An Infiniti Convertible...?

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Can someone answer me this:

Did Infiniti back in their early days (early 90's) make a convertible? I remember hearing something about that in Three Kings the movie, and I was just wondering. http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/crazy.gif

[infiniti x]

yeah back in the early days Infiniti had the M30 coupe and convertible.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

The M30 was basically a S13 240SX except it had a 3 liter V6 and a nicer interior... too bad it was automatic only.

[Nizzan]

I've seen one M30 convertable. Not too shabby looking for a car it's age. It was an Ivory white colored one.

[paulb]

http://auto.consumerguide.com/images/autoreview/med/90804041990001MED.jpg

http://www.hitroy.com/images/cars/m301.jpg

C&P these:

http://www.geocities.com/umleedaves/infiniti/m30conv.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/umleedaves/infiniti/m30black.jpg

[03]

how is the M30 basically a S13 240SX? they're both RWD, that's it.

the M30 is closer to a Z31 300ZX. they use similar engine and drivetrain parts. the M30's chassis code is F31, based on the leopard in japan.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

M30 was a skyline that has nothing in common with the 240SX. M30 shares more things in designs with the 300ZX instead.

007

[G_Blade]

The M30 is/was basicly an R31 skyline.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I thought it was based on the Leopard.

[03]

how is the M30 an R31 skyline? you don't back up your statement with facts. you just end up misinforming everyone else.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

It'd be nice to see an Infiniti Covertable again someday. Currently I think their best platform for developing one would be the G35's. I whipped this up in photochop just to get a feel for it...

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/olsen31/G35CV.jpg

Afterall the G35's sister car, the 350Z, will be coming with a convertable, so nothings impossible. Ahh to dream...

[**DONOTDELETE**]

I would love to see a G35C convertible, especially a hard top convertible. http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif However, having seen the G35C in person, I don't think it'll have enough structural rigidity as a convertible. The G35C is simply too large, and has no cross over support over the long wheelbase. A T-Top would be nice, but that is also unlikely due to the long sloping rear glass and seating configuration.

Nice photoshop though. http://forums.freshalloy.com/ubbthreads/images/icons/grin.gif

[Tower]

Looks good. Throw in AWD & we're set!

[sunny sr20]

I had a M30 for about 2 years and I did alot of research before buying it- The M30 was in fact a Leopard and a skyline in japan, the model we had here was closer to the leopard though because of the engine and because of 2WD (amongst other things). The engine in the M30 in the U.S. was the VG30E- the same found in the Z31 300zx- exactly the same- said nissan right on it and had the same plate ontop of the intake manifold and everything! The rear subframe was also taken from the Z31 and slapped on the M, as was the transmission. My car also had the Sonar Suspension System- which used steering angle, vehical speed, brake pedal input, and also used "sonar" to scan the road ahead for bumps etc. and using all of these adjusted the valving on the shocks accordiangly. There were also the sport and comfort settings.
Overall, the car was really comfortable, performed well, and was very well made- on top of that- there were only 5,000 M30's total, 2500 of the coupe, and 2500 of the convertible. I ended up selling mine - I should have kept it, it was a really nice car.

[JonCarson]

Not again....

The M30 was NOT a Skyline. It did NOT share a chassis, body, or engine with the R31 Skyline in Japan.

The Z31, F31, and R31 were all Nissan FR machines but they were NOT the same car with different names.

The Z31 and F31 shared the same engine, but they were NOT the same car.

The R31 had a different engine and had a boxy design similar to the F31, but they were NOT the same car.

Yes, the Japanese 180SX and 240SX(S13) had different engines and were different cars, but they had the same basic chassis and body and were basically just different versions of the same car. This is not the case with the F31 Leopard(Infiniti M30) and R31 Skyline.

The F31 also has nothing to do with the Tommy Kaira M30.
The T.K. M30 started out as a brand new R31 Skyline purchased by T.K. from Nissan. It was then highly tuned by T.K. and sold as a new T.K. vehicle. T.K. is considered an independent automotive manufacturer in Japan and not simply a tuner like NISMO or AUTECH.

The fact that there is a Tommy Kaira M30 and Infiniti M30 is purely chance. A real T.K. M30 is a rare and valuable vehicle no matter where in the world you are. Only a very limited number of them were ever made and they are probably all still in Japan...in the hands of private collectors, no doubt.

An Infiniti M30 or Nissan Leopard is not a rare or particularly valuable vehicle in the US or Japan. It was a mass produced vehicle that did not really stand out in either market.

You can find them on autotrader.com right now being sold for $850 to $8000.

