2008 Sebring hardtop converts for all seasons
The proliferation of retractable-hardtop convertibles makes them better suited to all-season use, and opened the door for Chrysler to replace the popular 2007 Sebring convertible with an entirely new model. The 2008 Sebring convertible covers every plan for a top-dropping four-seater, with enough variety of features and options to make it a high-tech bargain, at sticker prices running from $26,000 to the mid-$30,000s.
The sedan, coupe, and convertible of the original Sebring all shared a sleek, low-slung shape, and if you travel to someplace like Hawaii, you see an amazing number of Sebring convertibles, as rental agencies at warm-weather vacation locations have bought enough of the four-seaters to make the Sebring convertible a hit. From a styling standpoint, the 2008 Sebring convertible could leapfrog right past the sedan to a new level of popularity.
When Chrysler Group introduced the new Sebring sedan a few months ago, I was — in a word — underwhelmed. The first Sebring had a distinctly identifiable front end, punctuated by a low, oval grille that resembled a classic Ferrari. The new one has a front end that more resembles a Pacifica, a nice, family-hauling wagon. So when a former Sebring approaches another car from behind, that driver might look in his rear-view mirror and say: “Here comes either a Ferrari or a Chrysler Sebring.” With the new car, the same driver would say: “Here comes a new Sebring…or a Pacifica.”
In its quest to make the new Sebring sedan look classy, it looks more like it was styled by a committee that may not have been properly introduced.The new grille is what Chrysler calls its signature grille, because it is similar to the Pacifica and Crossfire. Interesting, it bears no resemblance to the Chrysler 300 — the most popular car Chrysler has turned out in three decades, and quite clearly Chrysler’s “signature” car. The hood of the new Sebring has grooves carved into it, fanning out a little as they run front to rear, simulating the Crossfire’s strakes. The silhouette is nice, if unremarkable. The rear deck is not displeasing, it’s OK. But just OK. Put it all together, and you get something just a tad above ho-hum.
So the new convertible is a pleasant surprise. While it is the same length as the existing 2007 model, the new Sebring convertible is a bit taller and wider, and it is 3 inches longer than the Sebring sedan. More important than dimensions, all of the little things that seem disjointed with the sedan come together with much more harmony in the two-door convertible, either with the top up or down. Chrysler has gone overboard with the convertible concept. You can buy a vinyl top, a cloth top, or a retractable steel hardtop — three different convertibles where one might have been good.
The introduction, which was held in Santa Monica, Calif., and my driving partner and I ran out from the presentation hoping to find a mid-range Sebring with a 2.7-liter V6 and the retractable hardtop. A herd of other journalists walked past the neat medium grey display car, which had its top down. It had the 2.7, so we grabbed it. We drove up the Pacific Coast, and turned inland to scale some of the twisting mountain roads. A foggy haze from the coast stayed with us, and when it started to drizzle, we pushed the button to bring up the top in 27 motorized seconds when we stopped at a Starbucks driver-change spot.
It wasn’t until we came out, armed with caramel mocha in order to try out the heated cupholders, that we noticed our car had the pebble-grained beige cloth-top. We had no reason to know it wasn’t the retractable hardtop, because, of course, the top was down. We switched cars, a couple of times, and drove a variety of cars with a variety of engines, which is going some, because the Sebring convertible comes in three varieties — base (called, imaginatively, “Convertible”), plus Touring, and Limited, with three different engines available.
Typically, the Sebring convertible looks best with the top down. But it’s not bad with the top up. The hardtop looks like a tight, pillarless, hardtop coupe, with a slightly rounded shape to the rear roofline, more resembling the Volkswagen Eos roofline than the sleeker but costlier Volvo C70. The cloth-top model looks the sleekest of the three Sebrings with the tops up, particularly the pebble beige cloth. The vinyl looks good, comes only in black, and is standard on the base and Touring. The retractable-hardtop is available on Touring or Limited. The cloth top, in either beige or black, is available only on the Limited.
