Infiniti J30

Infobox Automobile


name = Infiniti J30
aka = Nissan Leopard J Ferie
manufacturer = Infiniti
parent_company = Nissan
also_called = Nissan Leopard, Nissan Altima
class = Mid-size luxury car
production = 1992-1997
body_style = 4-door sedan
engine = 3.0 L VG30DE V6
predecessor = Infiniti M30
successor = Infiniti I30
similar = BMW 5 Series
Cadillac Catera
Lexus GS
wheelbase = Auto in|108.7|0
length = Auto in|191.4|0
width = Auto in|69.7|0
height = Auto in|54.7|0
weight = Auto lb|3580|0
fuel_capacity = Convert|19|usgal|L impgal|0|abbr=on
layout = FR layout
assembly = Tochigi, Tochigi, Japan
transmission = 4-speed automatic

The Infiniti J30 was a rear wheel drive luxury car. The J30 went into production on April 7, 1992 as a 1993 model to replace the M30 (which was a coupe), and was launched in the United States at the same time as its competitor, the Lexus GS. The car was designed to slot between the smaller G20 and the larger Q45, as Infiniti's first mid-size sedan. Also, it was fairly small but featured rounded styling uncharacteristic of the crowded near-luxury market. Chief exterior designer for the J30 was Jerry Hirschberg, president of Nissan Design International (NDI).

Unlike earlier Infinitis, the J30 received effective advertisement with jazz music and artistic camera shots. Power came from a 3.0 L VG30DE V6 (shared with the 300ZX) which produced 210 hp and Auto ft.lbf|192|0 of torque. While it shares the Y32 Chassis with the Nissan Cedric/Gloria, it was essentially a rebadged version of the Japan-market Nissan Leopard, where it was offered with both the VG30DE and VH41DE V8.

All J30s were built in Tochigi, Tochigi, Japan. Production of the J30 ended on June 18, 1997, replaced by the Infiniti I30 (introduced in 1996).

One of the shortcomings of the J30 was its lack of interior room. It had the distinction of being a mid-size car with the space of a subcompact (less than a Sentra) due to its sloping roofline and shrunken trunk.

Infiniti also produced a touring model, the J30t. This model featured a rear spoiler, BBS style alloy wheels, and HICAS (four wheel steering). HICAS was only available in the J30t from 1993-1994. The J30 remained nearly unchanged through its production period. Heated seats became standard equipment in the 1994 model year. In 1995 the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system was uprgraded to "OBD II" and the tail light cluster received subtle vertical ribbing in the lenses. Otherwise, the J30 received only minor alterations between 1993 and 1997 model years.

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The J30 was launched with a memorable ad campaign, featuring a middle-aged yuppie wearing all black. Actor Jonathan Pryce, who was the host, used phrases like "This is the Infiniti J30. And this is the clock in the J." These phrases were spoken with an elitist tone that was widely ridiculed. Infiniti's chief competitors in the Japanese-American luxury car market, Acura and Lexus, used a similar technique in their commercials, which have also featured celebrity voice-overs, done by James Sloyan (Lexus) and James Spader (Acura).