Surprisingly fast saloon from little-known brand no longer sold in the UK can match speed of BMW M3 & is under £5,000
A SURPRISINGLY fast saloon car from a little-known brand that no longer sells its motors in the UK can be bought for under £5,000.
The luxury car is seldom seen on UK roads but is comparable to the likes of BMW and Mercedes in terms of features – and it even boasts a top speed that matches the M3.
The fancy Infiniti M was first sold in the US back in 1989 and finally went global in 2005 – with European and UK sales starting in 2008.
The most-recent fourth-gen model, built from 2010 to 2019, was especially eye-catching with a range of beefy engines, classy, well-refined looks and a wonderful interior.
The M can mostly be found with a 3.0-litre diesel engine, although a 3.7-litre V6 and a hybrid 3.5-litre V6 can also be picked up – if you know where to look.
Similar in style to the Audi A6 and Jaguar XF, the M boasts a handful of subtle sporty stylings – including a narrow window line that rises over the rear wheel arch, somewhat resembling the shape of the BMW M3 coupe.
There’s also a distinctive upturned ‘ducktail’ boot lip – supposedly designed to improve airflow and create zero lift at high speeds.
According to How Rare Is My Car?, just 182 M models exist on UK roads in 2024, making it one of the brand’s rarest cars.
This is largely down to the fact that Infiniti, a sub-brand of Nissan, no longer sells their cars in the UK, having pulled their stock from showrooms back in 2020.
But even back then, they had just six dealerships across the country and, according to Parkers, sold just 750 new motors in Britain in 2019.
Seen as a sportier, high-class rival to Toyota’s Lexus brand when they first arrived in Europe, Infiniti ultimately suffered from limited brand recognition and struggled to compete in a crowded luxury market.
Despite the M’s scarcity, they can be picked up for under £5,000 if you’re lucky, although generally cost around £8,000.
We found an example from 2013 on the Motors website for just £4,495 with a sizeable 146,000 miles on the clock.
It includes climate control, cruise control and a leather interior, and even gadgets like headlight washers, heated door mirrors and heated front seats.
Described in the listing as a “very rare petrol hybrid model”, it packs a 3.5-litre motor that’s capable of 364bhp, hitting 0-60mph in a surprising 5.5 seconds and a top speed of 155 mph – the same as the BMW M3.
This comes as a rival car brand opens up on two future models – including a replacement for its recently discontinued 167 mph super saloon.
Elsewhere, a legendary car that was discontinued almost 50 years ago has been revived with a new retro design.