‘X’ marks right spot for Infiniti’s new G35 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 impresssive 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.”
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 tdouch 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 G-35X, 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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