Infiniti M to turn in to new Mitsubishi

It’s been revealed that the Infiniti M is to be rebadged by Mitsubishi as a new range-topping saloon. At least in Japan.

In the UK, the top of the tree Mitsubishi is the Mitsubishi Lancer, a mid-sized offering from the Japanese car maker aimed at competition in the Golf sector. Even if it is a bit bigger.

If you want bigger and posher than the Lancer from Mitsubishi then you’ll have to go the SUV route with the still very able, if a little old school, Mitsubishi Shogun. But that may change.

It’s been revealed that the partnership between Mitsubishi and Nissan is moving up a notch with plans to take the Mitsubishi M saloon and re-badge it a Mitsubishi.

Strictly speaking, it’s the Japanese version of the Infiniti M – the Nissan Fuga – that’s getting a Mitsubishi badge, and if reports are to be believed that’s about all it will be; a change of badges and a new nose. And it will very possibly get the Mitsubishi Diamante badge, Mitsubishi’s previous range-topper in Japan that ended production in 2004.

Mitsubishi has a long history of collaborations with other car makers – some more successful than others – with tie-ups involving everyone from Chrysler, PSA and Volvo to Proton and Hyundai. So this is familiar ground for Japan’s fifth biggest car maker.

From what we know of the Infiniti M, it’s a decent car. So it would be a sound move for Mitsubishi to launch a rebadged version. But will it come to the UK, or indeed anywhere other than Japan?

At the moment Mitsubishi are saying no, but unless it’s a ‘no’ based on Nissan’s insistence to protect it market, we would love to see Mitsubishi bring the Diamante – preferably with a different name – to the UK.

Time will tell.