Here are some reviews from www.cars.com of the Infiniti M30:
1990:
http://www.cars.com/carsapp/national/?srv=review&act=search&mkid=20&yr=1990&mdid=227&rv id=28457
-and-
http://www.cars.com/carsapp/national/?rvid=30356&srv=review&act=search&tf=%2Freviews_re sults.tmpl&mkid=20&mdid=227&yr=1990&GetReview=Go

1991:
http://www.cars.com/carsapp/national/?srv=review&act=search&mkid=20&yr=1991&mdid=227&rv id=28339

1992:
http://www.cars.com/carsapp/national/?srv=review&act=search&mkid=20&yr=1992&mdid=227&rv id=29717

Three out of the four reviews mention the Japanese market Leopard and the fact that the Infiniti M30 is based upon it.

[sunny sr20]

I did not say the M30 was valuable- but they were here in the U.S. in limited numbers to fill the "sport" catagory for infiniti after the brand launch. Like I said- there were 2500 coupes and 2500 convertibles.

I'm not sure if you were referring to me when you explained the fact that the Tommy Kaira M30 has nothing to do with the infiniti M30- cause I didn't say anything about that car- I know that is just a tuned skyline of the M30 name by chance and completely agree with you.

About the Leopard in japan- they kept the R31 chassis around when the R32 skyline came out- they just changed the name of the car to Leopard and changed ALOT of the mechanicals and packaging. Just like what infiniti is now doing with the M45- it is the last generation Q45 with different body pieces and different mechanicals ( yes I know it is the cedric/gloria in japan- but it was the cedric/gloria in japan when the last generation Q was here then too). I have proof of this somewhere on the net from a hisory of skylines website somewhere- that was one of the main reasons I bought the M30 to begin with.

I am however, always willing and able to admit when I am wrong about something, but based on information I have gathered over the past few years, I believe I am correct on this M30 issue.

I have someones personal pictures of the cars we are talking about on file somewhere so that you can compare them visually- does anyone know a website that will host photos?- I forgot what it was called?

(p.s.- not trying to start a war here, just voicing my thoughts- so lets keep it civilized) :smirk:

[JonCarson]

I thank you for keeping it civilized. This is only a discussion, after all.

I know that you didn't say the Infiniti M30 was valuable and I also know that you didn't make any mention of the Tommy Kaira M30.

I brought up the T.K. M30 because every now and then someone asks about the Infiniti M30, and someone else seems to always throw in "It's the Skyline based M30 that they had in Japan! That's a hot car and we can get them here for cheap!"

As for the Gloria/Cedric and Cima relationship. Certain models were built on the "same basic" chassis. The Cima was bigger than the Gloria/Cedric and this relationship can be compared with the Toyota Camry and Avalon.

Many cars share the "same basic" chassis, however and are very different cars.

Some examples from other makes:
Celica - RAV4
Camry - Avalon/RX300/Highlander
Civic - CRV

The Gloria/Cedric and Cima chassis that are similar are as follows:
Gloria/Cedric - Y31/Y32/Y33
Cima - FY31/FY32/FY33
(it makes sense to assume that the Cima's chassis is just a stretched version of the Gloria/Cedric's)

As for the Leopard, the F31 was not the start of it. I know that there was an F30 Leopard as well as the F31, JY32, and JY33. Hmm....Y32 and Y33? I wouldn't be surprised if the later Leopard had a shortened version of the Gloria/Cedric's chassis... :P
And NO, the F30 Leopard was NOT based on the R30 Skyline's chassis so don't even start!

I still think that the F31 Leopard/Infiniti M30 and R31 Skyline were not the same car or even built on the same chassis. I'd have to see the underside of both cars to make my final judgement though. In fact, any of us would have to crawl underneath the cars in question before making a final judgement.

Oh, and in case anyone is fixed on the fact that F31 and R31 both have the number "31", that doesn't necessarily mean anything...

Here's are some reasons why:
A11, B11, F11, K11, M11, P11, R11, T11, U11...
B12, K12, N12, P12, S12, T12, U12...
B13, C13, N13, S13...
B14, N14, S14...
-and the one that's most important to us-
A31, F31, R31, C31, Y31, Z31...

Something else that everyone here needs to remember...
Nissan uses a lot of the same parts on many different cars. Engines, suspension pieces, brakes, etc....

Many Nissan cars have a version of the SR20DE or VG30DE but most of them have nothing else in common other than that.

The last thing I want to offer to support my belief is this...

Automotive enthusiasts in Japan are usually much more in-the-know than import enthusiasts here.
The R31 Skyline is an excellent car with a lot of sporting potential. It is older now, but still a popular car to modify, race, and of course drift. The problem is finding any in good shape because they are either too old, have since been destroyed, or have been shipped out of Japan.
The F31 Leopard is not a very popular car to modify, race, and/or drift in Japan. It does have a small following, but so do Maximas and Rasheens.
Enthusiasm for the F31 is nothing like that for the Toyota Chaser (similar year, design, layout, power...) or other Nissan cars like the A31 Cefiro, S13 Silvia/180SX, any year Z car, Gloria/Cedric, and the list goes on.

If the F31 was just a refreshened R31, I have little doubt that people would know about it and enthusiasts would be modifying, racing, and drifting the car in larger numbers.