The "M" nameplate has been used on various mid-luxury cars from the Infiniti luxury division of Nissan.The first iteration was the M30 Coupe/Convertible, which were rebadged JDM Nissan Leopard.
After a long hiatus, the M nameplate was used for Infiniti's mid-luxury sedans (executive cars). First was the short-lived M45 sedan, a rebadged version of the Japanese-spec Nissan Gloria. The next generations, the M35/45 and M37/56/35h/30d, became the flagship of the Infiniti brand and are based on the JDM Nissan Fuga.
The new M has a design inspired by the Infiniti Essence concept car. While its predecessor's exterior was described as forgettable, the 2011 M has curves influenced by Jaguar and Maserati, as well as a more organic look inspired by undersea creatures.
The 2011 Infiniti M was previewed at the 59th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, and introduced to the public at a media event in Beverly Hills, California in December 2009, to coincide with the LA Auto Show in Los Angeles. The production version went on sale across the world starting in the spring of 2010 as a 2011 model. It went on sale in the US on March 1, 2010. It was launched in Europe at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The third generation Infiniti M competes with the Lexus GS, Acura RL, BMW 5 Series, Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Lincoln MKS, Jaguar XF, Cadillac STS, Hyundai Genesis, and the Audi A6.
