INFINITI G20 Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

While it was still based on the second generation of the Nissan Primera (P11), the 1999 Infiniti 20 showed some respect for the market and brought a premium car into the mass-market segment.

Infiniti brought the second generation of the G20 in 1999, three years after the second-generation Primera launch. The Japanese team took its time to adjust the Primera to obtain a higher satisfaction level. In some way, it made it. But from other perspectives, it didn't go too far from its non-premium sibling.

Sure, the exterior looked better, with its mesh-grille at the front, but the 15" light-alloy wheels were just too small to make the car look like a premium vehicle. The carmaker tried to make it look like a sporty sedan, and it made it. It added side-rockers and an apron under the front bumper. It also included a small wing on the trunk.

Inside, the G20 was a mix between executive look and mid-size market sedan. The base trim level featured cloth seats, while the leather upholstery was on the options list. But neither one of them offered sport-bucket seats to match its all-wheel independent suspension. There was no aluminum or carbon-fiber trims on the dash and neither wood as well. Despite the nicely done dashboard, it lacked some colors. It was just light gray with dark-gray plastic.

Under the hood, Nissan offered the G20 with a naturally aspirated 2.0-liter engine that provided 140 ponies. It was paired as standard to a five-speed manual gearbox while a 4-speed automatic transmission was on the options list.

When Nissan tried to make its way into the premium segment, it took regular Nissan models, refreshed them, added more features, and badged them as Infiniti, such as the G20 model.

The G20 was a rebadged Primera P10 with more chrome, light-alloy wheels, and leather seats. Nissan didn't even bother to paint the door handles in the same color as the rest of the vehicle. Infiniti G20 aimed directly at the Lexus ES250 and the Acura Integra, and it was the base model for the newly born Japanese premium brand. It was smaller than the M30 or the Q45.

Nissan offered the Primera P10 in Europe, while in the U.S., it arrived as an Infiniti. It featured rectangular, slightly curved, horizontal headlights and a front bumper with a black skirt, so it didn't damage the paint when a curb scratched it while parking. A black rubber strip encircled the vehicle and formed a protection against shopping-carts bumps in the parking lot.

Inside, Infiniti offered the vehicle with every goodie it got in the parts bin. The car featured standard leather seats, air-conditioning, and a stereo-cassette player. Its only option was the sunroof. The cabin was fit for four passengers, and the rear seats provided enough legroom for adult passengers.

But Nissan offered the Infiniti G20 with only one engine option, a 2.0-liter four-mill that provided 140 hp. It was mated as standard to a 5-speed manual gearbox, while a 4-speed automatic was on the options list.