With the top down, there is no cowl-shake that plagues almost all convertibles, with a lot of reinforcement and sound-deadening, as well as use of high-strength steel, and beams that criss-cross underneath the car, the Sebring is 2.5 times stiffer in torsional rigidity and 1.5 times stiffer in bending than its predecessor. Wind noise isn’t bad, but if you want it quieter, a screen can be fitted behind the front seats, with a horizontal skirt that covers the back seats.
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Pricing should boost the Sebring to the top of the class. The base model, with the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder producing 173 horsepower and 166 foot-pounds of torque and a four-speed automatic, starts at $26,145, including destination. Move up to the Touring model, at $28,745, and you upgrade to a 2.7-liter flex-fuel V6 with 189 horsepower and 191 foot-pounds, plus a greater array of options. The top Limited model starts at $32,345 and offers a standard 3.5-liter V6 with 235 horsepower and 232 foot-pounds of torque, plus a new six-speed automatic with standard AutoStick manual shift mode.
Standard equipment on base models includes: four-wheel disc brakes with antilock; side seat-mounted seatbelts and airbags; remote keyless entry; tire-pressure monitor; six-way power driver and passenger front bucket seats; a six-speaker audio system that includes a six-disc CD changer. The Touring version replaces the 16-inch alloy wheels with 17s and a travel computer, in addition to the V6 availability. The Limited has all the standard stuff of the other two, plus the larger engine and transmission, as well as leather seats, shift knob and steering wheel cover, tortoise shell accents, a cabin air-filtration system, foglights, 18-inch wheels, and a premium Boston Acoustics sound system.
The vinyl and cloth tops drop swiftly into their stowage bin behind the rear seats. The steel top is an impressive exercise in technology, with the rear hatch rising, the top separating into three segments, dancing a mechanical dance with the rear segment somersaulting back as the other two sandwich and slide back on top of it as the hatch closes, without any manual latching. As the cover closes over the cocoon, the Sebring is transformed into a butterfly. Trunkspace obviously is compromised by the top being stowed, from 13.1 to 6.6 cubic feet, which means the four sets of golf bags that fit with the top up are reduced to two in the trunk when the top is down. The top can also be commanded to go up or down by the key fob.
Options can personalize the Sebring convertibles, and set it on the cutting edge of modern technology. Brake assist, traction control, and electronic stability control are all available. Inside, the array of materials includes YES-Essentials, the new stain, odor and static resistant fabric, as well as cloth or leather. With the seatbelts in the seats, rear entry is made easy, and room is satisfactory, even for adults. Remote start is another option that would seem to make the front-weheel-drive Sebring convertible worthy of challenging Minnesota winters.
Cupholders can be switched to keep coffee warm or pop or water cool, thanks to a system that runs electric current through a ceramic wrap. Flip the red switch and you get 140 degrees, and flip the blue and it cools to 35. The MyGIG system unites the heat/cool cupholders with the navigation and entertainment units, which includes a 20-gig hard drive. A USB connection allows MP3 and JPEG downloads with a database for identifying any songs you might want to rip from your CDs, for playback through the car’s audio system. Hands-free operation lets any compatible cell phone function through Bluetooth technology. You can even record a message of up to three minutes through a microphone built into the rearview mirror.
With so many so-called domestic cars now being built in Canada or Mexico, it is refreshing to note that the Sebring convertibles will be built at the Sterling Heights, Mich., assembly plant alongside the sedan. It was designed, in fact, as a parallel project to the sedan, which is another reason it seems so refined, right out of the box. When project manager Dave Lauzun described the high-strength steel and hot-stamped pillars, he added: “We benchmarked the Audi A4, so we know we match that in stiffness.”
‘X’ marks right spot for Infiniti’s new G35X sports sedan
Most every new vehicle is impressive at its introduction, so getting a second chance for a more lengthy evaluation can solidify or contradict those first impressions. In the case of the Infiniti G sedan, completely revised for 2007, all of its best attributes were reinforced — and then some.
Nissan came out with an all-new Altima midsize sedan for 2007, and it is a winner, with its dramatic styling lines enhanced and everything upgraded. With Infiniti being Nissan’s upscale arm, it made sense that the G would also be renovated, and the new one is better in every way, which is going some, because its predecessor was a vehicle worthy of being compared to the BMW 3-Series — the state-of-the-art benchmark for every midsize sedan.
