The Infiniti I30 was the North American version of the Nissan Cefiro, one of the many badges the Cefiro carried around the world. It was a front-wheel-drive sedan with V6 power, and for the 1997 and 1998 model years it was Infiniti’s entry-level car while the G20 was out of production.
Infiniti I30 at a glance
| Model | Infiniti I30 (later I35) |
|---|---|
| Basis | Nissan Cefiro (A33 generation) |
| Class | mid-size sedan |
| Bodies | four-door sedan |
| Layout | front-wheel drive |
| Engines | V6, as used in the Cefiro |
| Related cars | Nissan Maxima, Samsung SM5, Maxima QX |
| Role at Infiniti | entry-level car in 1997 and 1998 |
| Nameplate | Cefiro, used from 1988 to 2012 |
| Name origin | zephyr, the Greek god of the west wind |
The I30 and I35 are badge-engineered versions of the Nissan Cefiro; this page is based on the English Wikipedia article on the Cefiro, its single source.
History of the Infiniti I30
The Nissan Cefiro was a mid-size passenger car sold over three generations, almost always as a four-door sedan; a five-door wagon was briefly available from 1997 to 2000. Nissan marketed it at home in Japan and around the world under many badge-engineered names, among them the Nissan Maxima in North America and Australia, the Samsung SM5 in Korea, the Maxima QX in Europe and Russia, and the Infiniti I30 and I35 in North America.
The second and third Cefiro generations, the A32 and A33, used front-wheel drive and V6 engines only. In North America the same car reached Infiniti dealers as the I30, and then the I35, giving the brand a mid-size sedan between the small G20 and the flagship Q45. During 1997 and 1998, when the G20 was absent from the range, the I30 was Infiniti’s entry-level car. The Cefiro name itself was derived from zephyr, the Greek god of the west wind, and was retired in 2012.
Design and features
- Cefiro basis: the I30 and I35 were badge-engineered Nissan Cefiros for North America.
- V6 and front-wheel drive: the A32 and A33 generations used V6 engines only, driving the front wheels.
- Wide family: the same car was sold as the Nissan Maxima, Samsung SM5 and Maxima QX in other markets.
- Entry-level role: the I30 filled the gap left by the G20 in 1997 and 1998.
Infiniti I30 versions
- Infiniti I30: the first North American badge on the Cefiro.
- Infiniti I35: the later version of the same car.
- Nissan Cefiro A33: the Japanese car the Infiniti versions were based on.
- Nissan Maxima QX: the European and Russian version of the same family.
The I30 sat between the G20 and the flagship Q45. More cars are in the Infiniti collection.
Video: 2000 Infiniti I30: under $2000 these are a steal
Video by The Fast Lane with Joe Tunney on YouTube.
Sources
- Nissan Cefiro, English Wikipedia: Cefiro generations, badge-engineered names, V6 and front-wheel drive
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