M45

The M45 nameplate first appeared for the 2003 model year as a rear-drive sport-luxury sedan built around Infiniti’s 4.5-liter V8, giving the brand a more performance-focused alternative to its flagship Q45. The original car was a short-lived first chapter, sold in the early 2000s and updated for 2004 before disappearing from the lineup. Infiniti then revived the M line for 2006 with an all-new generation, and the M45 returned as the V8 version of that redesigned sedan. That second run carried the nameplate through the 2010 model year, when the M45 was still part of the lineup alongside V6-powered M35 variants. Because the badge was used in two separate production periods with a gap in between, its history is best understood as an early 2000s debut followed by a mid-2000s-to-2010 revival rather than one uninterrupted run. Enthusiasts tend to remember the M45 for its understated styling, rear-wheel-drive layout, and the role it played in Infiniti’s push toward a more driver-oriented luxury image.