Because it already had developed an impressive resume of its own, the Infiniti entry level sedan could have rested on its record. But Infiniti marketers researched prospective buyers, asking them what all they wanted in a car and what all they didn’t like, about a variety of vehicles. The G is officially the G35, reflecting on the 3.5-liter V6 under the hood. Now they’re pretty much calling the new car the G, in line with the larger and more powerful M, and the top of the line Q.
The interior is luxurious and ergonomically sound, with high-class fit and finish, and choice materials. There is aluminum trim, and the switches are designed for a balance of touch and surety. The instruments are white and violet. The leather on the steering wheel is hand stitched so you don’t feel any awkward lumps. Wood trim, an option, is African rosewood. The paddle switches on the automatic transmission are magnesium, not plastic. Furthermore, it has a 7-inch screen on the color monitor if you get the navigation system, and the nav system is my personal favorite, for clarity, accuracy, and the unique “bird’s-eye” view that gives you an interesting perspective of where you’re going.
The G35 also has Bluetooth for hands-free telephone, and there is a 9.5-gig hard drive for recording your music favorites for playback of your own favorites as you drive. Playing it back means through a potent, 10-speaker audio system, including a three-way front door speaker set-up with 10-inch woofers, two 6.5 inch full-range speakers, and the usual assortment of smaller midrange and tweeters, plus a digital amplifier with eight channels of equalization, and 374 watts of system power.
Before doing its revision, Infiniti calculated that the 3-Series BMW, the Acura TL, the Audi A4 and A6, Lexus IS and ES, Volvo S60, Saab 9-3, and Cadillac CTS all are valid competition, and marketing chief Jim Hooke explained that all those competitors are bigger, better, faster, and better values than they used to be. Infiniti’s task, Hooke said, is to make sure the G “surrounds you with what you need inside the car, so you can concentrate on what surrounds you, outside the car.”
The eloquence was impressive, and I didn’t know he was speaking from the Infiniti brochure, but when he added: “Sports sedans have come to be regarded as purely machines,” I had to interrupt. “You mean,” I asked, “you think the sports sedans from BMW, Audi, and Acura are purely machines?”
He backpedaled quickly. “I guess we mean looking inward more than outward,” said Hooke, acknowledging the emotional connection of those cars. “Certainly that’s what sets the BMW, Audi and Acura apart. To compete in this segment, performance is the cost of entry.”
To say nothing of flair, emotion, and personality. Some performance cars have it, and BMW, Audi and Acura are among them, and some don’t. Infiniti wanted to make sure the new G would have it, going past the level of entry or mid luxury.
The shape of the G is distinctly Infiniti, and while the G Coupe — basically a 350Z 2-plus-2 — won’t be changed until 2008, the sedan is a roomy, versatile vehicle built on a 40-percent stiffer structure, and with the fourth generation of what is called the “VQ35HR” engine, which powers everything from the Nissan 350Z, Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder, Murano and Quest to Infiniti FX35 and G35. The new engine is not just tweaked, but has 80 percent new parts, with variable vbalve timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, via dual overhead camshafts. In its new trim, the 3.5 V6 develops 306 horsepower at 6,800 RPMs and 268 foot-pounds of torque at 4,800 RPMs.
Interestingly, the revised transmission is a 5-speed, while the manual is a 6-speed. Competitors’ automatics have six speeds from the Audi, seven from Mercedes and BMW, and eight from the top Lexus.So why five? Simple, Infiniti engineers say. With six, seven or eight gears, a car spends less time in each, and Infiniti chose to let drivers enjoy the thrill of winding the 3.5 up to higher revs in each gear for a longer period, enjoying the “swell” of power. With a 7,600-RPM red line, the engine has room to rev, and power does build over a broad torque range, much like a wave, rather than coming on in a peaky rush. Besides, it sounds great.
