S51 FX

NISSAN launched the Infiniti luxury brand in Australia in the early 1990s with the overpriced and forgettable Q45 large sedan, which sold poorly before disappearing from showrooms.

Infiniti’s reintroduction to the Australian market was delayed a few years by the global financial crisis, but it finally returned in September 2012 with an initial two-model line-up.

The M sedan and FX SUV were charged with breaking the brand in Australia and challenging the might of the Europeans as well as Japanese rival Lexus.

The hulking FX was a competitor to established SUVs including the BMW X5, Mercedes-Benz ML, Audi Q7, Lexus RX and even the Porsche Cayenne.

The entry-level FX37 was powered by Nissan’s familiar 3.7-litre four-valve V6 petrol engine with 235kW, consuming 12.1L/100km, while a Renault-based 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6 engine powered the FX30d, delivering 175kW and 9.0L/100km.

The range-topping FX50 got the same 287kW 5.0-litre V8 that formed the basis of Nissan’s Altima V8 Supercar.

Standard equipment included 20-inch alloy wheels, adaptive bi-Xenon headlights with automatic leveling, a sunroof with sliding shade, heated and ventilated front seats, 10-way power driver-seat adjustment with lumbar support and manual thigh extensions, dual-zone climate-control, a rear-view camera, an eight-inch information screen and a premium 11-speaker Bose sound system.

Up-spec S Premium models added forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, active cruise control, and an active lane-departure prevention system.