With a near 3,000-word press release ironically named 'Infiniti goes diesel... Quietly', Infiniti has announced it's bringing an oil burner to market.

The 3.0-litre V6 is brand new and pushes out 235bhp and 406lb.ft of torque, which in the EX30d 4x4 means a 7.9-second 0-62mph dash, and an 8.3-second time in the FX30d crossover. Running cost figures are 33.6mpg combined and 224g/km for the EX, and 31.4mpg and 240g/km for the FX. There'll be an M30d saloon from 2011 too.

The FX and EX diesels will go on sale in the summer, though prices have yet to be announced. Developed conjointly with Renault and Nissan, the 3.0-litre diesel is made of compacted graphite iron, a material that was patented in 1949 and was apparently first used in the brakes for high-speed trains. The new unit also places the cylinders at a highly unusual 65-degree V angle. Then there's the hydraulic lash adjuster, which... we'll stop reading the press release now.

Basically, Infiniti promises class-leading refinement from the brand new engine - an engine it felt, quite correctly, it must have in its repertoire to be taken seriously in Europe. We'll put it to the test shortly.

Mark Nichol - 22 Feb 2010