These days, Infiniti is an established and respected luxury brand that is well-established in the mainstream American automotive market. However, if we go back to the early 1990s, the brand was just starting. Infiniti was Nissan's new luxury marque that launched for the 1990 model year. Its first products to hit the market were the flagship Q45 and the mid-range M30.While the Q45 had models like the Lexus LS 400, the BMW 7 Series, and the Mercedes-Benz S-Class to contend with, the lower-priced M30 had somewhat of an ace up its sleeve. Infiniti decided to build the M30 with both a coupe and convertible body style, the latter of which was meant to appeal to Americans who lived in sunnier climates. The kicker? No one remembers the M30, but you really should. The Infiniti M30: Have It Your Way 1990_infiniti_m30_convertible_frontInfiniti was armed for battle with the M30 right out of the gate. Upon the model's debut, the new luxury brand knew it needed to come in swinging because, around the same time, Acura introduced the Legend, another luxury-oriented sports coupe. The Lexus ES 250 was another potential competitor, but it was only available as a sedan.Cars & Bids The M30 owed its existence to a Nissan model called the Leopard, which was only offered in Japan. However, the M30, while closely related to its JDM counterpart, was wholly designed and marketed for the American market. Because of this, Infiniti hatched a plan that would set the vehicle apart from the likes of Acura and Lexus. That plan, of course, was to add a convertible version of the M30 to Infiniti's lineup.When the Infiniti M30 coupe entered the market in late 1989 for the 1990 model year, it boasted a class-leading starting price of just $23,500 ($58,277 in today's money), nearly $4,000 cheaper than the competing Acura Legend. The convertible version wouldn't hit the streets until the 1991 model year. However, even with the bargain-basement price, the M30's life wouldn't be an easy one, as criticisms began rolling in left and right. The Coupe Cars & BidsThe majority of Infiniti M30s were coupes. When it first hit the market, the M30 was already behind the curve in terms of styling. The Acura Legend, released in time for the 1986 model year, was already due for a generational refresh and was positioned to move beyond the boxy, angular design popular during the 1980s. On the contrary, the Infiniti M30 entered the market with that sort of look, which much of the car-buying public had already grown tired of. Its relatively lower price was an attempt to offset some of the negative remarks. Through The Years Despite entering the market a step behind, Infiniti still tried to keep the M30 as relevant as possible. From the start, the M30 came with standard amenities such as air conditioning with automatic climate control, power windows and locks, leather-trimmed seating, a four-speaker stereo, cruise control, and a power sliding moonroof.Cars & BidsBeginning in 1991, Infiniti began upgrading the M30 to make it as competitive as possible. A new instrument cluster, shared with the flagship Q45, replaced the initial one. In addition, the M30's speedometer became electric rather than cable-driven. An all-new illuminated entry system was introduced, which lit up the model's keyhole and cabin when the driver's door handle was pulled. Owners could now also unlock the passenger door by turning the key twice in the driver's door.Cars & Bids Come 1992, the M30 received more minor upgrades, including a new central locking switch, and the motor received a new intake that read "Infiniti" with the company's logo, rather than "Nissan 3000 V6" previously. The M30 was discontinued after the 1992 model. By that time, Infiniti managed to shift roughly 17,000 units over the three model years. The Convertible Cars & BidsVirtually all the model year updates and changes that the M30 coupe endured over its production run, the convertible version did, as well. However, the droptop model didn't enter the fold until 1991. One of the unique aspects of the open-roof M30 was how it became a convertible, as the job wasn't done at the factory in Japan. Instead, a select number of M30s were shipped over to the US as coupes to be converted.Cars & BidsThe conversion was handled outside Nissan by a company called the American Sunroof Corporation, commonly known as "ASC." The work took place at ASC's California headquarters. Once the chopped M30s were completed, they were taken to Infiniti dealers to be sold alongside their hardtop counterparts. The convertibles also had a few differences when it came to features. Things like a special, four-speaker Bose stereo came standard, along with manual climate controls.Cars & Bids It also lacked a rear defroster because the ragtop's rear window was plastic. Replacing the defroster button on the convertible M30's center stack was a switch that raised and lowered the top electronically. Under The Hood Cars & BidsThe sole engine on offer for the first-gen Infiniti M30 was Nissan's 3.0-liter V6. The mill belongs to the VG-Series engine family, and carries the specific model codename of "VG30E." The VG30E also saw extensive use outside the M30 in models like the Nissan D21 Hardbody pickup truck, the Nissan 300ZX, and the JDM Nissan Laurel. The "E" in the engine's codename stood for electronic fuel injection.Cars & Bids Being a luxury model, Infiniti decided not to offer a manual transmission for the M30. Instead, a four-speed automatic was the sole gearbox. As for the M30's chassis, coined "F31," it was shared with the aforementioned JDM Nissan Leopard and the rare Autech Zagato Stelvio. Its suspension was Nissan's "Sonar Suspension II", which used a sonar sensor mounted at the front of the M30 that scanned the road surface ahead. In doing so, it could adjust the suspension's damping in real time, helping to iron out bumps in the road proactively.Cars & Bids Unfortunately, thanks to a wheezy V6 engine and a lack of a manual transmission option, the M30 was known as a poor performer. In fact, it was regularly referred to as "overweight and underpowered." The First-Gen Infiniti M30 Simply Couldn't Cut It Cars & BidsAfter just three model years, Infiniti was forced to axe the M30. As we touched on earlier, the model came onto the market already a step behind due to its outdated styling. Not to mention, the 162-horsepower engine didn't provide thrilling performance. For comparison, the 1991 Acura Legend had a 3.2-liter V6 producing 200 horsepower, nearly 40 more than the cheap-and-cheerful Infiniti. You could also opt for a five-speed manual with the Acura, unlike the M30.Following the M30's 1992 discontinuation, it wouldn't be until 2002 that Infiniti would resurrect the namesake as a mid-size sedan, looking to recapture what the original M30 was supposed to do. However, the Infiniti M was axed again in 2019. We don't expect the nameplate to return because Infiniti now uses a different naming scheme in which all products begin with Q.