2008 Infiniti M launches in the Middle East

The 2008 Infiniti M will be available in Middle East showrooms at the beginning of March.

Infiniti M is designed with a sporty and luxurious exterior design; with enhancements including an unexpectedly spacious interior, a revised front and rear fascia, grille, rear fender panels, rear deck lid and taillight design, new chrome accents, new side sill cover and guard moulding and new sport aluminium-alloy wheels.

Inside, the new 2008 Infiniti includes an upgraded Infiniti Navigation System with touch-screen function, new white instrument panel lighting with violet accents, white and violet interior lighting and a revised Stone coloured interior.

In addition to the advanced navigation system, other available M technology includes Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, an Infiniti Information Display with LCD screen and easy-to-use controls and RearView Monitor.

Infiniti M embodies the essence of power and sophistication, surpassing both industry standards and consumer expectations of a luxury sedan. The Infiniti M is designed to give its drivers an exhilarating driving experience.

'The Infiniti M is an expression of power, refinement, technology and design - all the things that make Infiniti owners' hearts pound,' said Abhijeet Pandit, Brand Manger of Infiniti Middle East. 'The M captures the soul of the Infiniti brand, expressing it in invigorating, forward thinking ways.'

Refined Exterior and Interior Designs For 2008

The Infiniti M optimizes both luxury and sport styling to create a dynamic visual appeal. The revised exterior styling for 2008 includes a new front grille and bumpers, fog lamps and side sills. In the rear, the new M features revised fenders and taillights. There are also new chrome body side accents.

What hasn't changed is how the M's expressive crystal-look headlight clusters, which offer a luxurious appeal, while large wheels and low profile tires, stable posture with wide track, and short overhangs contribute to the sportiness of the design.

The Infiniti M's long wheelbase and short overhangs provide a roomy interior and sporty exterior dimensions. Wide front and rear tracks add to handling stability, while the overall width enhances interior and trunk volume. Also featured are lightweight body components, including aluminium-alloy inner and outer door panels, hood and deck lid panels.

'The M's low, aggressive hood line, which flows into the anchored shoulders and fluid roofline contribute to the sporty, powerful silhouette,' said Pandit. 'There's a solid, muscular look to the design, fitting of its vibrant performance, yet a refined, high quality feel worthy of an Infiniti flagship.'

The M's interior design engages the senses in invigorating ways, combining a driver-oriented cockpit with a graceful, Infiniti level of luxury and design detail.

For 2008, the M features a new interior look with new 'Fine Vision' electroluminescent gauges, new 'gear-like' rings on the instrument cluster meters, a revised centre console, new aluminium trim surface texturing, new wood trim and door trim and a new full gray interior colour. Sport Package-equipped models receive unique steering wheel and shift knob stitching, unique front seat designs and aluminium-trimmed pedals.

These changes enhance the M's modern, intuitive interior feel and layout, which focuses on purposeful simplicity. Interior features include genuine Rosewood or aluminium trim, leather-appointed seats, 'Fine Vision' electroluminescent gauges, climate controlled front seats and available features such as heated power reclining rear seats and advanced Bose® Studio Surround™ sound system with digital 5.1-channel decoding and 14 speakers including two personal speakers mounted in the shoulders of each front seat. The interior also offers an array of driver and passenger-oriented technology features, including the Infiniti Intelligent Key system with Push Button Start, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System and a RearView Monitor.

Vibrant Performance with Rear Active Steer

When the Infiniti M went on sale as an all-new 2006 model it captured essential elements of both a luxury performance sedan and an award-winning sports sedan. Its performance is equally engaging in the V8-equipped M45 or V6-equipped M35.

The M45 continues to offer a powerful DOHC 4.5-liter V8 rated at 334 horsepower. The engine design includes titanium valves, modular cylinder heads, micro finished crankshaft, lightweight pistons and super-silent single stage cam drive chain to help optimize performance.

The M35 utilizes an advanced DOHC 3.5-liter V6 rated at 276 horsepower. The V6 is part of the award-winning VQ engine series also found in the G35 and FX35, and includes aluminum-alloy block and heads and electronically controlled 'drive-by-wire' throttle system. Both engines are mated to a standard 5-speed automatic transmission with performance shifter and manual shift mode with downshift rev matching.

The M suspension is an independent double-wishbone design in front and multi-link independent system in the rear, along with front and rear stabilizer bars.

The handling and stability of the Infiniti M45 is further optimised by Infiniti's Rear Active Steer system. Unlike passive rear steering systems, this design features precise, electronic motor-driven control. This system helps improve the M45 Sport's handling performance by adjusting the geometry of the rear suspension according to steering input and vehicle speed.

The Infiniti M's large diameter wheels and tires are positioned out near the corners of the vehicle, helping to further enhance handling and driving excitement. For 2008, the M features new aluminium-alloy wheels with titanium finish.

The M also utilises standard 4-wheel power-assisted vented disc brakes with Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA). The steering system is an electronically controlled vehicle-speed-sensitive power-assisted rack-and-pinion design. Every Infiniti M also features Infiniti's advanced Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Traction Control System (TCS). The VDC adjusts brake pressure and engine torque automatically in under steer, over steer or slippery road surface situations, helping the driver keep the intended path.