Infiniti Upgrades M Flagship

NISSAN NORTH AMERICA INC.'S INFINITI luxury brand has been missing a flagship sedan since the auto maker nixed the Q from its lineup three years ago,

But not anymore, says Infiniti Vice President Ben Poore, who believes the next-generation midsize M sedan, going on sale next spring, is the ideal replacement for the bigger Q, launching at a time when even luxury buyers are watching what they spend.

“You could argue that as we go into the next couple of years (midsize) will be a very important segment,” Poore says.

Ward's classifies Infiniti's M sedan as part of the Middle-Luxury group, which includes the BMW 5-Series, Lexus GS, Mercedes E-Class, Cadillac DTS and Audi A6.

Yet, even before the economic downturn began, the segment was losing volume in the U.S., Ward's data shows.

In 2000, Ward's Middle Luxury group racked up annual sales of 561,944 units, but by 2001 deliveries had slipped 22%, falling 13% in 2002. Although registering an 18.2% gain in 2005 over 2004, segment sales have continued to decline since then, down 24.2% through July to 214,938.

“Whereas a (Mercedes) S-Class type of product was the ultimate product in terms of flagships, this is our flagship,” Poore says in a phone interview. “And I think we're going to see a lot of customers happy to be in this segment and not be in the $90,000-range.”

While he declines to predict the next-generation '11 M's sales performance, Poore is encouraged by a recent buff-book road test that ranked the current-generation M, released in 2005 as an '06, higher than the new Mercedes E-Class.

“I think we've got what it takes with (the new M) to do something well,” he says. “We have improvements across the board, from styling and powertrains to technology.”

For '11, the third-generation M will offer Nissan's upgraded 3.7L VQ V-6 engine, already in the G sedan and coupe, as well as an all-new 5.6L V-8 expected to churn out more than 400 hp. The current M is equipped with a previous iteration of the VQ: a 303-hp 3.5L and 325-hp 4.5L V-8.

Nissan will debut what it calls a “blind-spot intervention system” in the '11 M, which alerts a driver when a vehicle is in the lane in which he is merging. The technology then “assists the driver in returning his vehicle toward the center of the original lane of travel,” Infiniti says.

The styling of the M is heavily influenced by Infiniti's Essence concept, unveiled at this year's Geneva auto show.

Poore adds dealers who have seen the car especially are pleased with an upgrade in interior quality.

The '11 Infiniti M does not arrive for several months, so the auto maker is not sharing many details about the new interior.

But the company releases a few photos showing the dowdy, forgettable cabin in the current M will be replaced by a voluptuous passenger compartment heavy on rich, wood trim and premium leather.

The most striking feature of the new interior is the dramatic, swoopy door panel, punctuated by a brushed-aluminum handle surrounded by trim that resembles an airplane's wing.

The aviary theme carries over to the instrument panel, where a massive piece of trim above the glove box resembles a toucan's beak.

The new M will be retailed in the 32 global markets where Infiniti now has a presence.

Nissan officials previously have indicated Infiniti will be getting — reportedly for the M — a hybrid-electric system, after studying and determining diesel isn't suitable for the U.S.

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