Infiniti Takes A Look Back At Their Coupes… To Promote The New QX55 Crossover

Infiniti is gearing up to launch the QX55 crossover coupe this spring, so the company is taking a look back at their historic coupes.

The story begins in 1989 as the M30 was launched alongside the Q45 sedan.

Based on the Nissan Leopard, the M30 was an upscale coupe which featured a 3.0-liter V6 engine that produced 162 hp (121 kW / 164 PS) and 180 lb-ft (244 Nm) of torque. It was paired to a four-speed automatic transmission, which sent power to the rear wheels.

Also Read: 2021 Infiniti Q60 Keeps The Good Looks, But Becomes More Expensive

Given its position as a luxury coupe, the M30 come nicely equipped with leather seats, a moonroof and a Bose audio system. The car could also be outfitted with a “Sonar Suspension II,” which “smoothed fussy roads to cement its status as a boulevardier cruiser.”

A convertible variant arrived shortly after launch, but it was actually just a coupe that had been modified by the American Sunroof Corporation. Both versions were short-lived as the M30 went out of production in 1992.

Infiniti’s next iconic coupe was the G35, which was launched in November of 2002. Based on the rear-wheel drive FM platform, the model featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine that developed 280 hp (209 kW / 284 PS) and 270 lb-ft (366 Nm) of torque. It could be connected to either a six-speed manual or a five-speed automatic gearbox.

The G Coupe would eventually give way to the Q60, which was redesigned for 2017. The model featured a striking design as well as an assortment of engines ranging from a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 208 hp (155 kW / 211 PS) to a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 developing 400 hp (298 kW / 405 PS) and 350 lb-ft (475 Nm) of torque.

The coupe hasn’t changed much since its debut, but the four-cylinder engine has been dropped. As a result, the 2021 Q60 comes standard with a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 that produces 300 hp (224 kW / 304 PS) and 295 lb-ft (400 Nm) of torque.

Of course, the real reason why Infiniti is looking back at their coupes is to promote their crossovers. That sounds counterintuitive, but the FX was launched in 2003 and was the precursor to modern crossover coupes thanks to its sporty design.

Thankfully, the sporty theme was more than skin deep as the “Bionic Cheetah” rode on the FM platform and could be equipped with a 4.5-liter V8 engine pumping out 315 hp (235 kW / 319 PS) and 329 lb-ft (446 Nm) of torque.

This brings us to the 2022 QX55. Introduced last fall, the model is based on the QX50 and features a more coupe-like design. However, it lacks a V8 as the only engine is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 268 hp (200 kW / 271 PS) and 280 lb-ft (380 Nm) of torque.