Proof that not all great sport sedans wear BMW badges

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Under the Hood

Though it obviously looks different, the 2008 M shares its backbone with two other popular Infiniti models – the G35 sedan and the FX crossover. M35 and M35x models draw power from a 3.5-liter V-6 that’s good for 275 horsepower at 6,200 rpm and 268 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,800 rpm. Move up the M45 or M45x and you’ll be working with a 4.5-liter V-8 capable of producing 325 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 336 lb.-ft. at 4,000 rpm. Regardless of which engine you choose, the transmission will be a five-speed automatic with a manual-shift mode and a rev-matching feature for downshifts. Fuel economy is rated at 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway for the M35, 16/22 for the M35x, 16/21 for the M45, and 14/20 for the M45x.

The M45 is about 115 pounds heavier than the M35, yet Infiniti has used aluminum in the construction of the doors, hood and trunk to help limit curb weights on all models. They’ve also fitted the car with an engine-speed-sensitive rack-and-pinion steering system, ventilated antilock disc brakes coupled with electronic brake force distribution and brake assist technology to provide capable stopping power, and a suspension setup composed of double wishbones up front and a multi-link assembly on the rear. Rear active steering, a feature that adjusts the lower rear suspension links in response to steering and speed sensors, is available on rear-wheel-drive versions of the Infiniti M. All-wheel-drive variants, on the other hand, are treated to the ATTESA E-TS system that’s also used on the Infiniti FX crossover.