In the automatic, first, second and third gears are set for performance, while fourth and fifth are set to cruise at lower revs for optimum fuel economy. There are manual magnesium paddle switches on the steering wheel for those who want to shift the automatic manually, and a DS mode setting directs the transmission to hold for higher shift points. The automatic also blips the throttle to match revs on downshifts. The close-ratio 6-speed stick is for those who want to extract every bit of performance.
The styling is familiar, but the 2007 model has some unique upgrades. For example, the horizontal blades of the grille are twisted as they reach their outer edges, crafted to simulate the pride of ancient Japanese swordsmen.
The G also has double wishbone suspension, which is both firm and compliant to meet the demands of performance drivers and those who want comfort. A subtle little touch is that the rear suspension allows flexing and altering the angle for a four-wheel active steering response to quick cornering or precision in emergency handling. It’s one of those assets that you might never notice, until you have to swerve to miss a deer that darts out in front of you, when the quick response of the G steering will be appreciated.
After driving the G in Palo Alto, Calif., I was anxious to get one back on Minnesota roads. I didn’t have any snowstorms to confront in the week I drove it, which was too bad, because the model was the G-35X, which has all-wheel drive. That gives the G a total of five different models — the G35, G35 Journey, G35X AWD, G35 Sport, and the G35 Sport 6MT. In a clever move, you can choose any model and add the sport package as a stand-alone feature.
My G35X had the Sport package, so it handled superbly, even if I didn’t get the foul weather that would have let it shine even more brightly. At a sticker price of about $37,000, the Infiniti G fits right in with its target segment. Whether you call it mid-luxury, sport-luxury, or entry-luxury, it may be the most impressive batch of cars in the industry, and the G35X expands the by one more impressive entry.
‘X’ marks right spot for Infiniti’s new G35X sports sedan
Most every new vehicle is impressive at its introduction, so getting a second chance for a more lengthy evaluation can solidify or contradict those first impressions. In the case of the Infiniti G sedan, completely revised for 2007, all of its best attributes were reinforced — and then some.
Nissan came out with an all-new Altima midsize sedan for 2007, and it is a winner, with its dramatic styling lines enhanced and everything upgraded. With Infiniti being Nissan’s upscale arm, it made sense that the G would also be renovated, and the new one is better in every way, which is going some, because its predecessor was a vehicle worthy of being compared to the BMW 3-Series — the state-of-the-art benchmark for every midsize sedan.
Because it already had developed an impressive resume of its own, the Infiniti entry level sedan could have rested on its record. But Infiniti marketers researched prospective buyers, asking them what all they wanted in a car and what all they didn’t like, about a variety of vehicles. The G is officially the G35, reflecting on the 3.5-liter V6 under the hood. Now they’re pretty much calling the new car the G, in line with the larger and more powerful M, and the top of the line Q.
The interior is luxurious and ergonomically sound, with high-class fit and finish, and choice materials. There is aluminum trim, and the switches are designed for a balance of touch and surety. The instruments are white and violet. The leather on the steering wheel is hand stitched so you don’t feel any awkward lumps. Wood trim, an option, is African rosewood. The paddle switches on the automatic transmission are magnesium, not plastic. Furthermore, it has a 7-inch screen on the color monitor if you get the navigation system, and the nav system is my personal favorite, for clarity, accuracy, and the unique “bird’s-eye” view that gives you an interesting perspective of where you’re going.
The G35 also has Bluetooth for hands-free telephone, and there is a 9.5-gig hard drive for recording your music favorites for playback of your own favorites as you drive. Playing it back means through a potent, 10-speaker audio system, including a three-way front door speaker set-up with 10-inch woofers, two 6.5 inch full-range speakers, and the usual assortment of smaller midrange and tweeters, plus a digital amplifier with eight channels of equalization, and 374 watts of system power.
Before doing its revision, Infiniti calculated that the 3-Series BMW, the Acura TL, the Audi A4 and A6, Lexus IS and ES, Volvo S60, Saab 9-3, and Cadillac CTS all are valid competition, and marketing chief Jim Hooke explained that all those competitors are bigger, better, faster, and better values than they used to be. Infiniti’s task, Hooke said, is to make sure the G “surrounds you with what you need inside the car, so you can concentrate on what surrounds you, outside the car.”
