CNY Infiniti

Infiniti, a division of the Japanese motor company Nissan, is one of the many luxury car brands available in the US market. Launched in 1989, this brand has gone on to become one of the best known brands in not just US but in 15 other countries as well. The vehicle types that come under its umbrella include coupes, sedans, SUVs and even cross-over vehicles.

The uniqueness of the Infiniti cars is that all of them are built around the same front midshift (FM) platform. The platform is designed to shift the engine's weight behind the front axle, thereby putting less pressure on the front suspension. This makes the car more stable and easily maneuverable.

Built around this FM platform are a number of car types. Some of them are listed below in an alphabetical manner:

* Infiniti EX35: This model, launched in 2008, is the latest offering from the Infiniti stable. It is a four-wheel drive hatch-back which has, under its hood, a 3.5-liter 24-valve V6 VQ35HR, 297 hp, dual overhead cam gasoline engine. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 5.8 - 6.2 seconds with a top speed of 144 mph (232 km/h).

* Infiniti FX: The FX is a mid-sized crossover SUV offering from Nissan. The FX has three variations, the FX35, FX45, and FX50. The variations have different engine specifications but are built on the same FM platform that Nissan uses for all its cars.

* Infiniti G35: Launched with a revamped look in 2007, the G35 coupe is an entry-level mid-size luxury car. Under its hood is a 3,498 cc, V6 DOHC VQ35DE, 306 hp engine. It can go from 0 to 60 in 5.6 seconds.

* Infiniti G37: This coupe was unveiled as a technologically advanced successor of the G35 at the 2007 central New York America car show. Though advance, its position in the market was retained as an entry-level mid-sized luxury car. It boasts of a 3.7L 330 hp 24 valve VQ37VHR gasoline engine. The available torque is 270 lbft, or 366 Nm.

* Infiniti M:  The M is a mid-sized luxury car. The variations on offer are M35, M35x and M45.
The M35 and M35x come with a 3.5L, 280 hp, 24 valveV6 engine whereas the M45 comes with a 4.5L, 335 hp, V8 engine. The M35 reaches 0 to 60 in 6.3 whereas the M45 does the same in 5.4 seconds.

* Infiniti QX56: Quite unlike the Infiniti FX, the QX56 is a full-sized SUV offering from Infiniti. The beast is powered by 5.6 L, 315 hp, VK56DE V8 engine. At 3,600 rpm, the engine provides 390 lbft (529 Nm) of torque. Its new avatar is speculated to be launched in the 2010 New York auto show.