In a special presentation at the 59th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in Monterey, California, Infiniti unveiled the all-new 2011 M executive sports saloon through a 3-dimensional holographic presentation. The Japanese brand also released the first official photos of the mid-size sedan that will be sold for the first time around the world in 32 markets including Western Europe. The trio of German executive sedans, the Audi A6, BMW 5-Series, and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, should be considered the new M's closest competitors.
The third generation of Infiniti's M sedan comes with a completely new body that takes styling cues from the firm's latest production and concept cars such as the Essence sports study blending organic shapes with swoopy lines and sculptured wings - though we must say that the front-end design does look similar to the Nissan Maxima.
Moving to the new M's interior, as with most cars of the kind, Infiniti customers will feel right at home with the styling. The Japanese brand promises that the M will stand out thanks to the use of innovative materials, an advanced climate control system, superior audio and an enhanced quality feel.
The next-generation M saloon will be offered in the States and other markets with two new gasoline engine configurations. The 2011 M37, which will replace the current M35 and its 303 HP 3.5-liter V6, is powered by the company's new 3.7-liter V6 producing around 330 horsepower. The range-topping 2011 M56 that takes the place of the current M45 and its 325 HP 4.5L V8 is moved by a new 5.6-liter V8 said to deliver over 400 horsepower.
For Western Europe, the M56 will be replaced by a Renault-sourced V6 performance diesel with an output of around 265 horsepower.
Infiniti did not disclose if the new M will be available with all-wheel drive versions in addition to the standard rear-wheel-drive models.
The new M sedan is scheduled to go on sale across the world as a 2011MY starting from Spring 2010. More details and photos will be released closer to the launch date.