The eloquence was impressive, and I didn’t know he was speaking from the Infiniti brochure, but when he added: “Sports sedans have come to be regarded as purely machines,” I had to interrupt. “You mean,” I asked, “you think the sports sedans from BMW, Audi, and Acura are purely machines?”
He backpedaled quickly. “I guess we mean looking inward more than outward,” said Hooke, acknowledging the emotional connection of those cars. “Certainly that’s what sets the BMW, Audi and Acura apart. To compete in this segment, performance is the cost of entry.”
To say nothing of flair, emotion, and personality. Some performance cars have it, and BMW, Audi and Acura are among them, and some don’t. Infiniti wanted to make sure the new G would have it, going past the level of entry or mid luxury.
The shape of the G is distinctly Infiniti, and while the G Coupe — basically a 350Z 2-plus-2 — won’t be changed until 2008, the sedan is a roomy, versatile vehicle built on a 40-percent stiffer structure, and with the fourth generation of what is called the “VQ35HR” engine, which powers everything from the Nissan 350Z, Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder, Murano and Quest to Infiniti FX35 and G35. The new engine is not just tweaked, but has 80 percent new parts, with variable vbalve timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, via dual overhead camshafts. In its new trim, the 3.5 V6 develops 306 horsepower at 6,800 RPMs and 268 foot-pounds of torque at 4,800 RPMs.
Interestingly, the revised transmission is a 5-speed, while the manual is a 6-speed. Competitors’ automatics have six speeds from the Audi, seven from Mercedes and BMW, and eight from the top Lexus.So why five? Simple, Infiniti engineers say. With six, seven or eight gears, a car spends less time in each, and Infiniti chose to let drivers enjoy the thrill of winding the 3.5 up to higher revs in each gear for a longer period, enjoying the “swell” of power. With a 7,600-RPM red line, the engine has room to rev, and power does build over a broad torque range, much like a wave, rather than coming on in a peaky rush. Besides, it sounds great.
In the automatic, first, second and third gears are set for performance, while fourth and fifth are set to cruise at lower revs for optimum fuel economy. There are manual magnesium paddle switches on the steering wheel for those who want to shift the automatic manually, and a DS mode setting directs the transmission to hold for higher shift points. The automatic also blips the throttle to match revs on downshifts. The close-ratio 6-speed stick is for those who want to extract every bit of performance.
The styling is familiar, but the 2007 model has some unique upgrades. For example, the horizontal blades of the grille are twisted as they reach their outer edges, crafted to simulate the pride of ancient Japanese swordsmen.
The G also has double wishbone suspension, which is both firm and compliant to meet the demands of performance drivers and those who want comfort. A subtle little touch is that the rear suspension allows flexing and altering the angle for a four-wheel active steering response to quick cornering or precision in emergency handling. It’s one of those assets that you might never notice, until you have to swerve to miss a deer that darts out in front of you, when the quick response of the G steering will be appreciated.
After driving the G in Palo Alto, Calif., I was anxious to get one back on Minnesota roads. I didn’t have any snowstorms to confront in the week I drove it, which was too bad, because the model was the G-35X, which has all-wheel drive. That gives the G a total of five different models — the G35, G35 Journey, G35X AWD, G35 Sport, and the G35 Sport 6MT. In a clever move, you can choose any model and add the sport package as a stand-alone feature.
My G35X had the Sport package, so it handled superbly, even if I didn’t get the foul weather that would have let it shine even more brightly. At a sticker price of about $37,000, the Infiniti G fits right in with its target segment. Whether you call it mid-luxury, sport-luxury, or entry-luxury, it may be the most impressive batch of cars in the industry, and the G35X expands the by one more impressive entry.
‘X’ marks right spot for Infiniti’s new G35X sports sedan
Most every new vehicle is impressive at its introduction, so getting a second chance for a more lengthy evaluation can solidify or contradict those first impressions. In the case of the Infiniti G sedan, completely revised for 2007, all of its best attributes were reinforced — and then some.
