Infiniti M (Y51) review: serious performance sedan, seriously cheap on Bahrain's used market
3.7/5motorssouq Editorial Team
The M37 is the Infiniti to buy: quick, well balanced, and priced on Bahrain's used market closer to a mainstream Camry V6 than to the German saloon it was built to beat. Skip the M56 unless you specifically want V8 power, since insurance and fuel costs erase the price advantage. Have any prospective purchase inspected by an independent specialist for camera, sensor and electrical faults before you buy — the running gear is tough, the electronics are the risk.
Pros
- 330 hp V6 (M37) is quick, smooth and cheaper to run than the V8 M56
- Chassis and steering feel closer to a contemporary 5 Series than to a same-era Lexus ES
- Strong air conditioning performance holds up well in Bahrain's summer heat
- Heavy depreciation means a well-optioned example costs less than a comparable used Camry V6
- Seven-speed conventional automatic avoids CVT reliability concerns
Cons
- Advanced driver-assist cameras and sensors are the most common fault on high-mileage examples
- Few independent Bahrain workshops are properly set up for Infiniti-specific diagnostics
- Heavy depreciation when new means you will recover almost nothing on resale
- Cabin technology and infotainment feel dated next to a same-age German rival
- M56's V8 running costs erase most of its extra performance advantage
Infiniti built the Y51-generation M to embarrass a BMW 5 Series on a back road, and on paper it succeeded: a 330 hp naturally aspirated V6, a proper seven-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive and a chassis tuned with genuine input from Nissan's GT-R engineers. What it never got was the badge equity to hold its price, which is exactly why it is worth a look on Bahrain's used market a decade later.
Renamed Q70 globally from 2014, the car sold in Bahrain under the M badge kept the same 3.7-litre VQ37VHR engine that powered the 370Z, so parts commonality with other Nissan and Infiniti products in the region is better than the rarity of the model suggests. The 5.6-litre V8 in the M56 is the same architecture found in the Patrol and Armada, which helps on the mechanical side even if body electronics remain Infiniti-specific.
Which engine to buy
The M37 is the sensible choice. 330 hp is enough to make the car genuinely quick, under six seconds to 100 km/h, while keeping insurance premiums and fuel bills in line with a well-equipped Camry or Accord V6. The M56's extra 90 hp is entertaining but the car was never marketed as a drag racer, and the running costs step up faster than the performance does. Both use the same seven-speed automatic, which shifts cleanly and has none of the reliability question marks that come with a CVT.
Living with it in Bahrain
The chassis is the reason to want one: steering weight and body control at speed on the highway to Saudi Arabia are closer to a contemporary 5 Series than to a Lexus ES of the same generation, and the ride still copes with Bahrain's patched roads without turning harsh. Air conditioning performance in a 45°C summer is strong, which is not something every ageing luxury sedan can claim after a decade of Gulf heat.
The catch is the electronics. The Around View Monitor cameras, the Blind Spot Intervention and the Predictive Forward Collision system were genuinely advanced for 2011, and on a well-maintained example they still work, but sensor and camera faults are the most common complaint on now-13-year-old examples, and Infiniti-specific diagnostic work is not something every independent Bahrain workshop is set up for. Budget for a specialist, not the nearest general mechanic.
Resale is where the M punishes its owners and rewards its buyers. It depreciated hard against German rivals when new, and a clean M37 today costs meaningfully less than a same-age Camry V6 with fewer options. That is bad news if you already own one and good news if you are shopping, just do not expect to get any of that money back when you eventually sell.