Infiniti has been planning its entry into the European market for years. Nissan's luxury brand, it aims to become established in the sector that's a cut above the executive class, blending luxury, technology and performance with high value as an alternative to all but the very most exclusive brands.

Already very well established in America, Infiniti wisely opted to take a slow and careful approach so as to be sure of getting its introduction absolutely right on this side of the Atlantic. Rather than just steaming in with a set of vehicles the UK needs like a fish needs a bicycle, the company timed its arrival carefully to coincide with a whole new model cycle. It tuned the vehicles themselves to suit European tastes, from their transmissions and dynamics to the way their windscreen wipers operate. No stone was left unturned in the company's quest to get it absolutely right.

What's the result? A 5.0-litre petrol-engined SUV of exactly the kind everyone's falling over themselves to avoid, that's what.