Nissan came out with an all-new Altima midsize sedan for 2007, and it is a winner, with its dramatic styling lines enhanced and everything upgraded. With Infiniti being Nissan’s upscale arm, it made sense that the G would also be renovated, and the new one is better in every way, which is going some, because its predecessor was a vehicle worthy of being compared to the BMW 3-Series — the state-of-the-art benchmark for every midsize sedan.
Because it already had developed an impressive resume of its own, the Infiniti entry level sedan could have rested on its record. But Infiniti marketers researched prospective buyers, asking them what all they wanted in a car and what all they didn’t like, about a variety of vehicles. The G is officially the G35, reflecting on the 3.5-liter V6 under the hood. Now they’re pretty much calling the new car the G, in line with the larger and more powerful M, and the top of the line Q.
The interior is luxurious and ergonomically sound, with high-class fit and finish, and choice materials. There is aluminum trim, and the switches are designed for a balance of touch and surety. The instruments are white and violet. The leather on the steering wheel is hand stitched so you don’t feel any awkward lumps. Wood trim, an option, is African rosewood. The paddle switches on the automatic transmission are magnesium, not plastic. Furthermore, it has a 7-inch screen on the color monitor if you get the navigation system, and the nav system is my personal favorite, for clarity, accuracy, and the unique “bird’s-eye” view that gives you an interesting perspective of where you’re going.
The G35 also has Bluetooth for hands-free telephone, and there is a 9.5-gig hard drive for recording your music favorites for playback of your own favorites as you drive. Playing it back means through a potent, 10-speaker audio system, including a three-way front door speaker set-up with 10-inch woofers, two 6.5 inch full-range speakers, and the usual assortment of smaller midrange and tweeters, plus a digital amplifier with eight channels of equalization, and 374 watts of system power.
Before doing its revision, Infiniti calculated that the 3-Series BMW, the Acura TL, the Audi A4 and A6, Lexus IS and ES, Volvo S60, Saab 9-3, and Cadillac CTS all are valid competition, and marketing chief Jim Hooke explained that all those competitors are bigger, better, faster, and better values than they used to be. Infiniti’s task, Hooke said, is to make sure the G “surrounds you with what you need inside the car, so you can concentrate on what surrounds you, outside the car.”
The eloquence was impressive, and I didn’t know he was speaking from the Infiniti brochure, but when he added: “Sports sedans have come to be regarded as purely machines,” I had to interrupt. “You mean,” I asked, “you think the sports sedans from BMW, Audi, and Acura are purely machines?”
He backpedaled quickly. “I guess we mean looking inward more than outward,” said Hooke, acknowledging the emotional connection of those cars. “Certainly that’s what sets the BMW, Audi and Acura apart. To compete in this segment, performance is the cost of entry.”
To say nothing of flair, emotion, and personality. Some performance cars have it, and BMW, Audi and Acura are among them, and some don’t. Infiniti wanted to make sure the new G would have it, going past the level of entry or mid luxury.
The shape of the G is distinctly Infiniti, and while the G Coupe — basically a 350Z 2-plus-2 — won’t be changed until 2008, the sedan is a roomy, versatile vehicle built on a 40-percent stiffer structure, and with the fourth generation of what is called the “VQ35HR” engine, which powers everything from the Nissan 350Z, Altima, Maxima, Pathfinder, Murano and Quest to Infiniti FX35 and G35. The new engine is not just tweaked, but has 80 percent new parts, with variable vbalve timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, via dual overhead camshafts. In its new trim, the 3.5 V6 develops 306 horsepower at 6,800 RPMs and 268 foot-pounds of torque at 4,800 RPMs.
Interestingly, the revised transmission is a 5-speed, while the manual is a 6-speed. Competitors’ automatics have six speeds from the Audi, seven from Mercedes and BMW, and eight from the top Lexus.So why five? Simple, Infiniti engineers say. With six, seven or eight gears, a car spends less time in each, and Infiniti chose to let drivers enjoy the thrill of winding the 3.5 up to higher revs in each gear for a longer period, enjoying the “swell” of power. With a 7,600-RPM red line, the engine has room to rev, and power does build over a broad torque range, much like a wave, rather than coming on in a peaky rush. Besides, it sounds great.
In the automatic, first, second and third gears are set for performance, while fourth and fifth are set to cruise at lower revs for optimum fuel economy. There are manual magnesium paddle switches on the steering wheel for those who want to shift the automatic manually, and a DS mode setting directs the transmission to hold for higher shift points. The automatic also blips the throttle to match revs on downshifts. The close-ratio 6-speed stick is for those who want to extract every bit of performance.
The styling is familiar, but the 2007 model has some unique upgrades. For example, the horizontal blades of the grille are twisted as they reach their outer edges, crafted to simulate the pride of ancient Japanese swordsmen.
The G also has double wishbone suspension, which is both firm and compliant to meet the demands of performance drivers and those who want comfort. A subtle little touch is that the rear suspension allows flexing and altering the angle for a four-wheel active steering response to quick cornering or precision in emergency handling. It’s one of those assets that you might never notice, until you have to swerve to miss a deer that darts out in front of you, when the quick response of the G steering will be appreciated.
After driving the G in Palo Alto, Calif., I was anxious to get one back on Minnesota roads. I didn’t have any snowstorms to confront in the week I drove it, which was too bad, because the model was the G-35X, which has all-wheel drive. That gives the G a total of five different models — the G35, G35 Journey, G35X AWD, G35 Sport, and the G35 Sport 6MT. In a clever move, you can choose any model and add the sport package as a stand-alone feature.
My G35X had the Sport package, so it handled superbly, even if I didn’t get the foul weather that would have let it shine even more brightly. At a sticker price of about $37,000, the Infiniti G fits right in with its target segment. Whether you call it mid-luxury, sport-luxury, or entry-luxury, it may be the most impressive batch of cars in the industry, and the G35X expands the by one more impressive entry.
‘X’ marks right spot for Infiniti’s new G35X sports sedan
Most every new vehicle is impressive at its introduction, so getting a second chance for a more lengthy evaluation can solidify or contradict those first impressions. In the case of the Infiniti G sedan, completely revised for 2007, all of its best attributes were reinforced — and then some.
Nissan came out with an all-new Altima midsize sedan for 2007, and it is a winner, with its dramatic styling lines enhanced and everything upgraded. With Infiniti being Nissan’s upscale arm, it made sense that the G would also be renovated, and saying the new one is better in every way is going some, because its predecessor was a vehicle worthy of being compared to the BMW 3-Series — the state-of-the-art benchmark for every midsize sedan.
Because it already had developed an impressive resume of its own, the Infiniti entry level sedan could have rested on its record. But Infiniti marketers researched prospective buyers, asking them what all they wanted in a car and what all they didn’t like, about a variety of vehicles. The G is officially the G35, reflecting on the 3.5-liter V6 under the hood. Now they’re pretty much calling the new car the G, in line with the larger and more powerful M, and the top of the line Q.
The interior is luxurious and ergonomically sound, with high-class fit and finish, and choice materials. There is aluminum trim, and the switches are designed for a balance of touch and surety. The instruments are white and violet. The leather on the steering wheel is hand stitched so you don’t feel any awkward lumps. Wood trim, an option, is African rosewood. The paddle switches on the automatic transmission are magnesium, not plastic. Furthermore, it has a 7-inch screen on the color monitor if you get the navigation system, and the nav system is my personal favorite, for clarity, accuracy, and the unique “bird’s-eye” view that gives you an interesting perspective of where you’re going.
The G35 also has Bluetooth for hands-free telephone, and there is a 9.5-gig hard drive for recording your music favorites for playback of your own favorites as you drive. And that music plays through a potent audio system, which has a 10-speaker system, including a three-way front door speaker set-up with 10-inch woofers, and also has a digital amplifier with eight channels of equalization, and 374 watts of system power. Along with the 10-inch woofers, there also are two 6.5 inch full-range speakers, and the usual assortment of smaller midrange and tweeters.
Before doing its revision, Infiniti calculated that the 3-Series BMW, the Acura TL, the Audi A4 and A6, Lexus IS and ES, Volvo S60, Saab 9-3, and Cadillac CTS all were valid competition. Infiniti marketing chief Jim Hooke explained that all those competitors are bigger, better, faster, and better values than they used to be, which made Infiniti’s task clear. Hooke said the G “surrounds you with what you need inside the car, so you can concentrate on what surrounds you, outside the car.”
And then he said: “Sports sedans have come to be regarded as purely machines.”
I had to interrupt. “You mean, you think the sports sedans from BMW, Audi, and Acura are regarded as purely machines?”
He backpedaled quickly. Turns out, he was reading from a prepared statement of colorful quotations. “I guess we mean looking inward more than outward,” said Hooke. “Certainly that’s what sets the BMW, Audi and Acura apart. To compete in this segment, performance is the cost of entry.”
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To say nothing of flair, emotion, and personality. Some performance cars have it, and BMW, Audi and Acura are among them, and some don’t. Perhaps what Hooke meant was that Infiniti wanted to make sure the new G would have it.
The shape of the G is distinctly Infiniti, and while the G Coupe — basically a 350Z 2-plus-2 — won’t be changed until 2008, the sedan is a roomy, versatile vehicle built on a 40-percent stiffer structure, and with the fourth generation of what is called the VQ35HR engine. It has 80 percent new parts, with variable vbalve timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, via dual overhead camshafts. In its new trim, the 3.5 V6 develops 306 horsepower at 6,800 RPMs and 268 foot-pounds of torque at 4,800 RPMs.
Interestingly, the revised transmission is a 5-speed, while the manual is a 6-speed. Competitors’ automatics have six speeds from the Audi, seven from Mercedes and BMW, and eight from Lexus.So why five? Simple, Infiniti engineers say. Those with six, seven or eight gears spend less time in each gear, and Infiniti chose to let drivers enjoy the thrill of winding the 3.5 up to higher revs in each gear for a longer period. With a 7,600-RPM red line, the engine has room to rev, and Infiniti refers to its acceleration “swell,” which builds much like a wave, rather than coming on in a peaky rush.
In the automatic, first, second and third gears are set for performance, while fourth and fifth are set to cruise at lower revs for optimum fuel economy. There are manual paddle switches on the steering wheel for those who want to shift the automatic manually, and there is a DS mode that directs the transmission to hold for higher shift points, and the transmission also blips the throttle to match revs on downshifts. Also, of course, there is the close-ratio 6-speed stick for those who want to extract every bit of performance.
The styling is familiar, but the 2007 model has some unique upgrades. For example, the horizontal blades of the grille are twisted as they reach their outer edges, and the design is crafted to simulate the pride of ancient Japanese swordsmen.
The G also has double wishbone suspension, which is both firm and compliant to meet the demands of performance drivers and those who want comfort. A subtle little touch is that the rear suspension allows flexing for a four-wheel active steering response to quick cornering or precision in emergency handling. It’s one of those assets that you might never notice, but if you have to swerve to miss a deer that darts out in front of you, the quick response of the G steering will be noticeable.
After driving the G in Palo Alto, Calif., I was anxious to get one back on Minnesota roads. I didn’t have any snowstorms to confront in the week I drove it, which was too bad, because the model I had was the G35X, which has all-wheel drive. That gives the G a total of five different models — the G35, the G35 Journey, the G35X AWD, the G35 Sport, and the G35 Sport 6MT.
My G35X also had the Sport package, so it handled superbly, even if I didn’t get the foul weather that would have let it shine even more brightly. At a sticker price of about $37,000, the Infiniti G fits right in with its target segment. They are an impressive batch of cars, and now the segment is expanded by one more impressive entry.
About the Author
John Gilbert is a lifetime Minnesotan and career journalist, specializing in cars and sports during and since spending 30 years at the Minneapolis Tribune, now the Star Tribune. More recently, he has continued translating the high-tech world of autos and sharing his passionate insights as a freelance writer/photographer/broadcaster. A member of the prestigious North American Car and Truck of the Year jury since 1993. John can be heard Monday-Friday from 9-11am on 610 KDAL(www.kdal610.com) on the "John Gilbert Show," and writes a column in the Duluth Reader.
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